Re: Swich dash super 8 1938

Posted by SaddleRider On 2017/1/6 10:56:07

[quote]
Owen_Dyneto wrote:
There were no longer any hot air "manifold-type" heaters offered that late in the game. There was however the very highly regarded Kelch hot air heater which drew it's heat from a stainless steel heat exchanger on the exhaust header pipe, and it was available in both the junior and senior series.
# # # # # # # # #

Ha - you got me - I apologize - I used the wrong terminology. We are both talking about the same thing! Yes, I do remember your article - have that issue somewhere.

Well...I partially take back my apology - I don't recall ever hearing the term "Kelch" until I saw your article ! I presume that is the actual technical name the manufacturer used for his product - never saw that name used in any Packard literature that I have access to.

As you point out in your article, it was superior to hot water heaters, in that it provided cabin heat almost instantly.

Of course there was no such thing in that era as an actual manifold heater, nor is there such a thing in any aircraft I am familiar with. I just used that as a "generic" term; of course the "Kelch" went on after the "header" pipe flange. ( on my aircraft, there is a "wrap" around the muffler, so that outside air hits the header pipe to be heated before it enters the cabin).

Which leads me to a somewhat related question nobody has ever explained to me. What in #$$*$#@ were the engineers thinking in coming up with radiator shutters ( the "PINES WINTERFRONT" system )?

At some point in time, engineers figured out that the worst thing you can do to a motor is start it when it is cold, and the second worst thing you can do, is run it until it reaches operating temp.

Of course it is and has been universal practice for more than half a century to use a "pellet" type thermostat to shut off the water flow until it warms up.

At some point in time in the early years, they made the cylinder head with a provision for mounting a "modern style" thermostat to block the flow of water until it was hot.

Then - all of a sudden the Pines system starts showing up. Given the outstanding cooling systems of Packard products, now we have to wait till all the water in both the motor block and radiator are warm - takes much longer than if they'd left well-enough alone and continued to use "water shut-off" / "pellet" type thermostats now in universal use.

Yeah - the Pines system is pretty slick - I've left mine operational, but have modern "water shut-off" types to insure fast warm up.

So - who has any ideas as to why a system as goofy, expensive to manufacture and as inefficent as the Pines/shutter deal stayed in use clear to the end of production with the start of the 2nd World War ?