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Adding Heater to 2021 24 MXZ


Dirtysidedown

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Have started the purchasing process on a used 2021 24 MXZ.  Has everything we are looking for except a heater.  

My local dealer says they have never installed one and to just find a boat that has one.  Quoted an astronomical figure(15 hrs + parts), and not a lot of confidence since they have never done a job like this.

 

However, the boat I'm looking at is out of state.  The sellers local dealer, who will be handling the Warranty transfer, pre-purchase inspection for warranty transfer, 100 hr service, says they have installed them, no problem and are very comfortable with doing it.  (5Hrs Labor + Parts)

 

They say it will be OEM Malibu heater, (is that HeaterCraft or Really Malibu) and run through the screen as if it was there day 1.

 

I get concerned when I ask 2 different people and get to completely different answers.  

 

Anyone added a heater after purchase on a newer boat in the last year or two?  Work good?  Issues?

Do the 24 MXZs have a recirc pump for moving coolant through the heater core?  

Edited by Dirtysidedown
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2 hours ago, Dirtysidedown said:

Do the 24 MXZs have a recirc pump for moving coolant through the heater core? 

I think the answer to that is more dependent on the engine, not the boat.

Adding a heater should be a simple and straightforward process for a dealer.  I'm surprised they quoted five hours, but I guess the extra three is so the guy can work from home.

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2 hours ago, Dirtysidedown said:

 

My local dealer says they have never installed one and to just find a boat that has one.  Quoted an astronomical figure(15 hrs + parts), and not a lot of confidence since they have never done a job like this.

However, the boat I'm looking at is out of state.  The sellers local dealer, who will be handling the Warranty transfer, pre-purchase inspection for warranty transfer, 100 hr service, says they have installed them, no problem and are very comfortable with doing it.  (5Hrs Labor + Parts)

They say it will be OEM Malibu heater, (is that HeaterCraft or Really Malibu) and run through the screen as if it was there day 1.

Do the 24 MXZs have a recirc pump for moving coolant through the heater core?  

15 hours is insane. They just dont want to do it.

I would say 4-5 depending on the tech and the boat. Its not complicated, but can take some time.  If someone can do a full heater install in two hours, call me, I have work for you.  

Malibu from the factory uses Maradyne heaters. 

All the new boats use pumps on the heaters.

Edited by COOP
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I’ve installed 2 heaters, though they were on DD boats. It’s a 2 hour DIY process. It’s obvious that the dealer just doesn’t want to deal with it. I had the same issue with my local dealer, so that’s why I did DIY.
 

I used Heatercraft and included an auxiliary pump so that hot water continues to flow even when engine is at idle.

the advantage of DIY is that you can put the hoses wherever you want.

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5 hours ago, Dirtysidedown said:

Have started the purchasing process on a used 2021 24 MXZ.  Has everything we are looking for except a heater.  

My local dealer says they have never installed one and to just find a boat that has one.  Quoted an astronomical figure(15 hrs + parts), and not a lot of confidence since they have never done a job like this.

 

However, the boat I'm looking at is out of state.  The sellers local dealer, who will be handling the Warranty transfer, pre-purchase inspection for warranty transfer, 100 hr service, says they have installed them, no problem and are very comfortable with doing it.  (5Hrs Labor + Parts)

 

They say it will be OEM Malibu heater, (is that HeaterCraft or Really Malibu) and run through the screen as if it was there day 1.

 

I get concerned when I ask 2 different people and get to completely different answers.  

 

Anyone added a heater after purchase on a newer boat in the last year or two?  Work good?  Issues?

Do the 24 MXZs have a recirc pump for moving coolant through the heater core?  

I agree.  Your dealer doesn't want to do it, clearly.  Have the selling dealer do it.  If they're going to do it, do it right, and have it actionable through the screen, there's no reason not to.  5 hours + parts seems reasonable to me. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, braindamage said:

I’ve installed 2 heaters, though they were on DD boats. It’s a 2 hour DIY process. It’s obvious that the dealer just doesn’t want to deal with it. I had the same issue with my local dealer, so that’s why I did DIY.
 

