Means nothing! Now shut up I am playing a crucial game of " rock paper scissors" with Will, Its the final.
I have spoken to our Technical Department and they have informed me that the Pre 1961 Type 1 vehicles generally had a convoluted flexible metal pipe between the heat exchanger and the cabin. Early 1960's to 1971 model year (late 1970) used the same metal flexible type pipe between heat exchanger and cabin. However, it had an insulating material around it and a flexible plastic weatherproof material around that. Although the insulating material between metal and plastic is light in colour, it is not of an asbestos basis as it is neither required for insulation and not to withstand any protection against heat, nor is it in the flow of warm air to the cabin. From 1971 MY onwards flexible plastic tubing was used with internal woollen material type insulation. The 1973 and 1974 MY type 2, use same principal as Type 1 1971 onwards, even though different heat exchanger type are available depending on engine type. During the 1960s, an asbestos ring was fitted on the front of the heat exchanger where the heat transfer pipe connected. This generally broke and fell off early on in the vehicle's life when disturbed and wasn't replaced (During first engine removal or heat exchanger replacement). When in place it's purpose was to separate the flexible plastic outer weatherproof sleeve of the heat transfer pipe from making direct contact with heat exchanger, not affecting the warm air transfer metal section, it was not in the flow of warm air for the cabin. Replacement parts were supplied from a rubber material. Additionally, as with all vehicles, asbestos was used in some exhaust gaskets to cylinder head connections (front and rear) as was the "O" ring at heat exchanger / exhaust connection. I trust this information proves useful. Thank you for contacting Volkswagen UK. Yours sincerely Sarah Brotherton-Ratcliffe Customer Service Advisor Volkswagen Customer Service fiddler Posts: 388 Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 9:18 am Location: Newcastle upon Tyne presumably applicable to buses....
Once taken off, the studs/zips break and you can't make them stretch righ round again. Mines on the workshop floor in the corner, but I replaced the whole middle section with a late bay insulated corrugated plastic one. So if you have a later bay with these pipes - they're insulated inside.
Can the hx itself be insulated. I am hoping to get some og hxs at some point and wouldn't mind having a go at insulating them?
T4 Hx's have insulation inside, but T1's don't. I wouldn't wrap them up myself I expect they're rust quicker. If you find some OG exchangers you won't care about insulating anything. I had to turn mine down again today, my ears were glowing. (No not in a gay way you naughty boy).
Must be possible with a little care to increase the area of the fins by attaching lengths of "heat sink" aluminium. I havent done it and im not sure whether a smaller flow of warmer air is better than a higher flow of less warm air ie, although there are less fins on non og exchangers there is the same amount of heat, so in theory higher air flow could result in the same amount of heat being transferred into the cabin. There is the issue of the mass of the exchanger fins meaning that they heat the air flowing over them to a greater extent than the air actually cooling the fins which may come into play with the after market exchangers. In all seriousness if the system is sealed with non original exchangers I would try utilising a fan. Theres plenty of heat energy inthe exhaust headers - in fact exactly the same whether OG or not. The higher the mass of the exchanger fins then the higher the amount of heat retained at that point. Couple this with a greater surface area to actually exchange the heat then if the airflow is sufficient then little heat is lost. On non OG exchangers - smaller mass, smaller surface area - same airflow = less heat. Increase any of those elements and it will improve. Airflow is the easy one. Hope all the above makes sense and is logical. Dont know what a type 1 exchanger looks like as regards the fins but if you look at my exchenger resto pics you can see how it might be possible to increase the mass and surface area using an ally mouldin/extrusion or even c section eg
I think what I said was either get some Og exchangers, or fit a fan and it might be possible to improve after market units with a little thought!
I got it first time tbh. I have seen your hx thread and was mucho impressed, it's probably what got me thinking of ogs in the first place.
They were/are an improvement it has to be said! to the extent that it burned the insulation in the concertinas (the plastic bits had melted and been replaced with some ally tube. I thought they were crap after market ones ones but Zed pointed out they were VW!
pretty sure someone with a mind to could fab a box up around a pair of stainless J tubes...taking it to the Nth. degree but doable nontheless
At least I now have some heater cables coming thanks to this thread. Is it possible to thread the inner cable through the existing outers or is it simpler just to put the new ones on?
