Heater

[51Deluxe]

Time to start thinking heat, and since I'm new to Kaiser I'm not sure what signifies "working". All the controls on my '51 are operational and you can hear the blower motor running, but you can't really feel any air blowing out (I assume it should come out of the long slot on the face of the heater box). Also, I have a defrost control but do not see any ducts under the windshield. Anyone care to explain heater operation? How strong should airflow feel?

[joefrazer]

To operate your heater:
1. Make sure the left vent is closed (knob pushed in).
2. Open the right vent (knob pulled out)
3. There might be a pet****** on the back of the head where the heater hose attaches. It's not stock but common. Open it if it's present.

If you want floor heat, leave the defrost cable pushed in. For defrost, pull the cable out.

For hotter heat, pull the temp cable out.

Kaisers have good heaters but they are not strong units, like those on concurrent Nash cars, for example.

Your car should have defrost vents if there's a factory heater present.

[Fid]

Also on the '51 Kaiser, there is a somewhat concealed vent lever under the passenger side dash. If you have the owners manual, it mentions it. If that is open, cold air will get in.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Fid is right; the butterfly valve he is talking about was designed to deflect the ventilator run on the right side directly into the interior.  You can tell open or closed because you can see down the vent duct work when open.  Closed directed the air flow into the box on the firewall where hot water warmed the air and it then came out either the vent ductwork (if you have defrost on) or out the duct at the bottom.

Also, you need the blower motor going to move the air if driving less than 30 mph or so. 

The heater does work well but be careful on the core; pet******s were often installed by later owners because the core itself (in the black box on the firewall) deteriorated with age (it is actually a sort of mini radiator) and many developed leaks around the inlet and/or outlet hose collections.  When the box leaks it normally drains down into the interior of the car.

[84RabbitGTI]

I had to pull the passenger side fender apart to get at the heater core.   A competent radiator shop can repair it or make you a new one.