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Discussion Topic:
HEAT EXCHANGER DANGER
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autoluke |
06-30-2018 @ 7:19 AM
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Member
Posts: 86
Joined: Jul 2017
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Working hard to bring my '41 to good performance, and noticed that the factory cabin heater involves a heat exchanger within the exhaust system. My concern is that any internal leak would result in CO2 being blown directly into the passenger compartment. Comments ?
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TomO |
06-30-2018 @ 8:35 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7256
Joined: Oct 2009
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Actually the leak would bring deadly CO (Carbon Monoxide) into the cabin, along with CO2( harmless Carbon Dioxide) into the cabin. The heat exchanger tubes are a heavy metal and take a long time to rust through. A rusty heat exchanger would also allow exhaust noise and other fumes to exit into the cabin and under the hood. These old cars leak a lot of air into and out of the cabin, so small amounts of CO will be diluted. A large leak would be dangerous. Over all the hot air heaters are reasonably safe and were also used on VW's and other air cooled engines. Just check it rgularly for the noise of an exhaust leak.
Tom
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autoluke |
06-30-2018 @ 9:32 AM
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Member
Posts: 86
Joined: Jul 2017
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Tom I agree with your overview, but a leak from within the exchanger would create the danger absent any exterior noise or gas fumes.
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hannaboy@pacbell.net |
06-30-2018 @ 4:13 PM
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Member
Posts: 21
Joined: Sep 2017
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I have the entire hot air set up for sale, CHEAP.. in Los Angeles.. I don't know what shipping would cost to lower 48.. My friend recently removed it from his 41, FORDOR..
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supereal |
07-05-2018 @ 1:07 PM
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Senior
Posts: 6819
Joined: Oct 2009
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Back in the day, exhaust manifold heaters were common, reaching back into the Model A era. Because of the obvious danger of carbon monoxide poisoning, some switched to gasoline heaters, which required combustion in the unit, until hot water heaters became the norm.
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3w2 |
07-05-2018 @ 4:19 PM
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Senior
Posts: 849
Joined: Oct 2009
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And more than a few died from fires in early VW beetles with gasoline heaters in collisions. My '37 was originally equipped with a hot air heater and when I restored the car I replaced everything with NOS parts plus added a welded in baffle to eliminate any possible leak into the passenger compartment. It has to be pretty cold to need a heater with all of the heat flatheads throw off.
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autoluke |
07-06-2018 @ 3:10 AM
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Member
Posts: 86
Joined: Jul 2017
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At this point I will keep everything as original stock, and will measure the heater flow with a CO detector as winter approaches. Any CO found will lead to replacement of the unit with an electric model.
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woodiewagon46 |
07-06-2018 @ 9:02 AM
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Senior
Posts: 704
Joined: Nov 2012
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I never liked those units and always wondered how many people that they thought fell asleep at the wheel really were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes. Why replace your unit with an electric heater rather than a '41 water heater. My Model A had a device that clamped over the manifold and entered directly into the passenger compartment. I still have it on a shelf somewhere. Buy a house CO2 detector and place it under your dash for safety.
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