Temp Heat in Garage

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Drbrown

Some low(er) heat/power consumption ideas:


Best idea .... put an old semi-worn-out but functioning flatie or diesel outside next to the garage with a small fuel tank. Use some steam hosing (sold by the foot) to connect it to its/a radiator inside the garage, and place a portable 24' box fan to blow air thru the radiator. Fill the flatie with antifreeze. Listen to its music as you work. Tell the wife to wear ear muffs. Idling the engine not good but its like putting a race horse out to pasture.

Neat idea for us MacGyver types! Might add that an idling Diesel uses very little fuel and will never get warm enough to produce much heat.
To gain more heat, bolt on an automatic transmission, lock the output shaft, and put it in drive. Run the cooler lines inside to a trans cooler. Run the engine about a 1,000 RPM. The shearing action of the fluid in the torque converter makes a lot of heat. Since we're cutting holes in the wall, add two more and pipe the exhaust inside, through a large muffler, and out again. Use the hottest thermostat you can find. You can even add an engine oil cooler and get back even more from the gas you're burning. How close to 100% efficient would this be??! No heat lost up a chimney! Apply for off road use of fuel and get the hiway tax ($.20/gal. or more) credit.