Installing Boat Heater

[suds1421]

I would like to install a boat heater on my I/O. My wife and kids would love it during these cooler boating months. Where would I pull the source and return lines? I have a 1994 ford 5.0 (four winns). Coolant flow diagram is attached.

Thanks for any help!

 

[alldodge]

My Formula (from the factory) came with a hot water heater. The source feed came from the port side block drain which had a 1/4 NPT to Barbed fitting on it. It had 5/8 ID hose going to/from the hot water heater. The return went back to the engine water circulating pump.

Suggest doing the same and if you don't have a plug on the circulating pump, then use a Tee fitting and return it to the large hose

 

[Bondo]

Where would I pull the source and return lines?

Ayuh,...... I donno where the pipe plugs are on a Ford,.....

Ya want pressurize hot water from the intake, before the t-stat, goin' to the heater, 'n yer return goes to the circulatin' water pump housin', or "T" into the big hose feedin' the circulatin' water pump, aka: the low pressure side,.....

The Chevy motors that I work on have a 1/2" pipe plug in the intake manifold, just before the t-stat housin', 'n a 1/2" pipe plug in the circulatin' water pump housin',.....

An accessible pipe plug in the head would be a good feed line, or even a block drain as AD's is,.....
Heat rises, so closest the t-stat is Best,.....

 

[QBhoy]

I can strongly advise just getting a proper set up. Get a Eberspacher d2 fed from a small remote outboard tank. Amazing things. Commonly called night or trick heaters. Diesel fired.

 

[rallyart]

I have two air heaters in my wakeboard boat. They are a great addition and I would highly recommend one. (or 2)

You want to supply water to the heater from the intake manifold water jacket just before the thermostat. There will be a plug you can pull and install a hose fitting somewhere there or on the bottom of the thermostat housing. Some pressure there and the warmest water.

For return from the heater you want to go to the circulation pump. Greatest suction at that location. There is probably a plug on the bottom or left side of it you can fit a hose barb into. It goes into the same area as the water return line from the thermostat.

I hooked my two heaters up in series. What you need to know about the heater is that it requires flow to keep generating heat. This means that when the engine is at low RPM (<1500) the heater will not be very effective. Also, when ordering, having a 'hot tube' or two is excellent. (4 on my boat) Mine are made by Heatercraft. Other brands will also be good. Finding the location to install one is a bit of a trick but some will fit under the gunnels or inside a seat pedestal You might want to add in a drain location on each of the line's low spot and consider installing shutoff ball valves on each line in case a heater core fails.