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Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:56 am

Just wondering if installing a aftermarket blower fan under my rear seat will kick up the heat/defrost? Does anyone have a pic of one of these fans installed into the heat duct. thankx

Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:26 am

Try a search of the gallery for "Heater fan".

Would first make sure you have all the correct parts on the engine for max heat. Like do you have the thermostatic flaps system, all engine tin, and seals in place?

Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:39 am

To echo the above, are you certain your rockers aren't rotted? In a solid car, the stock heater works well. Those fan boosters are junk and don't do much.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:14 am

Icy wrote: To echo the above, are you certain your rockers aren't rotted? In a solid car, the stock heater works well. Those fan boosters are junk and don't do much.

not true, if booster fans are junk, how come that's how the t4 heater system worked? and IN A BUS, I have used stock, and it is sufficient, I have used stock with a set of blower motors, and I felt like a piece of toast, and didn't have to tuck my hands between my legs when I had to sit a a light and let 'er idle.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:31 am

First check over your existing system to make sure you don't have holes, missing pieces etc. I have a totally stock system on my '75 and even at -5C, I was roasting in the car. Do you do alot of stop and go driving or freeway?

Make sure you have your system in good shape and if you still aren't happy, throw in a gas heater, an eberspacher if you can find one. They are great. Don't fart around with electric fans.

Yes, later Supers and T-4's had fans but unless you are getting the proper warmth out of your system, they aren't for shit.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:40 am

fastinradford wrote: Icy wrote: To echo the above, are you certain your rockers aren't rotted? In a solid car, the stock heater works well. Those fan boosters are junk and don't do much.

not true, if booster fans are junk, how come that's how the t4 heater system worked? and IN A BUS, I have used stock, and it is sufficient, I have used stock with a set of blower motors, and I felt like a piece of toast, and didn't have to tuck my hands between my legs when I had to sit a a light and let 'er idle. I have run in both a stock Beetle and a stock Karmann Ghia in the winter months and almost roasted. By bringing the Bus T4 setup into the equation is comparing apples to oranges.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:30 am

I had similar troubles with a '66 Chevy Suburban last winter. It was my daily driver, it was a cavernous tin box with an anemic little heater designed for a pickup cab, and it had a monster inline-six that took an eternity to heat up. Aside from duties around Portland, I drove it to the coast at least once a week. The huge, sub-arctic interior was at least good for carrying surfboards and gear.

Needless to say, after climbing out of the North Pacific in January and peeling off your wetsuit in the frigid wind, you really want some heat. After a ton of dicking around with thermostats, different fans, and such, I bought some of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ANOUHG/ref=asc_df_B00...B000ANOUHG

Cheap, effective, and no hacking required. I slipped mine under the vynil of my stock low-backs (which are pretty close to a bug seat), and wired in a couple of discreet toggle switches.

The 'burb is long gone, and my '68 Bug has excellent heat. I may yet buy more of those covers though. My wife is perpetually cold, and the seats get hot quickly.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:39 am

I'm considering going with a pair of booster fans in my '74 1303S (doesn't have a fan, other than what's attached to the back of my alternator) - as was already mentioned, I can see the benefit while idling at a stop light, or what have you.

Food for thought:

I think I'm gonna make my own 'boosters'. Vantec makes two different sizes of their Tornado-series PC fans (used normally to vent a desktop computer): 80mm and 92mm. The 80s put out well over 80cfm and the 92s push 112cfm, as I recall, and pull less than one amp @ 12v, each. Not terribly sure how well they'll hold up, but they're cheap - $12 each. The only drawback I can see is they're not designed to push hot air around.

Check out Newegg.com for 'em. Well-built fans, for what they're designed for - dual ball-bearing brushless motors, nice, heavy housings.

Already have a 92mm sitting around from a previous build, and though it's too big to easily adapt to the heater ducts under the seat, I believe I can make it work. If it doesn't (or the motors burn out, the fans warp, whatever), I'm out $25 or so and a few pieces of scrap metal and exhaust tubing. If it does, I'll have less than one-fourth what those kits cost into it!

Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:51 pm

well my heater channels are hole free/rust/ my heat is working great just thought i would kick up the defrost alittle on the driver side channel.. getting a mexican beetle trunk seal for the front, just need a pic of one installed can't find one on here that isn't a hack job..
Yep if you roll them windows up you will have good heat..

Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:55 pm

Atwood brand "Turbo 3000" model bilge pump blower fans work fantastic. I've used them since the early 90s and have installed them in many cars. In a silple installation they are installed in line between the bak-a-lite heater connector that comes into the car from the engine under the back seat and the "Y" part of the heater muffler under the back seat. I simply measure the length of the fan's housing and sawzall the pipe that amount plus 1/2 inch. It is simply installed using common hardware store aluminum duct repair tape (not cloth duct tape !!). I then wrap the remainder of the heater muffler Y pipe to seal the holes and then insulate the blower motors with some upholstery foam.
A universal heater switch from Napa will give you 4 speeds. 1 Fans off stock heater in operation (low), 1 fans on low, meduim or high. I've had the same set of fans now in use for 18 winter seasons and they still work fine. Total cash outlay about $75.00

Don't try to get creative and make these a recirculation system. It is a poor idea as then you have to constantly unhook the recirculation tubes in the summer as heat backs into the car plus the heads and exhaust will run hotter as there is no air flowing through the heat exchangers when the fans are off.

