> The hoses, fittings, hard
> pipe on the left
> side of the head and valve at the head are new.
Are you sure you have good hoses between the bulkhead and the heater ?
Modern hoses will kink right at the top of the heater unless you get the
wire reinforced kind. All of the originals I've ever removed are at least
nearly kinked at this point and I doubt the purpose-made replacements are
any better. You should be able to find the wire-reinforced hose at NAPA,
but 'taint cheap.
You didn't mention what you've done to the heater core itself. Because of
it's design, it's very apt to fill up with sediment over the years.
Removing it and flushing it while upside down may do wonders. Be careful
with the garden hose though, home water pressure is far above what the core
will stand and it's easy to ruin the core. I've learned that my local
radiator shop uses water mixed with air for flushing, they claim it's very
effective. Sure seemed to rejuvenate the heater on my Buick, without
removing anything but the thermostat housing.
> It is just pathetic. I was
> thinking that maybe if you replace the valve at the head with a
> 90 degree pipe
> fitting that more water flow can go to the heater.
I actually started a project once to enlarge all of the lines to the heater.
The fitting on the head can be tapped out to the next larger size and 1/2"
id hard lines run to/from the heater. Never finished the project tho, so no
idea how much improvement it offers.
> I have also purchased a
> larger fan motor, but haven't installed it yet.
Tends to be counter-productive, IMO. I tried it, but the larger motor
blocks the airflow through the core. To increase airflow, you have to turn
the fan faster ... seems like the stock fan doesn't move any more air if you
do turn it faster, and there isn't room for a larger fan unless you also
insert a spacer between the lower housing & the core.
> I have Bob Schaller's book "More BS ABout Triumphs" and he
> says to try
> installing a Spitfire heater. That is in the future.
Spit heaters seem to be common and cheap on eBay.
There's also the JC Whitney route, which is written up in one of the Tech
Talk volumes from TRSC. Don't recall who wrote it now, but they actually
had air coming out so hot that it was melting things !
> Anyone have any tried & true ways to get the heater heating more?
Did you try the Denny's menu ?
Also, something I didn't know years ago when I lived in the cold ... if the
front fender seals are shot, it will blow cold air into the passenger
compartment ! If you look at the kick panels inside the cabin, there is a
gap at the top where they don't quite meet the scuttle. On Dad's TR3A,
there was an amazing blast of cold air through those gaps.
Randall
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