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Some years ago, I had a '73 164 that had previously owned by a creative fellow who had a warm blooded wife... She wouldn't ride in his cold car. So, in what once was the glove box, he added a secondary heater, with separate motor... Just a A/C setup from an old Chevy or something...
Now here I am driving another 164. This one a '71, and the heater fan is screeching pretty bad. Going to have to get in there and replace it.
This car has (had) A/C. It's still in place, but of course does not work. I was thinking while under the dash, of running coolant lines to the A/C, and using that as a similar auxilary heater to what that guy had done to the '73 I had.
Any thoughts on that? Any potential corrosion issues running coolant through the A/C core, possibly using some of the old A/C lines? Is there a trick to getting the A/C fan motor to work? There is no label on the fuse box for it... maybe there are temp sensors somewhere? I doubt the motor is bad... I suppose I could just use a toggle swith, but it would be nice to use the original fan switch...
Just a thought.. would be nice to have heat coming out of those A/C vents I think... any inputs/concerns?
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-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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It doesn't take a whole lot of heat to get the cabin up to temp. I would look at the current heater core to see if it is partially clogged after all of these years and also make sure the coolant flow valve needs replacing. I would not screw around with the evaporator.
If you need a warmer car, get some seat heaters from a 240 and stick them into your seats. The 1975 164 had just the driver's seat wired, which my passengers did not care for :) There should be at least 2 empty switch panels for a pair of seat heaters.
Klaus
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The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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indeed.. the heater is quite good... even without the fan.
But, we're 3 weeks away from potentially 20 below temps... and there is an unused 'heater core' and motor.. If you got it, use it.. is what I say
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-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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I think that because of the expansion valve, the size and composition of the tubing,
you probably would do a LOT better with another heater coil. But if your regular
heater coil and BLOWER are doing OK, they should be sufficient once the engine gets
warm, and until it does, all the water heating systems in the world will not heat.
You might put in a higher temp thermostat - that can really make a difference in
heater operation.
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George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!
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I agree---the stock heater should be adequate (even at 20 below---it gets COLD in Sweden) You should look at the noisy fan (almost as bad as the one in a 240, to get to) as you need to run the fan to get decent heat with the limited flow-through of these older cars, and make sure the core is not obstructed with debris. I had one once that was absolutely packed solid with winged Maple tree seeds. It was so bad that they physically obstructed the fan from turning. Result--no heat. It took hours to pick the seeds out from in between the heater core fins with tweezers. That got the heat working, but it was still a little less than I would have liked on the coldest mornings. A hotter thermostat made all the difference in the world. If necessary, you can block off part of the radiator with cardboard or thin sheet metal for a similar effect (just remember to take the baffle out when the weather warms up) PVs and 122s had a radiator blind behind the grill that could be operated by pulling a knob inside the car. For whatever reason, 140s, (and all later models) no longer used this feature.
If you still want to convert the A/C unit to a heater, the best way would be to install a new brass heater core the same size as the evaporator in its place. How to plumb it you will have to figure out for yourself. There is some chance that the plastic of the evaporator housing is not suitable for high heat, and will warp when subjected to it, so it might turn out not to be a good idea. On every 140 I had with A/C, I removed it and gained the benefit of a large, useful, drop-down glove compartment/storage bin.
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Good thoughts.. thanks. That's what I was wondering.
I'll still consider it, but with more precaution. Maybe if I do decide to do it.. intall emergency stop valves in case it leaks... Steam rated valves should be fine...(hidden of course)
And definitely have a good look at the evaporator. If plastic, probably not a good idea. Maybe another heater core could be shoehorned in it's place..... Maybe I can find something.
Like I said... the heater is pretty good as is. But, on them super cold mornings, I really like heat coming at me... so I can hold my frozen fingers up to a vent that dispenses hotness... the floor/defrost only is like electric baseboard heat in a house. Yea.. gets the job done. But I like a wood stove to stand in front of...
Instant gratification.
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-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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Hello,
If you're looking for "instant gratification" to just warm your fingers, perhaps a reasonably good ceramic heater that plugs into the cig. lighter (or can be wired of course) is what you might want if you don't want a lot of fuss. I had one for years as a poor substitute for my busted heating system. They are not really an acceptable replacement for a bad stock heater, but good ones can make a handy hand heater. The one I used to have had a little fan and heater in the back for just this purpose. And when winter is over, just remove the thing. Perhaps not the most elegant solution, just a thought...
Good luck!
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Just another dumb idea besides getting a 92C thermostat. Rip out the engine cooling fan and install an electric fan. Not only will that allow the engine to get up to heat faster, it will add about 5 more bhp :) Who needs a cooling fan when it is -20F outside? And when you are driving down the road, there should be enough air flowing through the radiator to keep things cool without a fan running.
Your 164 really doesn't "need" AC, especially at altitude and with the floor vents open. If you already haven't, remove the compressor to get rid of about 20lbs of dead weight.
I agree with the trash in front of the heater core, it is amazing how much gets accumulated when there is no air filter. This is true of all cars, but the dumb design by Volvo makes getting to it almost impossible.
Have fun and keep it simple,
Klaus
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The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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I did not mean that the evaporator core itself was plastic. It is probably aluminum. I was referring to the plastic housings that surround it, and form the lower right part of the dash. If they are not made of heat resistant plastic, they will quickly warp. Unfortunately, I can't think of a good way to test them first without causing damage.
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