My 74 which was driven daily 1990 - 2004 I was able to drive with no coat at 0-10 degrees after 10 minutes and the car was perfectly comfortable in traffic at MINUS 23'f in traffic.

Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:35 pm

mightymax67 wrote: getting a mexican beetle trunk seal for the front, just need a pic of one installed can't find one on here that isn't a hack job..

Huh?

Those look clean to me. Or are you referring to the fact that you have to leave the top part of an OG seal in place...?

Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:23 am

I can understand why one might want to add blowers to the stock heater. My '68 bug is a daily driver. I haven't driven it yet in the cold of a North Dakota winter (10 BELOW zero in January), but right now this fall, it has dipped into the 20's. If one is just driving across town to work, the heater behaves similar to a water cooled car. The heat is just starting to warm the interior when I arrive at work. Sitting at the stop lights, barely anything is blowing out the defrost vent. Step on the gas and it puts out a nice flow. I am fortunate that mine came with a South Wind gas heater. Turn it on and instant heat. So hot that in a couple of minutes, I have to turn it off. Hope it behaves this well when it is below zero outside.

As for highway driving, I have to open a window when I have the stock heater going and want to keep the windshield defrosted.

Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:28 am

CarlIseminger wrote: I can understand why one might want to add blowers to the stock heater. My '68 bug is a daily driver. I haven't driven it yet in the cold of a North Dakota winter (10 BELOW zero in January), but right now this fall, it has dipped into the 20's. If one is just driving across town to work, the heater behaves similar to a water cooled car. The heat is just starting to warm the interior when I arrive at work. Sitting at the stop lights, barely anything is blowing out the defrost vent. Step on the gas and it puts out a nice flow. I am fortunate that mine came with a South Wind gas heater. Turn it on and instant heat. So hot that in a couple of minutes, I have to turn it off. Hope it behaves this well when it is below zero outside.

As for highway driving, I have to open a window when I have the stock heater going and want to keep the windshield defrosted.
That's very similar to my 68. I don't get roasted like some here say. It's certainly adequate, but I wouldn't say it's real hot. And, I too, open my wing vents to get better heat/defrost. But mine is staying garaged once the snow hits.

Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:03 am

Bierboy wrote:
That's very similar to my 68. I don't get roasted like some here say. It's certainly adequate, but I wouldn't say it's real hot.

If you don't have stock heater boxes or only drive city you won't get roasted. But if you have stock (or "stock style," with the cast aluminum fins) heater boxes and drive freeway you'll get really hot really fast.

Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:07 am

It was a mix of snowy rain on Wednesday this week and I had to make a trip out to the airport and back (highway driving). The windows fogged up if I turned the heat down, so I had to drive with the window open to keep my cool and yet keep the windshield clear.

So the stock system does work, just not what some people are "used" to with a water cooled car.

Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:00 pm

It helps 150% to keep the front vent windows cracked a little to aid defrosting.

Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:08 pm

The other problem that can be causing fogged windows is the front and rear glass/seals were not installed with a sealant.

The front seal is the worst because the water getting in past the seal dripps down into the pillars just forward of the doors. Where the water pools and seeps through the windshield defogger tubing. This water is then heated into a vapor and blown onto the glass where in condenses!!! Plus the water rusts out the heater channels and the floor pans when it drips out of the heater channels.

Look under the hood in wet weather for drips from the windshield.

Check any windshield installation instructions printed for VW dealerships and each one states a sealant is required. So unless you always keep it in the garage, never drive it in the rain, or live in the desert......

Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:35 pm

Eric&Barb, window seals don't need a sealant if installed properly! Actually a sealant makes things WORSE down the road when you need to remove the windshield.

Here is a pic of my heater fan in my 73sb. People can blab on and on about effectivness, but I have solid channels and this heater fan still makes a difference in getting heat into the car and heat to the defroster.
Cheap to install, makes a difference. Do it!

Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:17 pm

Thankx guy's for the pics, very helpful. Mexican beetle seal & fan is the extra way to go for me. I've got good heat flowing and i think these ad on's will make a BIG difference. Does anyone know the best site to get the mexican seal and or Where i can find that ODD size defrost HOSE that runs up the coner to the defrost, what size it that hose 1" 8th 33mm ?? thankx

Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:30 pm

You can get Mexican seals from aircooled.net and Wolfsburg West has the correct sized defrost tubes. Both those places should provide you with a quality part