Eberspacher BN2 Heater

So, I just bought this gas heater. Now what? This may sit in its box until next winter. Putting the cart before the horse here, but it was such a nice unit. They dont come along this complete too often. Anyway, welcome to my thread on the heater install into my Thunder Ranch.

Let me be the first to offer to take this off your hands, before you become terminally frustrated........ Seriously, it does look fairly complete and is not that hard to install.....Contact Danny P., as he recently installed one in his Spyder.....He probably has the names for parts suppliers......But if it does get to be tooooo much call me...... 8>)

Wow---looks brand new. Leon--I shudda had this instead of the hand warmers you loaned me when I drove my car back from Jake Raby's last January 13. BRRRR.

Mines bigger than yours! I actually sold the BN4 (from a Thing or T2 bus) awhile back. I seem to buy these whenever I come across a near complete one. They are so cool - I do however fear them too and would seriously consider adding a fire suppression system along with it.

It was a "barn find". The rusty ones really scare me. This one wasnt cheap... But i dont know enough about them to go chasing around bits and pieces. Here is a link to some more images.

http://picasaweb.google.com/screamingstrat/NewInBoxEberspacherBN2Heater12vPorsche356VW?feat=directlink#

i had a BN4, BN2 and a B2 and ended up choosing the B2 due to it's much smaller size.

the heat output is much less, but it's several inches shorter and fit nicely in the battery well of my speedy. the downside is that actual placement is below the level of my fuel tank. This - i now know - makes it so you cannot use your fuel tank as the supply without some sort of check valve. i ended up going with a separate fuel reservoir that lasts several hours.

i documented the rebuild and installation on my website.

It puts out plenty of heat.

using gasoline for heat in a small, enclosed space, what could possibly go wrong.

The BA4 from the VW 411/412 is interesting too for a Speedster. Its flat and H shaped and was fitted over the rear axel/tranmission. It has more safety circuites which makes install a little more challenging. It should be cheaper to buy and easier to find over the BN2. It was designed to supplement the marginal heat exchanges on the 412 - so is probably sized right for the Speedster. (The 412 was considered a luxury VW back then). Dash on 412 had a nice timer switch that let you warm the vehicle up before driving it. Just be sure to get all the parts including the gas pump and circulating blower.

Mango , I also have a 'b2' eber that i want to install. How do I access your website to view your install? What did you use for fuel tank? thanks ,tom

http://www.mangosmoothie.ca

i used a 2 stroke weed whacker fuel tank. perfect size and shape. i fabbed up some isolating brackets.

I put a BN2 ( later style with the smaller rotary fuel pump ) in my Vintage. Lots-o-heat needed for here in New England...with the top up, it can drive you out of the car with heat. Can be carefully fitted in the front of the hood with creative shielding and exhaust venting. A few pics in my photos (10-2009). The later BN2's had a few more safety features, the smaller more reliable fuel pump... and had a heat adjustment as well. Having a gas heater adds an easy month on either end of the driving season here. Danny P I think has the same BN2 model in his Spyder.
Doug

the box arrives tomorrow. Doug, you mention "the later styles" whats later, how can i tell? the BN4 sounds interesting, especially since i am going to try and mount this heater above the transmission. I really want to try and utilize the "stock" inlets welded to my frame to route the heat. Its much harder on my Thunder Ranch than other cars. behind the seats is layed out much more like an original speedster. I can not mount it forward of the engine, it has to go down with an access cover on the top of a fabricated box. I have a "hump" where it would fit nicely, unfortunately that is the future location of a tourqe bar ive been wanting to install. Me thinks im gonna need a bigger garage, a work bench at the very least. Maybe santa is reading this.

I'd be very surprised if you can mount a BN4 (or a B2 for that matter) above the tranny. do you have supports in there?

Paul, the "later" BN2's did not have the big regulator and larger ( looks like a small British Lucas fuel pump -same design ). The later BN2's had a small 2"x2" little rotary fuel pump mounted in-line on the fuel line going to the unit. The later BN2's had a different control circuit in the heater body itself that "regulated" that little rotary fuel pump. The big visual for the "later" BN2's was (1) no big 6" long fuel pump, and (2) no fuel pump regulator sitting on the top of the gas heater body. The picture at the start of this thread was an "early" one....you can see the big regulator sitting on top of the heater. Best bet to dig deeper is to go to thesamba website and do a search on BN2 and you'll se a fair amount of info. You'll find these were fairly common on Canadian VW's.
Good luck,
Doug

The VW 411/412 BA4 unit will mount above transmission - outside the vehicle exposed to elements. It's H shaped - input is from the heat exchangers and then output vial the heat tubes. You could feed air from rear seat area if you just have J tubes. (The BN2 and much larger BN4 is not designed to be exposed to elements).

