Jump to content


Photo

Aftermarket Heater Mod-it's Here!


  • Please log in to reply
163 replies to this topic

#1 Ouija Board

Ouija Board

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 357 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:The powerband on boost
  • Interests:Playing the my guitars, music & cars, cars, cars

Posted 23 August 2007 - 11:42 PM

As you will know from my previous posts, I have been dealing with a company who I approached for a possible solution to our appauling heater in the VX. I had some design ideas, and the company have now developed a kit and spent agreat deal of time coming up with a final design. Today I fitted the kit and am now posting my initial findings. The kit took us about 90 minutes to fit once the OEM flexi foil tube was removed. The ali adaptor was first fitted to the cabin take off, and the new synthetic hose and filter housing fitted. Then the ali adaptor was fitted to the blower outlet. As we all know clearance here is tight. However after a bit of fiddling and after removing some of the adhesive foam strip around the blower, the ali adaptor fitted snugly over the blower outlet giving an excellent seal. Finally the last piece of hose, and filter housing were fitted.
This job requires no special tools, or in depth mechanical knowledge. All you need are:

Screwdriver, 7mm open ended spanner, and a 1/4" Drive ratchet with a 7mm socket. Finally just a litle bit of patience.

As stated I took 90 minutes to fit the kit. But, this included time to try different component combinations. Now they are finalised, it should take no more than an hour. Yes, the ali housings are a snug fit and take a bit of fiddling to get on. However, once on they never need to be removed again, and offer a superb seal!
With the kit fitted, the improvement was immediate. Air flow seems more direct and forceful. Also as the the filter housing incorporates a foam filter, all the usual debris and dust is filtered from the airflow. I drove for an hour or so on the way home, with the heater on full all the way to try it out. No dust and debris what so ever. (Note prior to fitting the kit the blower was put on full to remove debris in the vents).
Once fitted it is literally a 5 minute job to un clip the filter housing, and clean the filter once a month say as art of your normal maintenance checks and or clean. Also at the same time it is easy to hoover out the blower housing to remove debris, thru the hose ontop of the blower. Alternativley, put the blower on full and simply blow out the muck prior to re-fitting your newly hooverd foam filter.
Although now in use on my car, I am going to try a few filter types for the company and evaluate my findings to them. Also, a slightly higher grade flexi pipe will be fitted once received by the company. But, all in all the first fit went smoothly.
This car is my daily drive so I can quickly evaluate the kits performance. But so far it is excellent, and something which I am very chuffed to have been a part of.
The company in question is "Revotec":
www.revotec.co.uk
The guys you need to speak to are William or Dave.
Tel No: 01491824424
Hopefully are photo's below. (if I havn't mucked it up :beat: )
The kits are pretty much ready for order now, and indeed William is taking one to show Lotus cars also!
In short, this offers a bespoke and well engineered solution to the poor air flow, and debris problems that plauge our VX's, in a neat one kit solution. I as an engineer am very pleased with the results, and urge you to contact Revotec to order a kit. (As previously posted around £70 I believe). Well worth it when you consider the filter only housing from the German or Dutch??? site can cost £60 with P and P. Also, as we know, one can easily blow £20 on bits'n'bobs and waist hours trying to concoct some half hearted "Heath Robinson" affair, "just to make do".
I must point out that I have no commercial connection with the company, and receive no financial reward from them! I am just someone with a passion for engineering and these cars, who approached them with an idea, and they as a company developed it and produced it.
I am in Andover, so attend the SCC meets when I can, so you can view the kit then if you wished, but I feel the photos speak for themselves. Any ????????????????? please post.
Finally a big big thankyou to William and Dave for all thier efforts. A great company and thoroughly nice genuine people to deal with thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup
Cheers

Rob

http://s224.photobuc.../dd224/RobBoard

#2 chris_uk

chris_uk

    I Fancy Joe

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 10,062 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Leeds UK

Posted 24 August 2007 - 12:33 AM

looks good, i might get one :)

#3 SteveA

SteveA

    .

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 9,158 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:North East UK

Posted 24 August 2007 - 08:04 AM

Nice one Rob, good to see this has finally come to fruition. I'm going on my hols next week but will deffo order one when I get back. Can't wait to get rid of that tin foil joke under the bonnet.

Edited by SteveA, 24 August 2007 - 08:04 AM.


#4 Code Monkey

Code Monkey

    forum whore

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,425 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Fleet

Posted 24 August 2007 - 08:46 AM

Had a look on the revotec website, email link doesnt work, but curious on the flexi tubing used, they have what looks like the same on the site is this one double lined at all just that i have noticed a large amount of heat loss due to the thin piping, I used a flexible pipe similiar to the one in the solution for last year (polyethelene tubing for tumble dryers) and while it improved flow, it still loses heat. Have you looked at any forms of lagging or shielding for the pipe work to improve this?

#5 covert ops

covert ops

    Billy No Mates

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,265 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 24 August 2007 - 03:46 PM

Good work Rob thumbsup . I will be ordering one at some point, thanks for sticking with it. Andy thumbsup

#6 A13X

A13X

    Need to get Out More

  • PipPipPipPip
  • 1,053 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Burton on Trent, staffs

Posted 24 August 2007 - 04:33 PM

So if we could get some sort of group buy going could we get any savings..?

