While pondering solutions this weekend, I was thinking about that very
thing.
I decided that some heat would be trapped between the insulation and the
steel floor or trans tunnel. That means the steel flooring itself will
be even hotter than it was before (possibly melting the glue which holds
down the insulation). Because the floor won't be able to radiate as much
heat up into the cockpit, it will have to radiate more down towards the
asphalt. There will be more heat under the car due to all of this, but
the engine temperature shouldn't be affected, because the airstream will
carry most of the heat towards the rear of the car. (I may get a little
heat in the engine compartment if I'm able to insulate the firewall.)
Transmission oil may be hotter, as well as the rear axle oil, the rear
brakes and the gas tank. But I don't think it will make much
difference. These components are all designed with a safety factor, and
20 or 30 degrees of extra heat shouldn't take me beyond that factor.
The best answer to cool floors would be to get some airflow between the
insulation and flooring. Basically, you'd keep an airspace under the
insulation, connect a fresh air host to one end of it and vent the other
end outside the cockpit. I've thought of a number of ways to do this -
most of them interesting, few of them practical, none of them very
LBC-ish.
I am interested, though, in blowing more outside air into the footwell
via the heater box. Does anyone know of a stronger fan motor or more
impressive fan-blade that can be installed into my heater box? Also,
has anyone seen a small air-scoop that can be installed on the fresh air
intake to improve pressure in the airbox?
Matt Kulka
'74 B - built in Alaska by Alaskans for Alaskans.
>>> Carol <car@texas.net> 07/28/97 12:40pm >>>
Here comes the physics question of the day...
Since these cars tend to run hot anyway...
And since a lot of heat seems to come into the footwells...
IF we stop the heat from dissipating in this fashion,
Where is it going to go? Will the engine end up running hotter??
At 11:29 AM 7/28/97 -0700, Allen Williams wrote:
>> '74 B - rotisserie optional.
>I bought and installed the aluminum coated felt insulation sold by J.
C.
>Whitney for about $25/roll. It made a substantial difference in the
>amount of heat coming into the car. Also, check all the grommets on the
>firewall and the gasket under the plate that the fuel vapor cannister
>mounts. That ought to keep under 100 degrees in the footwell. Good Luck
>on your adventure!
>
>
|