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1049277

Here manuals for it -

http://manuals.type4.org/ba4/

I was planning on fabricating a box for the heater hanging form the underside of the fiberglass body. I received the heater yesterday. It is much bigger than i thought. This thing IS brand new, minus 40 years. All the inlets/outlets still have plastic caps. The yellow paint marks are still on the screws. It is an immaculate piece. I need to get my car in the air and see where it might make sense to mount this up. It may not happen. Appreciate the heads up on the BN4 unit. That may be the right way to go.

Don't let that thing go too soon. I may have to talk to you about it.
Incidentally, I saw this today, and thought of your car:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/feil/498424672/

Doug, I think mine is an early one. I have the pump mounted to the heater and the regulator too. The pump occasionally craps out, then no heat. Since the pump is controlled by the heater, and the regulator is on the heater, I may get a small low-pressure pump and mount it remotely, and extend the fuel pump power wiring. This would be better for me as my heater is IN the cabin, and combustion air and exhaust are routed from/to the outside. It would lessen the noise from the heater.

Like I have said before, and Doug will agree, these things are not to be taken for granted. They can burn your car to the ground. They must be bench tested for HOURS, then the installation must be tested and watched carefully. They require a lot of fabrication and careful planning. You need the skill and the tools to make it happen. These are not for the weekend warrior who can barely keep his car in tune. Be careful, your life and your car require it.

Paul, I think that thing could heat my garage.

You won't find me burning gasoline for heat even in there though.

Good luck and please be careful.

Been thinking about the heater install over the weekend. My car has great heat during spring/fall/summer. Problem over the winter is i just cant get the engine warm enough. The temp needle barely moves from where it is at rest.

I used to have a Land Rover so browsed a lot of magazines. For winter driving you could purchase a vinyl cover to go over the grill in front of the radiator. You see the same kinda thing on Semi's. It helped to keep the engine temp up by limiting the amount of cold air be pulled through the radiator.

So, has anyone ever put duct tape over some of the vents in the deck lid to get the engine temp up in the winter? Just brainstorming here... i can already think of some potential issues, just want to hear y'alls thoughts.

how about a OEM VW thermostat?

That's awesome Mango! read that and had to laugh. What do they call that, trying to reinvent the wheel?

Curious, anyone else running without t-stat and flaps have the same problem getting the engine up to temp in weather below 40 degrees?

I'll bet they are Paul. My engine is cold-blooded in the fall-winter, 911 shroud has no provision for thermostat or flaps. Only way to get the oil to heat up is with a thermostat. A separate but important issue.

Your heat should be coming from the exhaust/heat exchangers and should put out heat no matter what the outside temp. Alan and others have a couple of fixes for heat in a Speedster.

Hi Guys,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Mango - I went to your web site, awesome documentation and build. There is so much there I haven't been able to find your heater install pics. Could you tell me which group they are in.
Thanks,
Russ

Hey Russ! First time I've seen you post here. You and your Dad missed one helluva time in Asheville back in October.

Hi Lane,
I wish we could have made it. I really enjoy that trip in the fall. I hope to see you in carlisle

http://picasaweb.google.com/113141911318945529670/Month16?authkey=Gv1sRgCPH6gp7y6IiWJw#

Thanks Mango - Again, A beautiful job

So, im not selling the heater. I pulled it out of the box to clean it up for sale and took one last walk around the car with it. It is too large to mount up fornt under the hood. Id rather not have it inside the car above the passengers knees and my Thunder Ranch does not have the big void between the rear of the tub and the engine 'firewall'. i also really wanted to use the stock vents at the floor and my defrost vents. I am pretty sure I have come up with a solution. This project will probably take all summer and into the fall. I am excited about it though. I think its going to gov eme everything i am looking for.

I plan on mounting the heater in the engine compartment. the unit will fit beautifully once i relocate my coil. Also makes it easy to use a fire supression system. couple nozzles at the motor and one at the heater all contained in the engine bay.

i put my extra BN2 (used and mostly complete) up for sale.

I put a lot of images of the heater in my folder for future users reference.