Firestorm Heater Review

Fuse, I bought the Firestorm Heater also. Being that I live in Minnesota I had Motto Alliance install it for me. I used it today, 4 below, it did take a while for it to heat up which I expected. While driving I would lose heat occasionally and the fan would only blow cold air. I'm guessing that they either didn't completely bleed the system or didn't add more antifreeze. How hard are they to bleed or any other ideas?

Thanks for the report and I will be doing something myself soon

I'm on my second year with this heater and really like it !!!

Sure would like to see some photos of how you plumbed it. Sounds interesting!

MIXMASTER ::::::: Also remember it will not put out much heat while idling. Got to have your foot on the gas a little so the pump puts out enough heated fluid for the heater to work. If you do have to bleed the system it's not hard. Just drive up on something to raise the front end up a little and add fluid till its full. (do a search, couple of threads here on it)

The way I bled out mine was to fill it then run it. I have a large pond with a pretty steep dam on it. I ran it up the damn, nose in the air, and would let it run for a few mins. Check the water. top it off again and repeat till it worked out all the air. Took probably an hour to get all the air out.

I have the same heater and mine works good, as long as you are going slow and higher rpm. I just bought a thermostat bypass from WOC and if weather permits the UPS truck, it should be here by friday. Then I get the bleed out mine again. Can't wait to see how much better the heater works.

By the way mine is a 15 xp 900. And its Wide Open Company Little higher but but nothing like the heatercraft.

FUSE said:

Installed the Firestorm underdash compact heater over the weekend in my 900. WOW does this thing pump out the heat. Recommend !!!!

FWIW We plumbed it in our way and did not leave it the way the directions showed us to install it. Their way uses 5/8" hose split off of the main 1" (or whatever size it is, significantly larger) which we didn't like. We plumbed in our own 5/8" hose in line with the radiator hoses along with a shutoff valve to bypass that whole system for the summer riding. IT GETS HOT inside gentleman !!!

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Did you do the defrost as well?

Thanx for the info. I will check the fluid levels this weekend, temp this morning -14, supposed to be +20 by Sat. Called Motto, left a message, on their tech support line Monday, haven't heard back yet. I will probably add the bypass, just have to figure out which line for summer riding. Alloutdoors I do have the defrost kit, I shutoff those vents when not needed. My guess is that Motto alliance didn't completely bleed the system or add additional anti-freeze after bleeding.

Sounds like they didn't completely bleed out the system, they way moto wanted to do it in their directions looked like a PITA messing with the coolant and filling, bleeding, filling, bleeding, etc. I'm sure it works fine but I like our way better, it forces the coolant to go thru the heatercore.

Ill take some pics of my setup when I get time (in process of moving to new house). That will be easier than trying to explain how its plumbed in.

And yes I added defrost, just leave all the vents open as the bottom two blow about 75% of the air and the defrost 25% when all open. Only time I've had to shut off the lower vents to give the defrost 100% was when I was plowing in an ice/sleet/snow storm.

I got to ride in a Ranger this last weekend that had the Polaris Heater in it and it was nicer than this setup in terms of fit and finish and the blower did seem a little stronger. But that said it was like $1200 installed and my $350 firestorm does the same thing.

Thanx Fuse, look forward to the pictures.