Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (March 2009, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Fri, 6 Mar 2009 18:35:51 -0700
Reply-To:     alfred bagdan <abagdan@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         alfred bagdan <abagdan@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: Takes a darn long time for the heater to come up to speed
Comments: To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

If you have the rear heater valve open, most of the hot coolant goes through the rear heater. Try closing the rear heater and see what happens. Also replace your thermostat in case it is stuck open. If the temperature gauge does not go up to the halfway point in cold weather, you will probably have to replace the thermostat to get some decent heat. Its a bitch of a job, but doable. When I replaced the hoses last summer I also put pipe insulation on the hot lines and also replaced the thermostat and the water pump. What a difference that made. I live in Edmonton, Canada, and I drove the van once this winter when it was -30C ( ~ -20F ) and it was warm as toast inside, and didn't take long to warm up.

Alfred 85 Westy

----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Tuovinen" <mst@AK.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 2:49 PM Subject: Re: Takes a darn long time for the heater to come up to speed

> You just send her up here to drive my Syncro on a cold(subzero) morning, > she will appreciate your van much more afterward. My kids ride to school > with a blanket over them for warmth and they are wearing winter coats, > hats, mittens, and boots at the same time. Vanagons have a rather large > area to warm up and the front core is a long way from the heat source. > Though it won't cure your problem you could put pipe insulation on your > front heater hoses under the van. This will reduce the heat loss that > occurs before the hot coolant gets to the core. Another and more > difficult issue to deal with is that the front heater only draws air from > outside, it does not recirculate cabin air. Thus while your heater core > is trying to warm the air, the air is trying to cool the core. Not an > issue in moderate climates but those in extreme cold areas suffer because > of it. > > Mark in AK > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> > Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009 4:35 pm > Subject: Takes a darn long time for the heater to come up to speed > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > >> My wife's Subaru Outback's heater is ready to put out some serious therms >> in about 3 minutes of drive time. The temp gauge comes up quickly, >> whereas the temp gauge in ol' Mellow Yellow needs another 5-8 minutes of >> driving in freezing temps to really start to creep upwards and for the >> heater to start doing anything interesting. >> >> I'd like to think that the difference is due to the awesome efficiency of >> the WBX engine . . . I'd like to think that, but something tells me that >> a 2006 Subaru engine is a tad more efficient. So, does anyone have any >> idea why the 1.9L engine is so sluggish compared with the Outback's >> engine when it comes to making hot water available to the heater core? >> Mrs Squirrel gripes about how long it takes to get warm air to come out >> the heater and I'd like to have some highly-technical answer to respond >> with. You know, baffle them with BS? >> >> -- >> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano >> Bend, OR >> KG6RCR >>


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.