THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

After you guys up north quit laughing, I want a serious answer.....

The past few days, we've had temperatures into the low 30s here in the Houston area. This is extraordinary as winter time temps typically don't dip much below 40 and then for only a couple of hours at that. I used the Pinz for some in-town driving around and couldn't believe how crappy the heater was. I hoped I would warm up after awhile and it just never did.

I was freezing!

Other than proper level placement for heat on/off and or air flow on/off, is ther some trick to generating more heat in my 710M short of installing one of the gas heaters?

Thanks!

Check the heat diverter valve under the truck to see if it is connected, and if it may be the older " fresh air" type ( they leak like a sob).

Mine was toasty warm in the Great Houston Snowstorm of 08

Mine was warm and toasty the other day when I took it out!....mind you it was a 33C (91 F) day!

OK some hopefully useful tips here. Check that the heating system is working as should, sticking flaps, loose pipes or as I found after Iceland a hole in the heat exchanger itself!

Close the screen behind the driver, or add a screen if you don't have one, then you only need heat the cab. Check for draughts, I had removed the swiss number plate but not put the bolts back in, this left four holes letting cold air in. I also get a lot of cold air from beside the hi-low shifter.

Insulate the pipes from the heat exchanger. I added a larger diameter pipe over the top to keep the heat in.

Run the fan to draw the hot (warm) air in, otherwise the hot air sits in the pipes!

Mine now puts out pretty hot air, but the draughts still make cruising at 50mph cold work. At higher speed the engine seems to put out a lot more heat and slower the draughts aren't so bad. Pitty as 50mph is the most comfortable otherwise!

Best of luck and don't forget to wear thermals!

David Dunn wrote:Check the heat diverter valve under the truck to see if it is connected, and if it may be the older " fresh air" type ( they leak like a sob).

Okay Dave, I'll bite where under the truck should I look? Or more truthfully, should I have my daughter look since it will all be a blurr to me anyway with out lots of direct light.

Very funny Peter. I'm here dealing with upper 20 degree F temps in the am and you are reminding me about summer time. Santa is fixing to get a note suggesting you be put on the "naughty" list for awhile.

Andy

Fallow the control linkage.. As far as insulating the heater hose goes I am slowly learning that if the technology was around when Steyr was producing the pinz. There probably was a good reason they didn't do it. I put on an insulated hose on my pinz and ran it through the summer after crossing several creeks. The insulation filled with mud later a fungus grew. I am now back to the stock heater hose. http://real4x4forums.com/PinzgauerBBS/v ... 82&start=0

If you're trying to get a few more deg. to the heater exchanger might try hot jet coating the headers Got the advice from Mr. Mason. Makes the headers look pimped.

Replaced mine from the heat exchanger to mixer box and then from mixer box to cab with this. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php
not cheap but boy does it work well, I bought 20 feet with a bunch of stainless clamps think it ran about $95.00 or so, but again what a difference.

Hi Andy
Trying to remember many moons ago, when I had a gasser .... but iirc, it was next to the exhaust manifold, with the fresh air hose from the heat exchanger on the rear, and outlet hose to the front vents.... if you have the "newer" valve, it will have what looks like an exhaust pipe to the rear. (valve is completely contained)... the earlier valve had only the 2 hoses and the valve dumped the " heated" air out the bottom of the valve.... they leaked, and when opened, sucked gas fumes into the truck, and road dust up through the ventilation system..... not a pretty sight, especially the dust through the defrosters.
I don't ever remember being able to find any pics of the earlier valve in any catalogue or manual ( they were only on the early trucks).

Dave

Dave thanks a bunch. I have to feed tomorrow and by the time we are done it should be in the 60's so maybe Dharlene and I can crawl under the 710 and check it out. I'm a big sissy when it comes to cold and I am not one little bit ashamed to admit it.

Pinz Enthusiast, thanks for the link, something tells me I'll be using it fairly soon.

Andy

You mean that the red lever and fan in Pinzgauer is supposed to be a HEATING system? Pinzgauers have heat?!

HA, Ha, ha,...

SO what can I add - it's minus 20 in town and minus 28 where I am today.

Dress up for it is the big thing we do here. Just trusting ANY vehicle can kill you up here. I always wear my insulated carharts and have wool underneath. I have fire starter and wood and a buck saw. Small bottle if diesel ALLWAYS (none of this one match fire crap for me).

So now back to the Pinz. I block the air intake when it gets to zero F here. I think she gets plenty of COLD FRIGGIN air from below her while we are driving. I have many leaks in mine, doors etc. I have tried to caulk all the ones I can in the are of my feet. It's amazing how much that helps.

I might replace my heater hoses with that stuff earlier on the thread...looks good. Check for bolts missing on your airexchanger. I had one missing and lost alot of warm air through it.

Can't beat the WEBASTO though. I have the remote one. I just point and shoot from the warmth of my house. By the time I get out in her she's toasty warm. I had her 80+ in the cab the other day at a stand still. I had the cover pulled down in the back mind you, but hey NO passengers.

I had thought of the insulating thang but just couldn't see it up here and the way I drive. Lots of mud, water and snow, just didn't see how it could hold up to that.

So that's my story and I am sticking with it. The Webasto has save my bacon......PS seat covers will help too or get yourself a heated one maybe.

cheers Jer bear

PS I hope you all have a great Christmas ok...I will

Santa is fixing to get a note suggesting you be put on the "naughty" list for awhile.

G'Day Andy, If I promise to be good, can I PLEASE get taken off the "naught list"!!

Being serious for a minute, two of the biggest problems with the factory heating system is leakage and dirt.
Check the pipes are OK (not torn etc) and that the heat exchanger is not clogged with mud/dirt etc.
When the system is pristine it works a treat, although I do love my additional Webasto!

So how do you clean the heat exchanger. Do you have to remove it first. I haven't done any of that but if what your saying is true mine is probably clogged with dirt. I have been in some pretty nasty places this summer.

Thanks bud

jer Bear

When I had my Pinny stripped down I modified the exchanger so I could remove the "side panels"....it's still not an easy job to remove them even with this modification, but at least they are now removable so whenever I have the exhaust off I always strip the exchanger and clean it out.

The side panels/external body on the stock exchanger is not removable as the two halves are welded together down the centreline.
The "easiest" / only way we found to clean out the standard unit is to pull the inlet and outlet hoses and pressure wash inside with a flexible /curved wand....it's not pefect as there is a baffle inside that limits cleaning but it's one of the few ways.
After pressure cleaning I usually get stuck into them with compressed air.....then have a shower!