I used Heatercraft and included an auxiliary pump so that hot water continues to flow even when engine is at idle.

the advantage of DIY is that you can put the hoses wherever you want.

but that was probably on a raw water cooled boat, right?  Not a new boat with closed cooling, where you have to add a circ pump, burp the cooling system, add antifreeze, locate a place for the heater, likely drill holes for the vents (there being not much "pass through" on the newer hulls, even under the dash) , etc.  I could see this being a "whole weekend" project for me as a semi-competent DIY'er.

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All great inputs. It would be going on 2021 M6 motor.  I thought it would require a recirc pump but service manager said no.  But again he's not the one turning the wrenchs, so he could be mistaken.

 I normally would do this type of project, but agree I would rather have it done right and be able to function through the screen etc.

I'm concerned about the the finer points mentioned,  definitelynot hard, just need to know they need to be done, i.e. adding coolant back in, burping the system, installing the pump.  If it doesn't get done right the 1st time, I'm now 1200 miles from the installing dealer, and my local dealer will be saying, "I told you so".

I think the big point is ensuring the recirc pump is infact part of the install and the programming of the screen/blower function is done. As long as that is done, the rest I can handle as far as fluid levels and top offs as bubbles work through the system.

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19 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

but that was probably on a raw water cooled boat, right?  Not a new boat with closed cooling, where you have to add a circ pump, burp the cooling system, add antifreeze, locate a place for the heater, likely drill holes for the vents (there being not much "pass through" on the newer hulls, even under the dash) , etc.  I could see this being a "whole weekend" project for me as a semi-competent DIY'er.

Agreed…yep. Sounds complicated 

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21 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

but that was probably on a raw water cooled boat, right?  Not a new boat with closed cooling, where you have to add a circ pump, burp the cooling system, add antifreeze, locate a place for the heater, likely drill holes for the vents (there being not much "pass through" on the newer hulls, even under the dash) , etc.  I could see this being a "whole weekend" project for me as a semi-competent DIY'er.

I installed mine with closed cooling while I was changing the coolant.  I don't remember how long it took, but it wasn't anywhere near five hours.

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Just now, justgary said:

I installed mine with closed cooling while I was changing the coolant.  I don't remember how long it took, but it wasn't anywhere near five hours.

Haha, well (a) you are more competent that me (not that that's hard.... but you are probably more competent than the average boat dealer's techs too), and (b) your boat being an old dd, there's a lot more air space to run stuff.  Look under the helm of a newer malibu.  It's solid fiberglass and you can only get under the dash by removing the sub and going through the sub hole.  Not easy!  I don't think you had to program your dash computer either.  Also the way that malibu is doing heaters from the factory, there are several hot tubes throughout the boat, so you have other holes to drill and such.  I don't see anybody getting all of that done well, in a way that's going to last for the remaining life of the boat, in a couple of hours.  

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Lots of good info here from when I added mine. 

Even  though it is an 18 with Raptor engine, lot of the info transfers to yours. I had no issues with air in coolant, Just topped off and good. Hooking to dash screen was simple too.

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2 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Haha, well (a) you are more competent that me (not that that's hard.... but you are probably more competent than the average boat dealer's techs too), and (b) your boat being an old dd, there's a lot more air space to run stuff.  Look under the helm of a newer malibu.  It's solid fiberglass and you can only get under the dash by removing the sub and going through the sub hole.  Not easy!  I don't think you had to program your dash computer either.  Also the way that malibu is doing heaters from the factory, there are several hot tubes throughout the boat, so you have other holes to drill and such.  I don't see anybody getting all of that done well, in a way that's going to last for the remaining life of the boat, in a couple of hours.  

Right. See my above post. If you can do a heater in a v-drive with three output vents, pump, run hoses, mounting the heater core, etc...in two hours. Call me. I have work for you. 

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