heater hack up... heat works now!!!

[Crackerjax]

Heater modification,

Well after a lot of thinking here is what I did, I took out my old core and went to the auto parts store and found a similar size aluminum core… it was not a perfect match but it was close, I then decided I will use both cores in the system both in the box, the original one in the inlet side and the new one in the outlet side. I had to widen my box in the outlet side by one inch for the new core, so some cutting grinding and welding was in order, I then mounted both cores in the box and using rubber heater hose I connected the inlet of one to the outlet of the other and I did this so all the connections were outside the box on the lid(I had to cut the lid) I then placed it all together and using all weather duct tape sealed the box, I then added 1.5 inches of insulation all around the box taking great care to seal it up well. I replaced all my duct hoses with aluminum duct and insulated them in the same manner. I also insulated my distribution box … so here is how it worked, I ran the truck at 1000 rpm for 15 min to let her warm up… the heat about ran me out…its really cooking good. I am making some shifter boots and I am having my hard top sand blasted then done in line-x and I will insulate that with dynamat on the inside and paint her outside 3 color to match…. The insulation on the box is not pretty but she works well….I can give you a part number for the after market aluminum one when I get home….

 

[number9]

Sounds good - share your details when you get home please.

.......

 

[steelandcanvas]

Sorry, Couldn't help myself. You know we are all photo impaired.

 

[tm america]

yes where are the pics man .

 

[WyoDeuce]

We need pics I am very interested in this mod. I just installed a winter front and have a heater mounted in the cab. The heat output still isn't what it needs to be. It's allready real cold in wyoming and there is more snow on the way.

 

[tm america]

i dont know if you can put a big enough heater on there to make up for lack of insulation and having several air gaps like around the shifters and any leaky door seals i would think you would want to attack the problem from all sides first insulate and seal up the cab then mess with the heater if needed

 

[Crackerjax]

Oh man I dont have a camera thats working and I have it all put togeather I can supply the part number to the other core from advance auto but pretty much the origional core on the intake side of the box where it was already installed and on the output side of the box you put in the other core... use your choice of sawzall or torch and cut the box to fit the other core and and weld you in a little steel to widen that part of the box, after all that you chop the lid to allow space for the new cores lines and plumb the 2 cores togeather and put it all back on and hook up your lines... tape and insulation.. and I used the rigid aluminum duct for the dict work the box and the lines that does to the defuser box are 4 inch and the lines that go to the defrost are 3 inch I think I dropped about $100 in all.. I could have gone less but I over build everything...now I am worrying about melting my cores because of how how it is... maybe I can get a shoe box and mock up what I did and have my neighbor take a photo... it will look silly but... it may help I named it franken-heat

 

[Crackerjax]

i dont know if you can put a big enough heater on there to make up for lack of insulation and having several air gaps like around the shifters and any leaky door seals i would think you would want to attack the problem from all sides first insulate and seal up the cab then mess with the heater if needed

that is a good start I currently have a soft top on the truck and a hard top in tha garage but its gonna get colder quicker than I can re-do my hardtop, I have shifter boots in the works... old pup tent sides and sewing machine skills will work that out, I am thinking about making them so they are quilted and have insulation inside... I still need to figure out the floor and the back wall.. I dont want carpet or anything that traps water... atleast untill my hard top is done my soft top has had it.....

 

[Bigmillman]

Crackerjax, Nice post! I will try and seal up my truck and use your insulation idea on the heater box and ducting. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[1stDeuce]

Uh, you live in N. Carolina... Can't you just wear a jacket for those really cold days??

With the air gaps, it's a little chilly in my deuce at 20F, but not too bad once it's warmed up... I think heat actually comes up through the trans shifter, but that's at 30 or so mph. At 55, it might not be the case... If I could get the driver's window to seal against the hardtop, it'd be a bit warmer, that's for sure...

Keep thinking, that's how problems get solved!

C