Heat Riser

[ALANSD]

Any thoughts on disconnecting the heat riser? I have plenty of heat available for winter trips, and my heat riser vent leaks some heat into the passenger seat area. I have covered the vent with insulated material, but I would disconnect the riser if it is not too hard to accomplish. I looked at it but really don't know what to get rid of.

[74Argosy24MH]

The heat riser only works for the first few minutes a cold engine is started. It passes intake air past the manifold to preheat it and and help the engine get up to temp quicker. Being as you are in Atlanta, rip it off, you don't have cold air. It probably doesn't work anyway, the linkages get bent and rust and the diaphragms leak. It should be riveted to the manifold probably fairly east to break off. The vacuum line can be capped at the carb.

John

[ALANSD]

maybe I misunderstood the terminology of the thing I am looking at. The vent in the fron area by the passenger seat has a pull out control, and lets heat in, in adition to the heater controlled by the
drivers side sliders. I thought this was a connection to heat coming off the manifold, for extra warmth. If so is this what I would disconnect? Thanks again.

Also- on another topic- can I drain a quart or two of trans fluid from the small plug on the side of my torque converter? I am overfilled by a quart.

[74Argosy24MH]

My Argosy didn't have anything like that, just the heater slider controls. I doubt if it heats off the manifold, you would eventually get problems (and liabilities) from exhaust leaks sucking into the interior. It probably runs off the heater box, just a damper. If so it will have to be blocked or will constantly put out heat.

The trans fluid will drain if you pull the plug. You are lucky, most GM convertors don't have this.

John

[ALANSD]

thanks a lot. I covered that extra vent with silver insulated stuff, and it helped, just want to cut out every extra heat producing source that fights the a/c efficiency.

I have considered gluing insulated mat for areas under the drivers compartment, but not sure about that. The 90 degree weather is only 2 months of the year, I can probably deal with it, as driving the other 10 are no problem.

[74Argosy24MH]

I've got something for you to try then.

Ceramic paper

Picked this URL up from a GMC site awhile ago. They swear by it. I think I will try it inside the doghouse and see how it works. At that time they had a "sample pack" that wasn't all that expensive and was enough to do the doghouse.

I've thought about the insulated mat also. Should help with the noise level as a nice side benefit.


John

[Curtis-79MH]

Regarding transmission fluid removal: I suppose you could unscrew a transmission fluid cooling line from the bottom of the radiator or transmission oil cooler (whichever one you have). I don't know if it is easier access than your drain plug, but I have done it on other vehicles when there was no drain plug available.

[ALANSD]

thanks, I will look into that ceramic. The insulated pads are not inexpensive, and I have ben looking at alternatives. Found wire wrap at JC Whitney- fiberglass heat protectant sleeves, might give those new wires a little more life.
The drain plug is on the side of the torque converter, seems to be easy to get to. I only want to let a quart or so out, so it might be the ticket.