Best auxilary heater?

Oh yes, I put a massive GM blower motor in mine and I can even defrost all the windows plus drive with no gloves on!

It isn't too hard to do. Here is a link on it:

Just be aware that some parts stores have 2 blower motors that will 'fit' the GM application. You need the cheap one, not the 'premium' one. The premium one has too long a shaft for the fan cage.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Josh Dirks>

Like Mike said, do the upgrade, did mone a couple months ago, faily easy, about a 2 hours job, most of which is cutting firewall out, $ 27.00 Canadian, or $21.00 US for the GM blower new, so don't bother with the wrecker.

The only auxillary heaters worth anything are the ones that are plumbed into the exisiting heater lines. Something on the order of these:

Don't even think about those eletric ones run off the cigarette lighter.

The other guys mentioned the new blower motor, I've done it on mine, works great. I still think that if you have a good system, you should not need aux heat. To get there, you need to do the full program:

1)Upgrade the heater fan 2)New 192 degree thermostat 3)Drain and flush the system, refill with fresh antifreeze 4)Back flush the heater core rebuild or replace as necessary. I can get a heater core rodded out and rebuilt for $30, takes about a day to have it done if you drop it off at any radiator shop. 5) Check the damper doors in the heater box to make sure they are not sticking. (The plastic housing warps over the years, the bypass doors tend to not close properly.)

#1, 4, and 5 really get done all together since you need to pull the heater box. Just because you will soon ask: the 4th bolt is over on the driver's side, behind the valve cover.

Cheers.

Josh Dirks> Hey Everyone...it has to have been over a year since i last posted here, and

How about heated seats?

That is arguably true. I also have done the front blower motor upgrade (82 CJ), but that's really ans auxillary heater, per se. The first winter I had that beast (mid north in Canada), I added a rear heater (behind the rear seat). I picked up a core c/w blower motor from a wreckers (out of a Dodge Omni ...... probably 8" x 14" x 8"). I spliced into heater hoses in engine compartment (behind temp baffle) and ran hoses through firewall and through cab into rear of cab. I then built my own speed control ... and voila ............. HEAT !!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies. I knew of the GM heater blower upgrade but haven't had time to do it. Plus the "2 hour" job will definitely not be 2 hours for me. However, I DO plan on doing it someday - i was really just looking for a temp fix.

thanks again!

Cheers. Josh (gotta love Canadian winters) '90 YJ Black, Tuffy, 31's, 1.5" susp, Alpine

I say make the time if you really want to be warm this winter, I doubt any quick fix will give you the results you want.. I did it on mine and it is the best mod I have done on my vehicle .... I also take the time each year to do the following:

1.) Stuff insulating material into the floor vent above the gas pedal 2.) Duct tape over the passenger side vent 3.) Remove hardtop and put new foam strip along top sealing edges. 4.) Install my hardtop liner ( made for me by the wife out of thinsulate)

On a side note if you should check your thermostat and if you have a 4 banger take the shroud off ....... that made a big difference on my son's 2.5L YJ.

All of these things combined with the Chevy blower and I'm toasty here in Edmonton area where -40 C is not uncommon.

................. get outta here !!!! ..... well, that's two of us :)

Trust me ...it's really an easy job ...as long as you get the RIGHT BLOWER MOTOR!! I'm an unfortunate example of what happens when you buy the "premium" blower motor from GM ...6 hours of install time, lots of extra cutting and reinsulating, and lots of aggravation.