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Aftermarket Electric Heaters (failed heater core) 700

After spending a day driving with a rag and my windows down, I need a better fix for my problem:

The coolant odor, foggy windows, and complaining girlfriend have led me to believe that my heater core is bad. I haven't inspeced any lines on the interior side of the firewall, but it is too cold here to disasemble my dash.

I was considering rerouting the coolant lines to remain in the engine bay. However, I need heat to keep my windows clear (-20°F/-29°C forcast this week).

Does anyone have any experience with aftermarket electric heaters?

The few I have seen range from 10A(120W) to 25A(300W).
Will my alternator (with an OE voltage regulator) be able to cope with those currents?

Will a 120W (or a 300W) heater produce enough heat to keep my windshield clear?

Any other suggestions?
(silica-gel packets on the dash??)

Thank You in advance

Joe Yapp
'85 744T
Montreal, QC








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    Aftermarket Electric Heaters (failed heater core) 700

    This is mickey mouse, but it works.
    A neighbor has a Hummer (orig, not the H-2) the heater was n/g,
    so he bought an auto tranny cooler (which is essentially a large heater core), ran the coolant pipes to it, put a valve inline to control the amount of heat, a simple blower fan to circulate the heat.

    IT WORKS GREAT. looks like h*LL, but this will be a quick fix until you can afford tearing the dash apart. Find a place to put two 1/2 holes in the firewall, buy some heater hose and give it a try.

    Me, I coughed up $500 (labor) and had a shop do it. Beg or borrow,
    its not going to be a good winter without a heater/defroster.

    If you run the revs high, the core can split like mine did, and
    you will have an instant steam sauna inside, and I mean
    clouds of steam, not drips!

    In any case, Make sure you get all of the old coolant out of your carpet
    I used a wet vac.








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    Aftermarket Electric Heaters (failed heater core) 700

    You could heat the car up with a 110v heater plugged into your house, then a small 12v heater might keep up.

    Unfortunately, without heat, the windshield probably won't be your only problem, as the car will probably accumulate water vapor.

    Have you priced the job at a garage? It might not be too bad compared to getting another car.
    --
    3 8s & 2 7s 725,000 miles total








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    Aftermarket Electric Heaters (failed heater core) 700

    Not likely. 120 Watts is about the heat output of an electric light bulb. Then you have to wire a ten-amp circuit to supply it. JC Whitney sells a little fan-driven heater that plugs into the lighter outlet, but its effectiveness in keeping a front windshield clear would be real questionable.








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      Aftermarket Electric Heaters (failed heater core) 700

      I've got one of those. I'm not sure about the BTU but it sucks. As far as warmth goes, well it works great in the summer....enough said. I'm considering one of the small natural gas heaters that they put in conversion/camping vans. I litterally have better luck with a big candle on my dash than with the electric heater. But after spilling hot wax all over me when I took off from a light and ruining a jacket I'm not going to use it anymore. Actually I read somewhere that you could use a candle to keep warm if you were stranded, it doesnt seem to work though if your not stationary.







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