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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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 Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:26 pm Post subject: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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I was crawling around underneath my 1980 Riviera camper this afternoon doing some maintenance when I noticed a plaque on a bit of something in the middle of the underside I'd not paid much attention to, I cleaned the dirt off to discover I had what appeared to be a factory Eberspacher BA6 gasoline heater hiding under there!
Now my Riviera already has the stock heater, and the Riviera option propane heater system, I never thought to see if it ALSO had a gasoline heater.
The thing is I cannot for the life of me find the controls for it. Next to the steering wheel below the engine heat controls are a set of controls for the Riviera addon A/C that my van also had at some point(It was removed before I bought it). I don't see any sort of control for the BA6. Am I missing something?Does anyone know where they put that on a 1980 Vanagon?? |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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Do your research on it...you may want to remove it! parts are nla and it is a fuel hog compared to the latest heaters.
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:30 pm Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| Steve M. wrote: |
| Do your research on it...you may want to remove it! parts are nla and it is a fuel hog compared to the latest heaters. |
Thats good to know, I don't really need it anyway, as the propane heat works well but I figure its in there I'd like to know if it functions. |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| dobryan wrote: |
| Hmmmm I’d not be trying to burn gas in a 40 year old heater under my bus. What could go wrong??? |
Ohh, trust me I'll be going through it before I try! I've got a repair manual for it and I'll be certain its safe. After refurbishing the propane heater it works fantastic and its 40 also. |
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calo1956
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2011
Posts: 703
Location: long Island new york
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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Its a awesome heater I have a 80 with it, look on youtube you will find info as well as repair and operation. As for the controls, there is just one knob that turns it on and has a timer feature in it
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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The busses had green knob in the dashboard. Any green knobs?
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 9:22 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
| The busses had green knob in the dashboard. Any green knobs? |
Nope, no green knob. I'm beginning to think Riviera removed the controls for it in favor of the A/C controls but left the unit under the van. Every picture I can find of the controls seems to be a single knob just to the right and down of the steering column. But the only thing there is the A/C controls. |
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cyrus #1
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Joined: September 06, 2013
Posts: 41
Location: St. Albert, AB
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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In addition to the green knob, mine had a number of relays that were behind the glove box. They were plainly visible once the glove box was removed. If you still have these you might have a chance to get it going.
I opted to remove the one from our van for the reasons mentioned above. These old heaters are also hugely heavy.
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| cyrus #1 wrote: |
In addition to the green knob, mine had a number of relays that were behind the glove box. They were plainly visible once the glove box was removed. If you still have these you might have a chance to get it going.
I opted to remove the one from our van for the reasons mentioned above. These old heaters are also hugely heavy. |
If they're there they're somewhere else. 80's don't have a glove box. I think I'm gonna have to just crawl under and follow wires to see whats up.
There's a good chance its never been used if it's never had controls. Which probably means its either in really good shape or really poor shape 
Sounds like I'd be better off swapping it for something else even if I can get it to work. But the tinkerer in me wants to play with it anyway since its there for the tinkering! |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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Every vanagon I've been in has a glove box. Got a picture of what your dashboard looks like specifically the area above the front passenger seat. It's easily removed though.
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
| Every vanagon I've been in has a glove box. Got a picture of what your dashboard looks like specifically the area above the front passenger seat. It's easily removed though. |
Unless you mean the cupholder box that sits on top of the dash, there's no glovebox there. The brown panel there does not open, and just covers the front blower assembly. Its not like the later Vanagons where there's a door there. |
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Wellington
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Joined: September 21, 2004
Posts: 1890
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:51 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| I love my BA6, instant heat, and I only use mine in the spring or fall, as my van sees no winters. They are simple to trouble shoot and reliable. It is no more a ticking time bomb that the rest of a 40 year old vehicle. |
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michaelasnider
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Joined: September 27, 2013
Posts: 369
Location: East Kootenays, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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I had a BA6 that I rebuilt on my 1982, it was awesome for supplemental heat while driving and preheating the vehicle in the winter. Not particularily heavy (I could easily lower it from the van while on my back underneath) and just one more good option.
The stock heat from the air cooled engine is good if the whole system is tuned up, but takes a bit for the heat to start as the engine warms up. The BA6 pumps out lots of heat immediately, and is great for defrosting the windshield.
It is not meant as a camping heater, your propane furnace is for that.
Its a pretty simple system, there is a Facebook group dedicated to them with lots of parts available, and there is lots of information for the BA6 specifically in the Air Cooled Vanagon Facebook group. |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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That panel is not original from the factory, I can see something behind it that is also not a stock item. Carry on. Thanks for posting the picture.
Forget the center vents and AC controls, you can see the glovebox in my 82.
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Last edited by MarkWard on Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| michaelasnider wrote: |
I had a BA6 that I rebuilt on my 1982, it was awesome for supplemental heat while driving and preheating the vehicle in the winter. Not particularily heavy (I could easily lower it from the van while on my back underneath) and just one more good option.
The stock heat from the air cooled engine is good if the whole system is tuned up, but takes a bit for the heat to start as the engine warms up. The BA6 pumps out lots of heat immediately, and is great for defrosting the windshield.
It is not meant as a camping heater, your propane furnace is for that.
Its a pretty simple system, there is a Facebook group dedicated to them with lots of parts available, and there is lots of information for the BA6 specifically in the Air Cooled Vanagon Facebook group. |
That's what I'd want it for actually, defrosting that worked well would be AWESOME. |
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:31 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
That panel is not original from the factory, I can see something behind it that is also not a stock item. Carry on. Thanks for posting the picture.
Forget the center vents and AC controls, you can see the glovebox in my 82.
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From what I understand since the Rivieras started life as base model Vanagons, the base models in 80-82 did not have glove boxes. I've seen them in two other Vanagons, one was another 80 Riviera the other was an 81 9 passenger. I've had that panel off, there's bits of the A/C system behind it up flush with the panel. Nothing electrical... The other thing you see there (The little black box) is the air compressor for my air-ride suspension. |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:36 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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No, even the base model would have had a glovebox, but if it had AC, it was likely dealer installed and it's possible the glovebox was removed during the install to make room for the aftermarket AC install. The kit, likely included the filler panel to hide the AC. Didn't realize the van had AC added. Carry on.
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 516
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
| No, even the base model would have had a glovebox, but if it had AC, it was likely dealer installed and it's possible the glovebox was removed during the install to make room for the aftermarket AC install. The kit, likely included the filler panel to hide the AC. Didn't realize the van had AC added. Carry on. |
Totally possible, yes it does have dealer installed A/C so that would make sense. And Rivieras are kinda odd beasts anyway. All sortsa things they added or changed when they left ASI's hands. |
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Zeitgeist 13
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Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:03 pm Post subject: Re: Surprise third heater system, where are my controls?! |
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Both my '80 Westfalia and '82 ASI camper had cubbies instead of gloveboxes.
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