Author |
Message |
SL12572 Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2011 Posts: 270 Location: Washington
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:35 pm Post subject: Old VW bus gas heater. Anyone install one in a Vanagon? |
|
|
I'm very interested in getting my hands on one of the old VW gas bus heaters to install in my 87 Syncro. I like the idea of running it off of gasoline, versus having multiple fuels on board.
Has anyone installed one of these before? If so, any pics?
I'm also interested in alternatives, as long as they run off of gasoline.
Thanks,
Scott |
|
Back to top |
|
|
purplepeopleeater Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It would work, but...they are old.
look up the newest version if you have the coin, one just went used on ebay for 450, espar BL1
I kinda wish I had bought it. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
fredn Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2010 Posts: 332 Location: Vancouver
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
They work awesome. My van has one and it's toasty warm.
The age doesn't matter really, as long as the heater isn't rusty and the glow/spark plug works that is all that matters
Vanagons came with these stock.
You can buy them on german supply I think, I know they stock parts for them.
Good luck and good idea. _________________ 1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior
tencentlife wrote: |
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
fredn Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2010 Posts: 332 Location: Vancouver
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This link has all you need to know
http://www.oacdp.com/ebersp.html _________________ 1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior
tencentlife wrote: |
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Wellington Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004 Posts: 1889 Location: Montreal
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have a factory installed gas heater in my 1985 Westy, Love it, to heat the van up when camping in the morning. I think a Propex would be a better solution since you are installing from scratch. You already carry propane, the propex can run all night, and has a thermostat. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6357 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
SL12572 Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2011 Posts: 270 Location: Washington
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sweet...thanks for the info...and yes I will install a carbon monoxide detector.
Will pretty much any model work? I've seen them for sale for late 60's early 70's busses
I don't mind it being old. I plan on restoring it.
Thanks
Scott |
|
Back to top |
|
|
fredn Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2010 Posts: 332 Location: Vancouver
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
+ Vanagons up to 1983 _________________ 1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior
tencentlife wrote: |
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
fredn Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2010 Posts: 332 Location: Vancouver
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
+ Vanagons up to 1983 _________________ 1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior
tencentlife wrote: |
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
SL12572 Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2011 Posts: 270 Location: Washington
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
One that I'm looking at buying is a model BA6. Does anyone know about them?
Thanks
Scott |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vwjoel Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2006 Posts: 205 Location: Seattle WA
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've had one in a bay window. It worked well. It was nice to have the van defrosted before I got underway. That was way more of a luxury back in my air cooled days. It would be great for camping.
There is one on Seattle cl for a good deal
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/2657331839.html |
|
Back to top |
|
|
canasync Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2010 Posts: 656 Location: BC
|
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've got one. A good friend of mine is an old mechanic that has been working on them for years (over 40 years). He recommends the BN4 heaters. He rebuilds and resells them if you are interested.
The BN4 puts out 16,000 BTU, I mounted mine under the back seat and chose to hook it up to an RV thermostat to keep the van toasty.
_________________ 1987 Syncro
3 knobs
PumpeDüse TDI (17mm Garret Turbo, bigger injectors, stage 4 malone tune, intercooled)
Cruise Control
Remote Start/locks
Custom Lift
Custom Bumpers with receivers
Coast Mountain Hightop - Comming Soon
1985 2wd Vanagon Pre-runner in the making
soon to be powered by 2.5L Subaru
Custom Lift |
|
Back to top |
|
|
otiswesty Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2006 Posts: 1730 Location: Portland
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The BN4 would be an easier install than a BA6. I put a BN4 in my 78 and it was pretty easy. Cranks out tons of heat.
In the Vanagon, I used the modern Espar unit, I think it is the BA1, works great also. Both run off of gasoline. The heating chamber is completely isolated from the combustion chamber so risk of CO ought to be zero. The heat exchanger is stainless even on the BN4, so corrosion related perforations should not be an issue. _________________ 1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab
Just a regular guy |
|
Back to top |
|
|
davevickery Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005 Posts: 2887 Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
canasync wrote: |
The BN4 puts out 16,000 BTU, I mounted mine under the back seat and chose to hook it up to an RV thermostat to keep the van toasty. |
So does that thermostat mean you can run the thing all night? They draw a lot of battery power and the fan runs continously while the fuel pump cycles on and off. They were designed for air cooled cars while driving and only came with a 15 minute timer. What kind of batteries do you have? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
a1fa Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2011 Posts: 585 Location: Central Arkansas, United States
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I guess I have one of those in my Vanagon, but it beats me how to use it. _________________ Learn to ride. Ride to learn. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sam Bateman Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2010 Posts: 101 Location: Arvonia,VA
|
Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
canasync wrote: |
I've got one. A good friend of mine is an old mechanic that has been working on them for years (over 40 years). He recommends the BN4 heaters. He rebuilds and resells them if you are interested.
The BN4 puts out 16,000 BTU, I mounted mine under the back seat and chose to hook it up to an RV thermostat to keep the van toasty.
|
Canasync,
These BN4 heaters like the one you have installed, can you furnish any other details or pictures about the installation?
I used to have one of these in my VW 411 and it did an outstanding job.
No explosions or fires or anything.
And this friend of yours who reconditions these - can you put me in touch with him?
You can PM me with this info if you want. I just didn't see an option to PM you.
Sam Bateman |
|
Back to top |
|
|
pb24ss Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2005 Posts: 1665 Location: sitting around the fire with the bluegrass band - colorado
|
Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
SL12572 wrote: |
Sweet...thanks for the info...and yes I will install a carbon monoxide detector.
Will pretty much any model work? I've seen them for sale for late 60's early 70's busses
I don't mind it being old. I plan on restoring it.
Thanks
Scott |
Any 12v air heater will heat the hell out of a VW. Southwind (Stewart Warner), espar (eberspacher), webasto, and the chinese knock offs that are starting to show up on the cheap.
I went with the Espar D2 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Colonel_Brown Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2010 Posts: 115 Location: Toronto, Ontario
|
Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Has anyone looked into any of the truck gas heaters? Same general idea but I wouldn't be surprised if you get better efficiency out of one of these...
http://www.espar.com/html/products/technology_air.html _________________ '84 Vanagon GL (1.9L) - "Colonel Brown" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
pb24ss Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2005 Posts: 1665 Location: sitting around the fire with the bluegrass band - colorado
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|