38 replies to this topic

[slindborg]

its worth noting that you do NOT want to be taking huge quantities of heat from the heater matrix as the return is in a stupid place and can over cool the thermostat on the engine and make that shut. I was toasty warm but the engine temp was oscilating up and down by 5deg as the stat was being screwed with by over cooling the matrix lines. That was with the std matrix, a good shaped enclosure and a 3" axial fan from merlin motorsport.... so nothing 'fancy'

[moneyhunster]

or try this?

http://www.t7design....264ca520d8e2890

ok i have just ruined another heater box with brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder so im going to get one of these in the link above, anyone any idea which one i should get and what accessories would be needed? Cant believe i have to go through this again

Your recommendations are greatly appreciated.

[kipper]

Perhaps we should move our battery to the boot and come up with a new design heater box for our cars, with so many people making accessories for the vx aint it about time this issue was fixed and forgotten, surely among us we could do it, no?

We need as much weight over the front as possible... However, it might feel warmer as you under steer into the next hedge.

[Steve B]

Perhaps we should move our battery to the boot and come up with a new design heater box for our cars, with so many people making accessories for the vx aint it about time this issue was fixed and forgotten, surely among us we could do it, no?

We need as much weight over the front as possible... However, it might feel warmer as you under steer into the next hedge.

Didn't Lotus see fit to move the S2 battery to the rear? Our cars have S1 front ends don't they?

[moneyhunster]

Surely a decent size heater with bigger matrix full with water up front wouldn't be that bad? Any weight in the boot in the form of a battery might help some of us keep the back wheels going in the right direction too!

[moneyhunster]

b

Edited by moneyhunster, 26 December 2010 - 06:47 PM.

[moneyhunster]

Bloody blackberry

[soupdragon]

its worth noting that you do NOT want to be taking huge quantities of heat from the heater matrix as the return is in a stupid place and can over cool the thermostat on the engine and make that shut. I was toasty warm but the engine temp was oscilating up and down by 5deg as the stat was being screwed with by over cooling the matrix lines.

That was with the std matrix, a good shaped enclosure and a 3" axial fan from merlin motorsport.... so nothing 'fancy'

I read on one of the heater threads that insulating the alloy feed pipes makes a useful improvement to the std set up
ie hotter water reaching the matrix
It should theoretically also keep the return temp higher.

[slindborg]

its worth noting that you do NOT want to be taking huge quantities of heat from the heater matrix as the return is in a stupid place and can over cool the thermostat on the engine and make that shut. I was toasty warm but the engine temp was oscilating up and down by 5deg as the stat was being screwed with by over cooling the matrix lines.

That was with the std matrix, a good shaped enclosure and a 3" axial fan from merlin motorsport.... so nothing 'fancy'

I read on one of the heater threads that insulating the alloy feed pipes makes a useful improvement to the std set up
ie hotter water reaching the matrix
It should theoretically also keep the return temp higher.

That would be good if it actually worked.... but I cant see it working that well tbh.

[soupdragon]

its worth noting that you do NOT want to be taking huge quantities of heat from the heater matrix as the return is in a stupid place and can over cool the thermostat on the engine and make that shut. I was toasty warm but the engine temp was oscilating up and down by 5deg as the stat was being screwed with by over cooling the matrix lines.

That was with the std matrix, a good shaped enclosure and a 3" axial fan from merlin motorsport.... so nothing 'fancy'

I read on one of the heater threads that insulating the alloy feed pipes makes a useful improvement to the std set up
ie hotter water reaching the matrix
It should theoretically also keep the return temp higher.

That would be good if it actually worked.... but I cant see it working that well tbh.

The poster said it helped.
And it makes sense, if the water is hotter at the matrix it's going to increase the temp of the air entering the vx
Obviously other mods are needed such as sealing the heater box but this should be a help
And if the water returning to the engine is warmer, it will speed warm up, also handy when your freezing your nuts off

Edited by soupdragon, 28 December 2010 - 11:25 PM.

[slindborg]

the problem is overcooling the return water... and given the temp of the fluid + short run from the back to front of the car I really cant see a tangable drop in temps from the engine to the inlet of the matrix. Now if you instrument up the pipework and gets some data, then lag the pipes and do the same I shall sit as corrected as the data suggests

[Paulus H]

Has anyone actually fitted one of these???? http://www.t7design....264ca520d8e2890 Paul

[moneyhunster]

I ordered one yesterday with some water pipe and flexible air pipe, the pics look like its a decent setup, i have to fabricate an outlet to go ontop of the modular heater as they dont come with one in our size. I have access to packing material similar to the stuff that covers heating pipe, it comes in flat sheets and can be glued to make any shape, gonna use that to make sure the box fits nicely in the bay. I'll post up some pics when its done. I wont have any way of selecting cool air at first though as our heaters have a door inside them to divert the flow if needed, i'll look at that in the spring when it might get warmer

[slindborg]

I ordered one yesterday with some water pipe and flexible air pipe, the pics look like its a decent setup, i have to fabricate an outlet to go ontop of the modular heater as they dont come with one in our size.
I have access to packing material similar to the stuff that covers heating pipe, it comes in flat sheets and can be glued to make any shape, gonna use that to make sure the box fits nicely in the bay.

I'll post up some pics when its done.
I wont have any way of selecting cool air at first though as our heaters have a door inside them to divert the flow if needed, i'll look at that in the spring when it might get warmer

very easy to select the heat..

you put a VW T25 valve in to bypass the matrix and hook that upto the heat select. When the valve is open then it lets the coolant flow through the valve and not the rad, and when shut obv it pushes through the rad. DONE

[Paulus H]

Please let us know how you get on with the compact heater. There has to be a way to fix this problem once and for all. Are you going to be fitting it yourself. Paul

[moneyhunster]

Yes gonna fit myself, I've been chattin with the owner of the company and I'm gonna send him my old heater for him to look at and see if he can come up with a direct replacement, I'm sure many on here would be interested in a direct replacement as a final fix to a yearly problem!

[Paulus H]

A solid fix would be a big bonus for a lot of owners. Keep the info coming. Paul

[Mangham54]

A simple plug and play solution would be a winner... But given the servitude on these cars already I am surprised that one hasn't already been made... Just suspect that the space available in the bonnet just fouls up any alternatives.

[alanoo]

Funny setup.... looks very much like a computer fan and watercooling rad !