Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:01:57 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Heater flap foam replacement detail
In-Reply-To: <50C6916B.5080007@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
you'll get sooner heater performance in winter Jack,
by having the heater temp lever ( controls the heater valve that
controls coolant flow through the heater core )
either on full 'cool' or barely on.
Thenafter a few minutes, turn heater temp lever to full hot.
With your flaps closed ....that could work too as you are not removing
heat from the heater core very much ..
even still, I think it's much better to have the heater circuit mostly
closed to coolant flow when things are cold at first.
If you have coolant flow happening and much air flowing over the
heater core ..
that can keep the thermostat from getting the engine to full temp
directly andas quickly as it can.
I only have two modes on my heater control levers -
top lever is going to be in the middle , or full right for defrost. I
don't find that full left really stops air flow that much.
# 2 lever is for wherever I want the temp to be.
# 3 lever... this one is key to getting warm air out by your knees when
you no longer need defrostto the windshield.
So that lever..I have full right for when I need defrost to the windshield..
all the rest of the time it is full left...so I get floor warm air.
# 4leveris about whether heat goes forward or to the back ...Ionly want
my heat going to the front, so I never move that lever.
I don't think this is spelled out clearly anywhere either , like in the
Owner's Manual.
and just keep temp levermostly off ( left ) until the engine has a
chance to warm.
I *never* sit around 'warming it up' either ..
no load on the engine ...it can't warm up very much that way.
Just start as gently as you can ..then drive off in 30 seconds or so ,
taking it real easy for the first mile or so.
Ideally ........you want it under some load cold, so it can warm up.
a really bad mode would be you live where you start out on a long
downhill run.
In a diesel ....if you had a 5 mile downhill run every time you started
out cold ...it would take forever to get to operating temp.
which is why TDI's have glow plugs in their heater circuit..
and one of these days..
I have one of those 3 glow plug coolant flanges from a diesel ...and
I'll bolt that back-to-back with another flange..
and I'll have a way to have 3 glow plugs in my waterboxer heater circuit
hose ...right at the forward end of the right cylinder head on a 1.9
wbxr like you have.
I might plug in my block heater more . I just hate starting and engine
when it's really cold ...the first 5 minutes are pretty rough on it.
stay cozy !
scott
www.turbovans.com
some trimmed.
On 12/10/2012 5:50 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> Dennis Haynes writes to say "Actually for heat you need to let some
> outside air in. All the heated air comes from outside. Usually the foam
> is replaced to stop of the whistling noises when closing all the vents
> is attempted."
>
> I took the heater box out this spring and serviced it. The old foam
> seals had crumbled like a sandcastle at high tide, like marzipan in a
> hot tub.
>
> But I didn't replace them. During warm weather, there's little need to
> close the flaps, and during winter I only close them while waiting for
> the engine to warm sufficiently to provide hot water to the heater core.
> This takes, what? five minutes?
>
> I have not heard any whistling w/o the foam bits while driving during
> the initial warm-up period, nor a cold draft.
>
> I'm not disappointed that I chose not to put in new foam, because it
> looked like a real PITA -- and lemme tell ya', it was a risky decision
> considering how difficult it is to get that darn heater box out. But we
> (me and my son) studied the flaps, flipped them about, discussed it,
> drank a glass of wine or two (me) or PBR (my son), looked at how tightly
> the flaps closed with no foam, and -- taking the lazy man's way out --
> decided to to take a pass on the foam replacement step.
>
> It's worked out fine.
>
> I can't think of many situations where I'd want the flaps to stay closed
> for any length of time and when a bit of air getting through would be
> troublesome. In warm weather I like a breeze, in cold I wait for the
> core to heat then open them, and any leakage isn't a bother.
>
> Me, I'd say skip that fussy bit. Replace the heater core and the blower
> motor, lube what needs lubing, blow things out -- and be done with it.
>
> But, as they say: YMMV.
>
> Jack out.
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