Fresh air hose for heater

[Guest]

I was thinking of not installing that large hose that routes fresh air to the heater- the 4" diameter one that runs through the engine compartment. I was thinking about sticking some foam over the front of the heater box air intake. I like the look and the access to everything in the engine compartment without that giant honking hose and I was also thinking of putting some driving lights in the front- the left one being in the area that the heater hose would be.

Has anyone got by not using this hose? Perhaps foul odors inside the car?

 

[kcbugeye1275]

I've had mine for over 25 yrs and have never had the hose. I have never (nor my wife) noticed any engine smells. Even with the top up, there is quite an air flow threw the car.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

when i finally got mine up and running after i rebuilt the motor. that hose was the last thing i put on. i did do a trip to rhode Island with out it and i was getting some engine compartment smells in the cockpit area. i put the hose on and all was well, plus i think it helped the heater to work better. if you block it off then the blower wont get any air and the heater/defroster wont work very well....not that they ever did...


mark

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I drove without one for a short time, but I was definitely getting warmer/smellier air in the cockpit than I was with the hose.

 

[jlaird]

Install it for the winter only??

 

[RickB]

What's a good source to get a new one?
(is there a new one out there anywhere?)

 

[bugimike]

Living in Fl. I have no need for the heater, so the hose has been left off! With the flap fully closed, no smells (or air for that matter!) are noticable from the engine compartment in the cockpit!

 

[jlaird]

Moss and VB have hoses black ones.

The local hardwar has white ones that look nice and are cheep.

 

[PeterC]

(you guys will like this one!) What I do is in the summer I pull the hose off the motor, and install a softball, and put the hose back on. That way, no heat gets forced into the cockpit, and no smelly air from a disconnected hose, and I can keep the heater tap open, which I think is a good thing for engine cooling... AND..... there's always a softball handy in case a game breaks out!

 

[RickB]

It would have to be heat resistant. I assume the ones from Moss & VB are made of something better than the plastic dryer vent hose you can get at the hardware store.
They do have a flex aluminum hose though, I suppose it could be painted black and would look better and would be heat resistant. Might look at that, probably paint and hose for less than $15.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I'm told that 4" hose from dust collection systems works well and there are a variety of types.

 

[jlaird]

Heat resistant bah, I used the one from the hardware for over 15 years and no probs at all. Hehe, when it got dirty after 10 years or so I got a new one, think they are under 5 bucks.

 

[RickB]

That's because you are a tough old son of a gun Jack! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

There are other options for those of us who are a bit wimpier than you.

 

[jlaird]

LOL

 

[Whitephrog]

Try these

https://www.tomsimport.com/new/parts/parts.asp?sect=9&new=1


https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AUSTIN-HE...sspagenameZWDVW

 

[SilentUnicorn]

dryer hose works just fine.

mark

 

[paulsherman]

I think I bought my black hose from J. C. Whitney. Which make me wonder, where is it?