Do your defrosters really work?

[red57]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

This is probably a silly idea but...

How uniform is the gap between the shroud and the steel scuttle? If the gap is fairly uniform, could you slide a 'gasket' of sorts in between the shroud and the lower metal. I am wondering if it would be possible to slightly spread the gap and insert a cardboard or cork gasket material in between as a seal and then go down thru the vents with sharp knife and cut an opening in the 'gasket' to allow air to flow?? I'm thinking is would be necessary to cut the opening after installation in order to keep the gasket as rigid as possible so it could be worked into place.

I assume the windshield is on and that will limit the ability to push the shroud upward, but you might be able to unbolt the mirror and drill out the rivets at the rear of the shroud in order to get a slight upward strech of the shroud to work a gasket of some sorts in. I don't know...

Please remember, I started by saying it was a probably a silly idea.

Dave Phillips

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Hey Dave,

I appreciate everyone's input. Silly idea you say, heck no. I hold that title.

Let's run with your idea. Which by the way, I would love to do!
1st problem is my car is together. Yes windscreen on. The shroud at the front of the dash has a right angle lip, about 3/4" wide. I'd have to remove the windscreen and fenders to allow it to lift high enough to clear the 3/4" required. Most likely some other nuts and bolts in other areas too. Inserting the gasket material that way would be the most logical and straight forward.

Trying to insert it from under the dash will not work either because the one opening I'd use is not big enough. Plus there are areas past were I use something to pry the two sheets of metal apart to let the gasket slip between.

I'm attaching a photo of the Garmin antenna I placed on the top of the dash. The photo may not show how close the two pieces of metal are sandwiched, right at the demister vent. I could not slip a piece of paper between there. And I should not, because that is one of the long edges of the demister air canal. (In case your wondering, no, I did not cut into the demister cannel.)

There are areas where the gap is paper thin or non existent. Who knows, I may have some sealing material up in there. I just didn't find any where I slipped the cardboard.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your great idea.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

To those who have been following my new adventure, as in, will this be the one I just can't seem to solve, here's my question.

Does funneling the air benefit my situation for getting more air or more air pressure to the smaller tube that will go under the demisters?
Or because the rubber elbow, and sealing material around the tube will make a seal at the bottom of the dash, it will not make a difference.

I'm getting close, I think to getting around some of the hurdles.

The 3/4" tube fits the demister slot.

One way to get the 3/4" tube into the elbow is to let the end of it push into the rubber elbow and push some foam sealing material around the diameter of the tube to fill in the diameter of the rubber elbow. (1st photo, with out the sealing. This photo meant to show how the air will find it's way into the 3/4" tube.)

The other way would be to go with at funnel system.
1. To make the bend that the tube can't do without restricting some of the air, I'm thinking about using a plastic flex pour spout.
2. The funnel I made will be placed inside the start of the elbow at the dash.
The flex pour spout will make the needed bend and attach to the 3/4" tube and the funnel. Wondering if the ridges on the pour spout will make air noise or restrict the flow? Anyone?

End result will be going from a ID 1 1/2" to a ID 3/4"
Do you think the funnel will be a benefit?
I can't believe I'm still pursuing this.
Man I have a lot of time on my hands. But maybe, this mouse trap just may work?!

Roger....that

 

[GregW]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

I'm a little leery of that green flex dodad. Even if I knew the resistance of the materials vs. the pressure of the fan at a certain RPM, measure the losses of the system, I have to say give it a try. You might like it.

 

[healeynut]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

I dunno, that whole contraption makes me want to urinate in a bag like I'm in a hospital.

Why don't you just get an inline bilge blower and stick it on your ducting before or after the heater motor? It'll massively increase the air flow, and because it's inline (i.e. on the paper ducting) you could probably install it and everything would still look more or less original:

Sample Bilge Blower

 

[PAUL161]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

I dunno, that whole contraption makes me want to urinate in a bag like I'm in a hospital.

Why don't you just get an inline bilge blower and stick it on your ducting before or after the heater motor? It'll massively increase the air flow, and because it's inline (i.e. on the paper ducting) you could probably install it and everything would still look more or less original:

Sample Bilge Blower

Bilge blower. That's exactly what I did with my old VW. <span style="font-weight: bold">It worked</span> and allowed me to throw away my inside windshield scraper!

 

[tahoe healey]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

If I understand you your are trying to fill the space around the opening under the dash. Have you considered expandable foam used in home insulation. It comes with a tube that inserts into the can to aim into small spaces. Molds to anything and can be cut with an exacto knife if you over fill. Can be removed with acetone if need be.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Hello TH,

You are correct. My situation, unlike other Healey's it seems, is the PO did not install any of the sealing around the demisters.

I appreciate others offering ideas of upping the air pressure to overcome the loss of air going where ever it wants once it gets to my dash.

