Brad Kahler ask me this question and I thought the list might be interested in
the answer too.
Brad wrote: In your opinion is the fan upgrade worth it? I assume all it does
is replace the motor itself or does it also replace the fan? That works out to
around $75 plus shipping. Rather expensive for a little more air movement.
Answer:
It upgrades the motor (advertised as 60% more power...which I think does happen
but 60% of not a lot is still not a lot) and replaces the blade fan with a
squirrel cage fan, which is more efficient.
If for some reason you have to get into the heater box like I did to pull a
leaking heater core then it is very worth it, since pulling the heater box is a
lot of work and it's one of those...well as long as I've gone this far I might
as well go ahead and upgrade.... And it does blow more air. You can actually
hear air flow.
I don't think it's worth it JUST to increase air flow or heat since there's some
other things that you can do to improve that such as: 1) backflushing the heater
core, 2) vacuuming twenty some years of leaves off the heater core by accessing
through the scuttle vent (my heater core was about 20% covered/clogged with
leaves that had no place to go) with a small hose duct taped to your shop vac,
or by GENTLY blowing air (back flushing) through the heater core via the bottom
flap on the heater box while the scuttle vent is open, 3) closing the dash and
floor vents (swivel ones) when using the heater and defrost, and 4) opening the
scuttle vent when using the heater or defrost.
Lot's of people don't realize the scuttle vent should be open (and I didn't
until I read it here on the list) or there's no air source for the fan and air
flow is GREATLY reduced. I told a guy in the RMTC about this yesterday at the
club breakfast...he had a 4A that he was complaining about poor heating but he
didn't have an owner's manual (which is apparently one of the few places that
tells how to operate the heat/demist/vent system) and didn't know to open the
scuttle vent.
Nothing like experience to be a good teacher so I thought I'd share what I've
learned the hard way.
Air Vent Control (the bottom flap on the heater box) Positions/Functions on MY
TR6.
1) Knob all the way in. Open scuttle vent and open the dash and floor vents to
get ambient air temperature air flow. Air flow is only through the air vent
hoses and none through the heater core.
2) Knob pulled out to first click. Open scuttle vent and close the dash and
floor vents. Air flow is through the heater core and then through the
demister/defrost hoses only. Pull heater control valve knob/cable to get heated
air.
3) Knob pulled all the way out. Open scuttle vent and close the dash and floor
vents. Air flow is through the heater core and then mostly out the bottom of
the heater box onto your feet with maybe a little through the demister/defrost
hoses. Pull heater control valve knob/cable to get heated air. This is how I
get maximum heating in the cockpit.
Look at a heater box in a manual or catalog and you'll see where the various air
vent and demister/defrost hoses connect and the position of the heater core and
it'll make more sense.
I'm sure the list will have some other good suggestions. Let's hear em.
Hope you'll all be warmer.
Bud
71TR6 CC57365
71TR6 CC65446
66TR4A CFC57806
|