Smiths or Kodiak Heater What do I have?

[vkjar]

I have a tempermental heater and I am in the process of working on fixing it. I have contaacted two separate parts places near me (dosen't matter who) One told me from this photo that it is a Smiths heater I have the other sstated it was a Kodiak!

Because I live in Canada on the prairies I would Like a heater which works well. If this is a Smiths I will get it working for now then look at upgrading to something warmer like a Kodiak or Mansfield etc! If it is a Kodiak then I want to get it refurbished and working so that it does produce good heat not just a periodic warm spot on the side of my leg...

So based on the photo could I get other opinions as to which one I have.

Cheers

[1961 109 WAGON]

thats a kodiac, a smiths, which i have as well, is the round one you find bolted to the inside firewall that heats your one leg.

[gudjeon]

As mentioned, that is indeed a Kodiak. There's not much to them. You could take it out and replace the heater core with a high output one from a good rad shop.

[vkjar]

excellent, I figured that is what it was, just could not find a good photo or diagram to identify it. Even the last owner stated it was not a Kodiak... Good to know it is.

Just need a new motor and water valve.

Will look into a HO core once back from the middle of no where.

I can assume it is the MarkIII Kodiak?

[Terrys]

Before you spend a ton of money, there are two things you can do which will make a big difference in the heater's output.
First, have the core flushed at the rad shop or run a good radiator flush through your whole system and replace your coolant. Series trucks have the habit of accumulating their gunk in the heater core. The 2nd thing to do, especially where you are, is to install a muff on the front of your radiator. Without one, these trucks never get up to temp in the winter.

[vkjar]

Thanks Terry
That was my plan once I get out of the frozen northern bush. I plan on working on the whole heating system. I am tired of poor heating after owning an old jeep wrangler and now my series IIA. Things have to change as my wife will not ride with me in my truck after a 2hr highway drive at -35C (-31F) with little heat a few years back. Not a happy camper...

[gudjeon]

I feel your pain. Coming from an original Bronco and a friend of mine had a '77, CJ7. In my daily Rover driver, I opted for a high output heater from Princess Auto that fit in nicely with a bit of work.

[Jeff Aronson]

I once had a CJ-7, a soft top with vinyl doors, too. As a daily driver in Vermont, it was about the coldest thing I ever owned. The heater could not keep up with the intrusion of cold air. Thank goodness I now have a Mansfield heater in my II-A and a Kodiak in the other II-A.

Jeff

[TeriAnn]

It is indeed a Kodiak MKIII heater. These were dealer installed. The heat is passed through the bulkhead through one of the openings for a RHD clutch pedal. That opening was supposed to have been enlarged to match the heater opening size. Sometimes the dealer didn't do that. So if you have the core out to have it cleaned, check the size of the opening. The unmodified clutch pedal hole blocks about half the air passage.

The right size bulkhead opening, a clean heater core & a 180 degree thermostat and you have the best heater that Land Rover North America offered. LR spec'ed it at 17,500 BTU/hr. Air flow as 190 CFM. That's only 2,500 BTUs less that RN's $880 Mt Mansfield heater.

All you need then is a layer of insulation on all the interior walls & ceiling and a set of Defender door seals and you should get roasty toasty.

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/Kodiak_heater.htm

[vkjar]

Thanks TeriAnn!

Does anyone out there have or know where I can find a set of Defroster vents and hose.

I don't have any and now that our temperatures are around -20C I would like to have them as a back up for my heated glass if the wiring ever fails.

I could probably make some for the time being but would originals.

[1961 109 WAGON]

i have some vents you can have, you pay shipping(less than $10) and there yours!