Has anyone ever tried or thought of using an electric heater? One of the stick on silicone heaters? I think the right company could make one tailored to our needs. Their cheap enough you could keep a couple in your glove box for backup If one would fail. (Just a thought )

Tom

 

I believe AbandonedBronco investigated this some time ago. The biggest problem is the amount of current needed to supply the necessary watts/BTUs of heat required.


I found another discussion: [see attached link]


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-new-idea.html

 

The biggest issue that I kept getting told by the companies I contacted was how long it takes for them to heat up. They aren't a quick fire setup, and can take a good 30 - 45 minutes to come up to temp. WAY past the usable average time one would need them in.

I'd still be interested in looking into the idea from other perspectives, like maybe a coffee pot coil or something, but once I finally figured out a way to attach coolant hoses to mine (I bought my intake used and the P.O. welded a plate onto the bottom of it to "cap it off"), I kinda stopped pursuing the idea. I'd be curious what someone else would come up with.

 

i forget AB...was the entire cavity filled in was it just capped off? if its just capped off, i can shave it back off of there with a vertical mill at work. wouldnt take long. just a thought. then you could bypass the coffee coil/PFM/unicorn tears contraption brainstorm altogether lol.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...t-finally.html

Here's a writeup I did when I finally got it working.

 

I just talked to offenhauser about the casting. They gravity test all manifolds with water NOT pressure test. That is the only reason why they put the new casting "not for use with water heat plate". If someone was to put a water heat plate on it, under pressure, offenhauser is not responsible for failures. I didn't ask what they do for v-8 manifolds, that wasn't really my concern.

Tom

 

As far as the electric heat goes, I'm really thinking that the manifold, being aluminum, would absorb the heat rather well.? If it was set to say 180 degrees? Just flip a switch and a couple minutes it would be warm enough to run? just my thoughts.

Tom

 

By the same token, wouldn't it "give off" heat to the vaporized fuel, quickly cooling back down?

The best application for electric heat would be as a preheater(110 volt), making initial start ups quicker and initial driveaway surer.

 

My opinion, the water heat would be best. Provide a stable environment, heated and cooled.

Tom

 

I think so too, except for the short time after startup where it takes time for the coolant to start to warm significantly, whereas if it is exhaust heated the heat source is there virtually instantly.

The downside to exhaust heat is, as you alluded to, it can supply too much heat leading to carb vapor lock and associated problems. Hence the existence of the bimetal controlled "flapper valve" in the exhaust manifold.

Like most things, everything's a trade-off.

 

i have an idea derived from a temperature transfer device used on many military helicopters. granted, they burn jp8, jp4, 100LL, AVGAS, etc....but i'd think the theory still applies.
it basically has two liquid coils packed pretty tight together on one apparatus. plumbing nipple provisions for an inlet and outlet of both oil and the fuel. it allows the exchange of heat from the oil after it has passed thru numerous turbine bearings, transferring it to the fuel to allow for better atomization once it enters the combustion chamber at the multiple nozzles fixed to the behemoth.

Figure 3-11. *Turbine Engine Fuel/Oil Heat Exchanger Cooler

not exactly the design on a 714 honeywell...but you get the idea.
might be better on high fuel pressure applications...but it might help someone, who knows?

 

Looks like a bolt on heat exchanger? And just plumb water to it?

Tom

 

yep it is a heat exchanger. we call it a liquid to liquid cooler. six in one hand, half dozen in the other.
being the flashpoint of pump gas is pretty different to diesel, i'm not sure how viable an option this could be. fuel system would probably need to be pressurized by means of valves/restrictions to avoid potential boiling. its very similar to the heater plate that a lot of us use...just a different take on it. a fella could plumb for coolant, or even oil by way of additional plumbing via remote oil filter kit w/ an outlet back into the valve cover cap.

 

I have seen a photo of one plate made with copper tubing tapping into the exhaust. I read somewhere that Clifford used to sell kits for that purpose, but don't know if that is true.

Very interesting with the label on the C. I would speak to a rep. at offy.

 

If the heat exchanger were used it wouldn't be limited to the size of the heat plate, it could potentially be made nearly as big as you want? And just bolt it on. Maybe an inlet at the front of the intake and outlet at the back, bolted to the bottom Of the intake. Or just a few coils of copper tubing.