There is a baffle plate inside the front heater box that appears to block most of the air from getting to the heat exchanger. Only about 1/4 of the heat exchanger is actually getting air because of this bafffle, which has holes in it, mostly along one side. Does anybody know what the function is of this baffle plate, or whether cutting a few more holes in it might increase the heat available? According to an extremely unscientific polling at samba at http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=277650 removing the baffle plate seems to make little difference but might offer a little improvement. But I cannot imagine that the plate is there for no reason as somebody obviously went to a lot of trouble to make it. You can see a picture of a baffle plate where somebody drilled a lot of new holes in the middle section here: http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/419753.jpg Is this a folly idea????????? , or what is the downside???? Notwithstanding the people who said they were happy they removed their baffle, one person on samba once said: "I have heard that if the baffle is missing, that the heat output from the front core will be minimal. If the flow through the core is decent, then I'd be tempted to see if that is present." In response to this, Terry K blurted out, as he tends to do in an incendiary manner, "He-she is dead wrong. You obviously personally haven't been into a heater box ever."
_______________________________________________ Derek Drew Washington DC / New York derekdrew@derekmail.com Email is best normally but... PHONE: 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally) (alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532 |
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Vanagon mail messages have been archived.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.