#7 Baron Von Scubadaddy

Baron Von Scubadaddy

    STAGE 3.333333333333333333333333333333

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 6,645 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:North London
  • Interests:Girls, Cars,..... ! spending time asking questions about why my car won't work

Posted 24 August 2007 - 04:43 PM

Cheers Rob It's people like you and Vocky who make this forum and our cars a better place thumbsup thumbsup chinky chinky thumbsup thumbsup

#8 severnless

severnless

    Super Duper Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 517 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Sunny,Cheshire, Trent and Mersey

Posted 24 August 2007 - 05:53 PM

Rob :D as scobadaddy has said, thanks for the effort that you've gone too to sort our cars out! :P it is appreciated will be ordering mine next week, just mailed them for further details and costing! :) cheers bud :D chinky chinky

#9 Dynamo

Dynamo

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 293 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:West London
  • Interests:karting, kungfu, racing.

Posted 24 August 2007 - 06:21 PM

Will this kit fit a Turbo? From the pictures it's look like it's been fitted to an NA?

#10 davemate

davemate

    Harrop!!!

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,228 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Bath
  • Interests:Provoking Badgers

Posted 24 August 2007 - 07:36 PM

looks like an excellent bit of kit. with winter comming up that would be excellent to have a heater/blower back again as my tube has been off for months. one question: how easy is it to get to the heater arm once the kit is fitted. mine has a habit of getting stuck in one place? also: i was looking this on my parents pc- my dad came in from work and wondered what i was looking at on the internet after explaining he asked "does it double as a pollen filter as well as that would be really handy in the summer?"

#11 Ouchie

Ouchie

    Monkey no mates

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,805 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Gloucestershire

Posted 24 August 2007 - 11:21 PM

On days when the pollen count is high then surely you would probably have the top off anyway. I was wondering if a Dyson vacuum filter would work? I will take the dyson apart again and have another look at the filter as they do make a pollen/pet grade filter that is washable. I suffer from hayfever but take all manner of pills, eye drops, nasal sprays and snake oils to control it. Had the top off tonight and didn't even get a sniffle :jump: Also, speed combined with top off seems to suck all the dust and crap out so probably only going to need a filter when driving with the top on.

Edited by Ouchie, 24 August 2007 - 11:23 PM.


#12 SteveA

SteveA

    .

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 9,158 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:North East UK

Posted 25 August 2007 - 12:39 AM

Will this kit fit a Turbo? From the pictures it's look like it's been fitted to an NA?


Robs car is a turbo. I'm confused to how you can tell the difference between a turbo or N/A from those photos.

#13 MrSimba

MrSimba

    Scary Internerd

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 5,197 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:UK

Posted 25 August 2007 - 06:21 AM

I'll be up for one of these kits, esspecially with winter a few months away!

#14 Ouija Board

Ouija Board

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 357 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:The powerband on boost
  • Interests:Playing the my guitars, music & cars, cars, cars

Posted 25 August 2007 - 08:31 AM

Cheers for the comments Guys.

Yes, pretty glad I stuck with it. As I say the guys at Revotec have been superb so all credit to them as well!

A few answers to Q's (oh and as Steve says yes it is a Turbo. But will fit either)

On days when the pollen count is high then surely you would probably have the top off anyway. I was wondering if a Dyson vacuum filter would work? I will take the dyson apart again and have another look at the filter as they do make a pollen/pet grade filter that is washable.

Revotec have asked me to try out other filter options and give my findings. One of the filters I suggested is as above, so I'll let you/them know.

Have you looked at any forms of lagging or shielding for the pipe work to improve this? ie Heatloss

No lagging I feel would be required. The tubing is good quality and I'm also going to try some slightly better quality pipe for them, when that arrives which is what subsequent buyers will get. As we all know the haeter matrix is not wonderful on these cars, however the kit does certainly improve the haet/airflow!!

how easy is it to get to the heater arm once the kit is fitted. mine has a habit of getting stuck in one place?

Sorry mate don't know I'll have a look later today, but from memory (Thurs) fine, but I'll confirm.

Thanks again guys thumbsup

Rob.

#15 mandarinvx

mandarinvx

    King of First Replies

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 12,621 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:West Mids / Oxfordshire

Posted 25 August 2007 - 09:37 AM

Good stuff, thanks for sorting this out mate Imnotworthy I'll def be getting one when it's all finalised thumbsup

#16 CheesyPuff

CheesyPuff

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 415 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Bexleyheath, Kent
  • Interests:Dogging

Posted 25 August 2007 - 10:00 AM

Will have one of these when the design/parts are finalised, the vxr seems to have a bit of mesh added that wasnt on my na that does nothing except catch bees and wasps. Darren...

#17 andyroo

andyroo

    Need to get Out More

  • PipPipPipPip
  • 994 posts
  • Location:Ashford, Kent

Posted 25 August 2007 - 10:29 AM

This is definately top of my list for winter I think; I'd like to be able to demist my windows without also showering them in crap. Good work, well done for seeing it through! Edit: Do you think the manufacturers can keep up with the likely demand?

Edited by andyroo, 25 August 2007 - 10:29 AM.


#18 bohemoth

bohemoth

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 340 posts
  • Location:glasgow

Posted 25 August 2007 - 10:30 AM

girlfriend permormed the quickets ejection ever from a vx today :lol: , big wasp got in think ill need one as i like the roof the way it is without people shaped holes thumbsup

#19 Ouija Board

Ouija Board

    Super Member

  • PipPip
  • 357 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:The powerband on boost
  • Interests:Playing the my guitars, music & cars, cars, cars

Posted 26 August 2007 - 08:15 PM

how easy is it to get to the heater arm once the kit is fitted. mine has a habit of getting stuck in one place?

Had a look today and it's a 20 second job. Just unclip the filter housing and move the flexi hose to one side. Easy!!!

HTH

Rob

#20 n1k_ns

n1k_ns

    Scary Internerd

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,127 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Wolverhampton, UK
  • Interests:Date Of VX First Registration: 01/03/2002

Posted 26 August 2007 - 10:06 PM

If there is a group buy going then count me in ASAP :)




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users