heater question

[Donnie]

Hi, I just picked up a couple of heaters that the blower mounts under the bonnet, held down by 4 bolts & the heater is inside the cabin. The hole in the firewall is probably 3x4 or near that. Can you tell me who made this unit , & rate it's quality from 1 to 10. It also has a flex tube running to the front of the vehicle near the headlite.....looks like dryer vent hose...My dashboard heater is not adequate to even clear my windscreen...I think it is a Smith cigar box 1 speed, & I'm wondering if the work to swap these is worth while?

[rivertonrovers]

Hard to say with out a pic but it sure sounds like a Kodiak M4. Its well worth the swap if it is. Does it look something like this?

http://picasaweb.google.com/rivertonrovers/ForSaleLandRover1967Diesel88#5267478171099324082

Bill R.
www.rivertonrovers.com

[Donnie]

Yep. that's what I have... I am going to take it apart and evaluate the condition of the core, bead blast and paint the housing, & in she goes.. feels real strong in the blower phase, I just want to make sure that the core is OK
thanks for your help, Donnie...nice site BTW:)

[Donnie]

Hard to say with out a pic but it sure sounds like a Kodiak M4. Its well worth the swap if it is. Does it look something like this?

http://picasaweb.google.com/rivertonrovers/ForSaleLandRover1967Diesel88#5267478171099324082

Bill R.
www.rivertonrovers.com
Is the Clayton heater being discussed on ebay better than the ont that I have
Kodiac m4?

[yorker]

Is the Clayton heater being discussed on ebay better than the ont that I have
Kodiac m4?

no...

[Eric W S]

no...

I would disagree. Have you researched the heater at all? The new ones put out a great deal of heat.

Search www.series2club.co.uk (http://www.series2club.co.uk) on the new smiths heater cores made by Clayton and the Clayton heaters. Both have gotten excellent reviews as far as heat.

The folks at Clayton are sending me the output figures. Sometime this century...

[yorker]

I would disagree. Have you researched the heater at all? The new ones put out a great deal of heat.

Search www.series2club.co.uk (http://www.series2club.co.uk) on the new smiths heater cores made by Clayton and the Clayton heaters. Both have gotten excellent reviews as far as heat.

The folks at Clayton are sending me the output figures. Sometime this century...

Eric- I have used a Clayton- they are improved over the crap Smith's- yes! However are they better than a good Kodiak MK4- no.

[Eric W S]

Eric- I have used a Clayton- they are improved over the crap Smith's- yes! However are they better than a good Kodiak MK4- no.

You've used a Newly Manufactured Clayton?

I wish I still had my old smiths. It heated better than my good Kodiak.

EwS

[yorker]

Yes a friend of mine had a new Clayton in a IIA 88" plow truck, which I spend many, many hours in. Like I said they are better than the round core Smith's but that isn't saying much IMHO- the Smith's was what? ~7,500 btu IIRC? They are a great option for someone who is trying to maintain the original look of the Smith's- they probably would work for someone in a Cfb climate- and definitely would seem to be a big improvement if purchased to replace a 50 year old Smiths.




There are other newer heater cores you can fit to a Kodiak to improve their output even further, (I can't remember exactly which ones are ideal though-it has been a while...)- a lot of the originals I've seen have been really crapped up heater cores. I've also seen Kodiaks installed incorrectly so the blower was partially obstructed.

YMMV.

[Eric W S]

Yes a friend of mine had a new Clayton in a IIA 88" plow truck, which I spend many, many hours in. Like I said they are better than the round core Smith's but that isn't saying much IMHO- the Smith's was what? ~7,500 btu IIRC? They are a great option for someone who is trying to maintain the original look of the Smith's- they probably would work for someone in a Cfb climate- and definitely would seem to be a big improvement if purchased to replace a 50 year old Smiths.




There are other newer heater cores you can fit to a Kodiak to improve their output even further, (I can't remember exactly which ones are ideal though-it has been a while...)- a lot of the originals I've seen have been really crapped up heater cores. I've also seen Kodiaks installed incorrectly so the blower was partially obstructed.

YMMV.

Cool. Thanks for the info. Makes me wonder about the infor on the series 2 bbs?

Might have to stick with the Kodiak Mk 4 I have...Which means I have more research to do.

EwS

[yorker]

Well the series 2 bbs is like any other bbs - the opinions you get are worth what you pay for them. ;) Mine included...

On one of the UK LR boardsfor example,there is a fellow who swears up and down that you cna run 9.00 16s on a regular IIA 109 with a 2.25 diesel with no difficulty on road or off. I can't imagine his acceleration would be up to our standards- his favorite tire in the mud is bar grips too... :D Maybe he doesn't break axles because he doesn't have the torque to do so. He has driven to Russia and back with this configuration so it apparently works ok for him but I doubt his ideal would work for many other people.

also- IMHO their conception of winter is generally more mild than ours - aren't you from around Chicago- it has to get plenty cold there. I'd bet colder than it does for most of the UK.

