Heater Tubes. Just Kampers

Discussion in 'Engine Gearbox' started by Birdy, Feb 17, 2013.

  1. Birdy

    Birdy Not Child Friendly

    Heater Tubes. Just Kampers. £29.95 ea. 1/10

    For a part so simple I'll keep this review simple. They really are awful.

    I recently attempted to fit new heater tubes between Y pipe and heat exchangers on a 1600.

    The parts looked ok. They were the same size, same bore and not being cheap I expected them to fit.

    They didn't. The plastic is far to stiff for a part that should flex. If I had known this I'd probably have tried to fit them using my octopus style arms while fitting the heat exchangers!

    The only saving grace is you can unscrew one end and trim it down but why should we? At £30 a pop I expect it to fit. The risk of this however is that they are not soft enough the be stretched if cut to short.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Man up Stu, they fit fine though they certainly wouldn't fall off!:D I've fitted 3 pairs in the last couple of months and another pair on order.
    One end has heat prtection stuff in the collar, the other has plastic. You can guess which way round they go. They do take both hands to compress and get the second end on. It's easier when the weather is a bit warmer.
    Yes they're a bit rubbishy compared to the originals, but I'd give them 7/10 myself
     
  3. Birdy

    Birdy Not Child Friendly

    I just think for £30ea I expect better. The originals are far better. They are just the cheapest things in the world.
     
  4. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    But once they're on they're fine.Exchanger end first, pull/stagger the inner sleeving and metal collar out a little to fit. Other end goes on easier with a bit of hauling.
    I have them on my bus, they were/are £45 for two so quite a bit cheaper as a pair. The alternative seems to be £57 each at VWH. I'd rather struggle a bit...
     
  5. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Fitted this afternoon. The RHS one was a struggle.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Birdy likes this.
  6. Kruger

    Kruger Sponsor

    On this subject anyone have a spare metal collar sleeve from a trashed heather tube? as I could do with one.
     
  7. Birdy

    Birdy Not Child Friendly

    I wish I'd taken a picture of it. I tell you there was very little room for it to fit in. Perhaps there is a difference in space between T1 and T4 engines?? I'll see if I can get the tape measure out for those in the need of measurements.
     
  8. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I've got them on my T1 engine too. They're easier to get in a T1 because you can push harder against the heat exchanger, very tight on the T4, I was fitting all the shiny bits which made it easier though. So. I agree, they're difficult to fit, but they ain't going to fall off!
     
  9. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor

    i fitted some original ones yesterday and it was a battle to get them on,type 4 engine
     
  10. I spent 3 hours farting around with these trying to fit them lying on my back in the road. No chance! Get the van on a ramp, it was do-able. ( on a T4 engine.) and they are tighter than a nuns
     
  11. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I fitted 2 old ones to a T4 today and they were a bit squashier but still a squeeze.
     
  12. I grabbed an old pair of jeans this morning & there was just no chance I was going to get my fat arse into em so no chance of getting a pair of those heat exchangers on!
     
  13. Thanks for heads up, I look forward to ths on Saturday! Got mine from Schofields but they're probably the same. Will let ou know :)
     
  14. moral of this story .........get mr Zed to fit them .......
     
  15. If you have VW exchangers you may find, as I did, that the plastic mesh inside (as opposed to the orginal metal mesh) melts and the mesh tube collapses and blocks the tube rendering it pretty useless. If youve fitted some of these and found your heat has tailed off then thats gonna be the problem!
     
    Birdy likes this.
  16. Just a question, looking on vwheritage site, there appears to be some rubber seals that go onto either end of these, any ideas? I couldn't see the reason or them as surely they'd just melt with the heat but thought I'd ask?
     
  17. image.jpg

    This is them, says you need four???
     
  18. On the ones I bought you needed the sleeves as the originals had an asbestos and metal sleeve. Fitted em on mine (super faff and they dont quite fit right as they are only just on at the Y piece end)
     
  19. Thats it but think mine are grey!
     
  20. I can see in either end there's a metal sleeve?
     

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