> Date: 6/24/99 3:41:56 PM CDT
> From: Sussmn@AOL.COM (Carol Sussman)

> I love this van.

Congratulations on the new camper!

>      What good is the heat exchanger under the rear bench?  Is this supposed
> to bleed off heat from the engine or is it a token source of comfort when
> camping in winter?  I thought I was having hot flashes driving my new
> purchase home until my cover-to cover read of the owners' manual revealed
> that the valve was in the "on" position.

It does no good while camping, unless you camp with the engine running.
However, it does a first-rate job of keeping the rear passengers warm
while driving in the winter.  I suppose that, if it weren't there, the
dash heat would have to be turned up hot enough to cook the driver before
the back would really get warm.  I sometimes use the rear heater even when
I'm driving alone, since it does such a nice job of warming up the van.

>      There is limited outside air in this thing. The absence of a direct
vent
>  for the driver is driving me nuts.

On my '88, there's a direct vent for the driver to the left of the steering
wheel, controlled by its own little thumbwheel.  It will deliver the same
heated or non-heated air as the floor vents, via the same fan.  If you want
fresh, non-heated air while the heat's turned on, then the wing window
works pretty well.  I'll also sometimes turn on the rear heat, turn off
the dash heat, and use the dash vents for fresh air.

I also leave the (always unheated) fresh air vents over the sliding
door open almost all the time, on the theory that, if there are
passengers, they're going to need it, and if there aren't, then a
little extra fresh air in the van can't hurt.

                                      -Steven Sittser