My bay early heater central channel is rusted out. What's best to replace it with JK do one for £45. Alternatively, I can get a 75mm X 1.6mm aluminium tube, wrap it in the glass insulation off the old one. Any suggestions? All 'you don't want to do it like that's welcome . The forum, searches are all or nothing.
I’ve got a JK replacement tube in mine. If I recall it was supplied slightly over length and needed to be trimmed to fit. It’s a pretty solid chunk of tube. Mines not insulated in any way but seems to carry hot air through to the cab ok. Stirlingmoz
Later bays used an insulated twin wall flexible duct here. I did that, I got it on ebay by the metre but it was 5 years ago so no link.
If you used PVC pipe then the engine end may soften with the heat from original heat exchangers. A larger version of the aluminium/cardboard heat exchanger feed tubes off a T1 engine would work . There are quite a few suppliers on eBay selling double wall aluminium foil ducting with rockwool insulation. Choose the correct inside diameter ?? 100mm.
Existing one is just over 90mm diameter.. an eberspacher 90mm y branch clips over it with a small gap...if you want to match or should you want a feed it more hot air or help blow more through Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
If you mean me it was corrugated plastic outside, rockwool insulation about 10mm thk, then the usual cardboard/aluminium composite inside that. Near enough exactly as VW used themselves. Plastic - my plastic fan was melting right at the front so I agree, no plastic / PVC.
@Deefer66 like the Y tube feed in is a good idea while I am replacing the tube. That spare bit of house guttering did look tempting. prototype bay duct is smaller than late bay, will measure up the cross member holes. Found some ebay Flexible duct Ali duct, I'd need extra supports straps. Easy to install being flexible.
Im hoping the eberspacher y is up to it! I did actually pop a silicone baking mat between the metal and plastic just in case engine hot air is hotter than heater hot air, and with my new controller i can make the eber blow 'cold' to push through engine air too Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
The Eberspacher should hit 130C, about as hot as a good set of stock heat exchangers, enough to melt any PVC drainpipes or marine bilge blower fans.. The Eberspacher plastic Y fitting is probably Nylon 66, or similar, melts at 260C, the sort of plastic used in modern water cooled car cooling systems. It cracks in the end...
