Heater tube "Y" rusted away: Simple Fixes?
- jules
- I'm New!
- Location: Troy, NY
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Heater tube "Y" rusted away: Simple Fixes?
Hi,
The Y junction of heater tubes, where the right and left side heat streams meet, has almost completely rusted away underneath the (fiberglass?) insulation.
Anyone have and cheap solutions? For instance, in the past, to fix the long run center tube I've successfully employed stovepipe and clothes dryer tubing.
Before I go out and start aimlessly wandering around Home Depot and Lowes does anyone know of any commonly available home products I can use to fab up a new "Y"
thanks
jules
(various buses in various states of functionality)
The Y junction of heater tubes, where the right and left side heat streams meet, has almost completely rusted away underneath the (fiberglass?) insulation.
Anyone have and cheap solutions? For instance, in the past, to fix the long run center tube I've successfully employed stovepipe and clothes dryer tubing.
Before I go out and start aimlessly wandering around Home Depot and Lowes does anyone know of any commonly available home products I can use to fab up a new "Y"
thanks
jules
(various buses in various states of functionality)
- vwlover77
- IAC Addict!
- Location: North Canton, Ohio
- Status: Offline
I think I would try to fashion a new one by bending up two sheets of aluminum to make top and bottom halves of the Y and then pop-riveting them together.
(My center pipe is currently 3 inch black PVC pipe with flexible plumbing couplings connecting it to the Y-pipe and distribution plenum!)
(My center pipe is currently 3 inch black PVC pipe with flexible plumbing couplings connecting it to the Y-pipe and distribution plenum!)
Don
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78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen
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78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen
- grandfatherjim
- Addicted!
- Location: near Ottawa Canada
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The VW mechanic up the road tells me that guys used to make the Y out of black PVC fittings too, and that they can take the heat oK. Looking under mine at the time I didn't think there was room for much of a diameter of pipe though.vwlover77 wrote:I think I would try to fashion a new one by bending up two sheets of aluminum to make top and bottom halves of the Y and then pop-riveting them together.
(My center pipe is currently 3 inch black PVC pipe with flexible plumbing couplings connecting it to the Y-pipe and distribution plenum!)
Haven't gone any furthur, but have the same dilemma of which you speak.
Heat someday,
Jim
- Westy78
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Stumptown OR
- Status: Offline
- grandfatherjim
- Addicted!
- Location: near Ottawa Canada
- Status: Offline
- satchmo
- Old School!
- Location: Crosby, MN
- Status: Offline
I would check the wrecking yards, Busted Bus, and theBusCo to see if they have that part.
http://bustedbus.com/Default.aspx
http://www.thebusco.com/
Tim
http://bustedbus.com/Default.aspx
http://www.thebusco.com/
Tim
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius
- jules
- I'm New!
- Location: Troy, NY
- Contact:
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1 Piece of 3" Galvanized heat ducting
2 3" adjustable duct junctions
sheet metal screws
hose clamps
metalic tape
Total cost ~ $20
result, working junction:
It took a little bit of work getting the angles right and cutting the duct junctions correctly. Then I used a few sheet metal screws to join it all together and the metallic tape to seal the joints airtight.
progress.
2 3" adjustable duct junctions
sheet metal screws
hose clamps
metalic tape
Total cost ~ $20
result, working junction:
It took a little bit of work getting the angles right and cutting the duct junctions correctly. Then I used a few sheet metal screws to join it all together and the metallic tape to seal the joints airtight.
progress.
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
That looks pretty serviceable. =D> Have you tested the heat yet?jules wrote: It took a little bit of work getting the angles right and cutting the duct junctions correctly. Then I used a few sheet metal screws to join it all together and the metallic tape to seal the joints airtight.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- jules
- I'm New!
- Location: Troy, NY
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
We're getting there. At idle I was able to confirm that warm air was making it to the front distribution pipe junction underneath the splash pan.
Looks like the 1600 in this bus is now leaking oil... will have to investigate and fix before I can take a long drive and really test the heat.
So many projects so little time.
Looks like the 1600 in this bus is now leaking oil... will have to investigate and fix before I can take a long drive and really test the heat.
So many projects so little time.
- ruckman101
- Lord God King Bwana
- Location: Up next to a volcano.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
So many projects, so little time. I hear that.
I haven't even taken the moment it takes to shimmy under my bus to close my flaps that the less than robust heat that manages to enter into the equation can. And here it's our first onslaught of wintry freezing maybe snow weather. I'm real scared to remove the insulation on my center pipe. I've heard it may be the only thing of the assembly providing structural integrity.
Sigh.
neal
I haven't even taken the moment it takes to shimmy under my bus to close my flaps that the less than robust heat that manages to enter into the equation can. And here it's our first onslaught of wintry freezing maybe snow weather. I'm real scared to remove the insulation on my center pipe. I've heard it may be the only thing of the assembly providing structural integrity.
Sigh.
neal
The slipper has no teeth.
- Sylvester
- Bad Old Puddy Tat.
- Location: Sylvester, Georgia
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Me too, when that happens it will be a whopper of a day. I think mine is a cardboard tube with insulation and plastic covering it. What has people used to replace that long tube? PVC pipe?ruckman101 wrote:I'm real scared to remove the insulation on my center pipe. I've heard it may be the only thing of the assembly providing structural integrity.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
- jules
- I'm New!
- Location: Troy, NY
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
- Sylvester
- Bad Old Puddy Tat.
- Location: Sylvester, Georgia
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Sounds like a heating and air conditioning installers easy task! Wait till I go to Lowe's to buy this and tell the salesman where it is going.jules wrote:For replacement of the long run I'd recommend:
Inner tube: 3" Galvanized heat duct, two pieces, if I remember correctly.
Outer insulating layer: flexible 4" dryer exhaust hose.
An assortment of large clamps (two 4" and two 3")
Another under $20 repair.
I appreciate you posting this fix, I will need to do this and now have a weekend Bus project lined up sometime in January.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
- JereandJess
- Getting Hooked!
- Location: Ashburnham, MA
- Status: Offline
We got the unit from Ken at thebusco.com for $45 I believe. I used an angle grinder to release the old rusted part out. There were a few (3 I believe) that needed to be ground off. It then just popped off, slid the new one in and had our neighbor tack weld it in.satchmo wrote:I would check the wrecking yards, Busted Bus, and theBusCo to see if they have that part.
http://bustedbus.com/Default.aspx
http://www.thebusco.com/
Tim
Ken was even able to give us a green one, so it matches our sage green perfectly!
Finding the replacement for the long center tube is certainly harder. I like the idea posted above of the galvanized tubing. Would love to see someone do a photo documentation of the job....
Jeremy
~Jeremy (and Jessica)
77 Sage Green Westfalia 2.0 FI
78 Blue Landmark camper 2.0 FI
69 Beetle
~Jeremy (and Jessica)
77 Sage Green Westfalia 2.0 FI
78 Blue Landmark camper 2.0 FI
69 Beetle