Lycoming IO-233 with cabin heat?

[atc310r]

Hey guys! New guy here but I have been looking at the kitfox for years. Within the next 2-3 years I am going to take the plunge and buy my kit, once I know where the Air Force will station me.

Anyway, I am all but certain I will be going with the IO-233 for an engine option. I like the relative simplicity being all air cooled, the ease of finding an A&P to work on it and the low engine rpms due to no gear reduction.

The only thing that will be a bit of a hurdle is cabin heat. I will need it, no question there. So does anyone know of any companies who produce an exhaust system with a shroud for cabin heat that will work in the kitfox? Better yet, has anyone actually installed such a system in their plane with an io-233 or o-235?

[jrevens]

atc310r,

There are quite a few heat muffs ("shrouds"), as well as cabin heatboxes - you'll need both - available in the experimental marketplace. I designed and built a box that I sold many hundreds of through Aircraft Spruce and other venues. You'll find that there are many options available... Van's RV forums are probably a good source for info.

[Mcgaero]

Hi atc310r,

I am currently building a ss7 with an IO-233 and the exhaust system supplied by Kitfox came with a heater muffler shroud, all you need is the heater valve to go on the firewall which you will find at aircraft spruce.

[Flybyjim]

John,

What heat boxes did you make and sell through Spruce, under what brand?

[jrevens]

I had no brand name Jim... I think Spruce just called them "Deluxe cabin heat box" or something like that. I got tired of making them after a few years and gave the tooling, etc. to a friend who was making heat muffs & doing most of the welding for High Country Exhaust Systems - mostly systems for RV's. I continued to form the flanges for them, just to keep my hand in it a little. He never did continue on with the Aircraft Spruce connection I had, as there was plenty of business selling them direct to RV builders. They were a wedge shaped box - aluminum, but with a stainless steel door & hinge. It paid my hangar rent for quite a few years.

[Flybyjim]

Thanks for the photos and explanation, these look very well made John. It looks like they actually make a good seal. Did you or do you have a machine shop, it looks like you used a press to form the holes and a brake to bend the flanges.

[atc310r]

Hi atc310r,

I am currently building a ss7 with an IO-233 and the exhaust system supplied by Kitfox came with a heater muffler shroud, all you need is the heater valve to go on the firewall which you will find at aircraft spruce.

That is great news! Thank you for the input! I will definitely be following your build!

Thank you everyone for the useful info!

[jrevens]

Thanks for the photos and explanation, these look very well made John. It looks like they actually make a good seal. Did you or do you have a machine shop, it looks like you used a press to form the holes and a brake to bend the flanges.

Thanks, Jim. I just made them in my workshop at home. Yes, I have a 4' pan/finger brake, and a press for forming the flared opening & the flanges on the round tube (with tooling that I made).