I originally thought, simple thing was to place a tube up there and put a slot in it. So I bought one and found out it was too stiff. Get a softer tube. Then find the diameter that will fit. Then how to keep the right angle in the tube from compressing and limiting the flow. Then how to go from a ID 1 1/2 to a ID 3/4". Then it was, maybe I can come up with something really simple that others can also do. Hey guys, I found a really simple fix for our demisters. Well, I've come to realize this is just a pipe dream. (Yeah, pun intended).

So, back to your filling in the spaces. I'm going to try and run with that.
Here's the situation. I can not get to the demister area from under the dash. That leaves through the demister slots. I'll need to attach a flexible tube to reach down and bend to all areas of the cannel perimeter. The expanding foam vs. silicone sounds like the way to go.

But before I do that, today I will install the tube contraption I made last night. Hook it up to a leaf blower and only let some of that air pressure into the heater box. I will seal up the heater box channel opening. I'm looking forward to seeing which system, the funnel style or the straight into the tube style works. Or the, what was I thinking. Nothing, nada, zilch, no way, that blows...not really, LOL.

Are we having fun yet. Wait till my next Youtube video where I show ping pong balls floating above the demisters. Then Dave Phillips will upload his video where he has lead fishing weights floating over his, from his 240Z's blower. That's what I'm talkin bout!

Cheers,
Roger

 

[tahoe healey]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

When I was a trucker way back when...(college), we wiped a pouch of Bullduram (sp)tabacco on the windows. It cut the fogging. Not sure why but it worked ok. (But then you needed to have sex or did I get that backwards?)

 

[GregW]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Rich, I'd think you'd want the windows to fog at a certain point to get a little privacy. :wink:

 

[Randy Harris]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Yikes! Somehow I just cannot get my head around the idea of having sex in an Austin Healey, unless of course it's by yourself :>)

Roger - you are one persistent dude. My defoggers have never worked and I'm surprised that anyone on this board has defoggers that do. There is virtually no flow thru in a BJ8 windshield defogger - at least I thought so until now.
Randy

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Roger - you are one persistent dude. My defoggers have never worked and I'm surprised that anyone on this board has defoggers that do. There is virtually no flow thru in a BJ8 windshield defogger - at least I thought so until now.
Randy

Well guys, this persistent dude is throwing in the towel.
I tried the two clear tubes. One with the funnel and one with out. Did it work? Heck no! I ran my leaf blower into the heater box on the bench. No difference in air pressure between the two tubes. More air pressure came out of the stock Healey tube with the rubber elbow.

Am I persistent, you bet I am.
Back to the hardware store. I picked up some foam to jam into the slots under the dash. I sprayed some expanding foam into the demister slot. (Oh man what mess that makes.) I let it dry and carved out what filled up the middle. That's all I could do from below and above.

I put the heater back in and fired her up. Any improvement? Yes! Enough to write home about? Uh, well enough to write to you guys about.

So what have I learned. (Besides I don't know when to quit). The Healey blower was bought from the lowest bidder. I can't speak for the Healey's that have the proper sealing done around the demisters, but if you expect any sort of breeze and I use that term loosely, you'll have to change out the blower to something else. Like the Datsun 240Z blower that Dave Phillips did. Or put another blower inline some where else.

So, how much pressure do I have now. Enough to sort-of float a single sheet of tissue paper. I'm sure I read some where that they call the Healey the Handsome Brute. Brute as in suck it up and deal with a foggy windscreen. Your in a sports car mister. Grrrrr.

Did I have fun? Well I wouldn't say it was all fun. How many of us have taken the heater out and put it back. TWICE! Was my efforts fruitful? Absolutely! While I had everything out, I cleaned and lubed the heater control system and both cables. Now she slides like butter and the lever control knob pulls out and pushes back smooth with a click stop, as does the heat sliding lever. Now I get a click indent at both side. I didn't even know it was suppose to do that. Sweet!

So I'm going to back peddle and change this post from does your demisters work to....how smoothly does your heater controls work. Mine are SWEET!

Thank you everyone for all your help and ideas.
Cheers,
Roger

 

[GregW]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Now she slides like butter and the lever control knob pulls out and pushes back smooth with a click stop, as does the heat sliding lever. Now I get a click indent at both side. I didn't even know it was suppose to do that. Sweet!

Kinda like playing a video game without the joystick being plugged in. It moves, but it don't do so much when it does. :smirk: Sorry it didn't end the way you wanted, but I'm glad you stopped when you did. I'd hate to see you pull the car apart just to put the sealer between the shroud and scuttle.

 

[healeynut]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

Put in the bilge blower on your main tube, that'll get them working.

By the way, you need proper seals between the bottom of the dash and the demister ducts, otherwise the air will go under the dash....

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: Crazy McGuyver time.

By the way, you need proper seals between the bottom of the dash and the demister ducts, otherwise the air will go under the dash....

Dude...Ouch!

So I'm going to back peddle and change this post from does your demisters work to....how smoothly does your heater controls work. Mine are SWEET!