has anyone ever rerouted there cabin heat to somewhere in the cowling area to get fresh air in the summer time? I heard of someone doing it before but never asked them how to
It would be for a ercoupe Only one big vent, the canopy, But I’m getting some heat on my legs even though the cabin heat is off, it doesn’t turn completely off
You don't want air from inside the cowl. It usually contains some CO. Exhaust systems are never 100% tight. You could bypass the heat muff on the exhaust so that the air comes directly to the heater outlet, but that presents another hazard. The exhaust component that provides cabin heat NEEDS air moving around it all the time to cool it. The heat muff prevents engine cooling air from washing over it and it will overheat and burn out without the air movement. Now you have real problems: lots of CO, possibility of fire, and a bunch of expense. So the heater is working all the time, with the warmed air being dumped overboard when the cabin heat is turned off. Your valve needs adjustment or fixing. Or the hose to it could be disconnected and restrained so it still dumps the hot air out the bottom. Legal? Dunno.
You could block off the cabin side heater opening or disconnect the duct as mentioned above. As to fresh into the cockpit have seen a number of canopy mods from removal of the side portions to the addition of snapvents and even small sliding windows.
I have seem them disconnected and the inlet the the cabin taped off. But I can have concerns about where the hot air from the heater goes. If properly ducted out the bottom that is fine. But have seen them blowing on fuel lines and other items I am not sure I want heated. Brian
I forgot to mention I kept the heater valve closed to keep the dirty air out of the cabin. The only fresh air "vent" I have is opening a window. That works quite well and does not cost an airspeed penalty.
