Time is short, heater core has gone south, weather is cold, AC doesn't work anyway and looking for a quick fix! Has anyone ever converted the AC condensor element in the blower box into a heater by connecting up the heater hoses to it? Don't see why this shouldn't work, but would be interedted to hear if anyone's tried it succesfully.

Cheers,

I wouldn't try it. It isn't that difficult to replace the heater core, just time consuming. A new one is only $20, just set aside a weekend and do it right.

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It probably will work. But the thing you're talking about is the Evaporator. I did hear of 4X4 guys using the Condenser (the one in front of the radiator) as an engine oil cooler or tranny oil cooler.

The ID of the line would be waay to constictive I think to do any good and possibly harm/danger as pressure could build ?

These are designed for about 100 psi, should handle the pressure even at engine temp. Be sure to remove the expansion valve in the inlet of the smaller line. Should get you some heat anyway.

Be aware that if you use the evap core for heat, you will have no way to modulate the heat output with the stock setup. A seperate cable running to a water shut off valve will be necessary.

John
79Z28

I was thinking of simply turning the blower off to minimise hot air into car. If it gets too hot, then I thought I could fit some sort of restrictor in the inlet hose. The evaporator is pretty big so there might be too much heat!
Alternatively I could fabricate some sort of blanking plate on one side of the heat control flap in the box inside the car, so the hot air either passes through or is restricted.
Either way I figure it's easier than taking out the internal box and windows are still the best form of air conditioning in the chilly UK.

I don't think you'll have any problems. If it's anywhere near as cold where you are as it has been around here lately, you won't be worrying about too much heat!

Peter,

You wont be able to use the heater bypass door to control the heat, since the AC evap core is upstream of the door, diverting the flow around the heater core wont make a difference in air temp.

Buy a heater shut off valve and get an extra long cable to run the temp cable to the water control valve that you need to mount in the engine compartment. This way , you can modulate the heat and shut it off completely in the Summer.

John
79Z28