I’ve been trying to sort out my heating, because it’s stuck on full and my feet are getting a little too toasty right now. The cables are shot, of course, but the bigger problem is that the left side heat exchanger (1600, integral gubbins) is missing the upright lever the cable should attach to. It does still have the beetle lever on the inside, but that’s bent, stopping the flap from moving. My questions are as follows: 1) Does anyone know if I can buy/fabricate a replacement lever? 2) If so, how does it attach? 3) Can I safely bend the beetle lever straight?
You should be able to bend it back, but it's just a two way flap. one way it sends air to the floor outside. The other position allows the air to flow through the big pipe to the cab area. Just move the flap by hand if you can to allow the air to flow out of the HX to the outside and peg it in that position. The flap is operated by the lever you say is bent, but you can move it by hand.
Yes you can bend the Beetle lever away from the body of the heat exchanger. And you can weld on a new top lever if you can fit it. But whatever you do dont drop the heat exchanger on the Bus lever or attempt to force it open or closed (forward/backwards). Inside is some very thin tinware that will break. It is possible to grind off the welds, unfold the flanges and get in there and re weld the flap mechanism but its a fiddly difficult job. If its an original heat exchanger with lots of thin fins if you look down the inlet cold air end, keep using it until it rusts apart, then re skin it . Dont discard it until the exhaust pipe part rots through. Its so much better than the modern replacements.
Thanks guys; useful info. I think I will do as you suggest and bend the beetle lever clear and zip-tie it open or closed, depending on the season. I still have control of the right H/E (or will when I install a new cable), so I can have half-heat/no heat in summer, and full heat/half heat in winter. I’ll weld a new lever on next time I have the thing off the van.