For the $ involved with a Clayton I think you could improve your Kodiak or do fab something even better. The ingenuity and resourcefulness of many Series Land Rover owners in never ceases to amaze- plenty of good solutions out there- the key is to figure something that works for you.

[luckyjoe]

The Kodiak Mk.IV has the largest core of the Kodiak line, and properly set-up, you will not have a shortage of heat with it. I have one with in my 109 and it will keep the whole vehicle nice and toasty. In the front seats, you won't even need your jacket/hat/gloves!

FWIW, the Kodiaks didn't make it to the UK - they were a designed for LHD LR's. So, the S2 club would only offer what they've read about them.

I did read the thread on the Clayton, but since you already solved the difficulty of finding one, the Kodiak Mk.IV is the only choice.

Regards,

[Eric W S]

Well the series 2 bbs is like any other bbs - the opinions you get are worth what you pay for them. ;) Mine included...

On one of the UK LR boardsfor example,there is a fellow who swears up and down that you cna run 9.00 16s on a regular IIA 109 with a 2.25 diesel with no difficulty on road or off. I can't imagine his acceleration would be up to our standards- his favorite tire in the mud is bar grips too... :D Maybe he doesn't break axles because he doesn't have the torque to do so. He has driven to Russia and back with this configuration so it apparently works ok for him but I doubt his ideal would work for many other people.

also- IMHO their conception of winter is generally more mild than ours - aren't you from around Chicago- it has to get plenty cold there. I'd bet colder than it does for most of the UK.

For the $ involved with a Clayton I think you could improve your Kodiak or do fab something even better. The ingenuity and resourcefulness of many Series Land Rover owners in never ceases to amaze- plenty of good solutions out there- the key is to figure something that works for you.

Good point.

Yes in Chicago, so it gets really cold. I bike to work year round so I am acclimated to the cold by now. I like the Smith's look for some reason and I live in the city so a car is a luxury. I bike everywhere quicker and cheaper - no parking. The ROver just sits in the garage waiting for parts.

I'll poke around the Kodiak this weekend. I have to remove shortly anyway. Ike's site has the core as a US made peice so I should be able to find it fairly quickly. Hopefull the fan is as well.

Motor blower on mine is non-original, which is bumming me out.

[daveb]

I have a MKIII. I rebuilt the housing by welding up all the holes, and had the (leaking) core rebuilt by universal carnegie manufacturing in PA. Turnaround on the core was 1 day. Sent it friday and was back at my place on Tuesday. Heat output is greatly increased. I find myself opening the windows to cool off. Rebuilding will ensure that your replacement core is the correct size etc. All of the supposed cores out of this or that 64 comet row whatever did not pan out for me. Those cores are usually 2 inches thick and the kodiak was 2.5". That's 25% more capacity. And the pipes were in the wrong place. Carnegie was about $120 shipped and the work is quite good.




Good point.

Yes in Chicago, so it gets really cold. I bike to work year round so I am acclimated to the cold by now. I like the Smith's look for some reason and I live in the city so a car is a luxury. I bike everywhere quicker and cheaper - no parking. The ROver just sits in the garage waiting for parts.

I'll poke around the Kodiak this weekend. I have to remove shortly anyway. Ike's site has the core as a US made peice so I should be able to find it fairly quickly. Hopefull the fan is as well.

Motor blower on mine is non-original, which is bumming me out.

[CMorris]

Stick with the Mk4, no brainer. I'm running one in my SII 88, got it refurbished from Ike. I'm in northern Vermont and using just a canvas top and no interior panels for insulation......last week temps were in the ****s and I was toasty warm in the truck. I did have a core leak and a local radiator shop got a brand new core for me cheap, so they are out there.

[Jim-ME]

Please provide specifics on which core you got if you can
Thanks,
Jim

[Jeff Aronson]

I had a leak in my Kodiak and called Rovers North. A replacement core came the next day. Once installed, the heat output improved a lot!

Also important to heat output is a correctly-functioning radiator cap and a radiator filled to the correct height of coolant. For New England weather, I've learned that the door seals and window tracks need to be up tight in order for any heater to work well.

BTW, I now run a Rovers North Mansfield heater which keeps the II-A comfortably warm for winter weather.

Jeff

[yorker]

jim- do you have a heater core at all for your Kodiak? if you have it out and accessible can you measure it?

[Jim-ME]

Will do as soon as I get home. I don't play solitare at work. I do useful things. :)
Jim

[luckyjoe]

I have an original, clean Mk.IV core somewhere. I'll try to dig it out this weekend and check if the local shop can ID a replacement...

Tom P

[Jim-ME]

Finally remembered. Kodiak M4 core measures 111/2"X6"X21/2". Sorry for the delay.
Jim