Type1 Heat Exchangers

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:06 am

Well, mine are getting slight/moderate swiss cheesing on the tops and near the heat outlet tube. Is there any hope or remedy? Seems too thin for welding, and I'm afraid there is more rust lurking inside waiting to punch thru.
The bottoms are OK strangely. I guess moisture collects on top and heat rises.
I don't want to "fix" these and put them back in to only have trouble in a couple years.

Bookwus · Post by **Bookwus** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:19 am

Hiya Hammy,

And there are other considerations.............

Not all Type 1 heat exchangers are the same. The control levers for Bug exchanger are different than those for a Bus. I'm told that one could jury-rig one to fit the other, but I've not seen that myself. So, if you are considering swapping "skins" (or just buying new heat exchangers) on your heat exchangers, be careful what you swap.

I have three sets of Type 1 heat exchangers, but only 1 set of Bus exchangers and they are on my Bus. Hey Bob, what other parts are you needing?

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:35 am

I wonder how well this stuff works? Maybe worth a try:
http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?number=FS2&dept=10
Apparently, people on S*mba have had good luck with JBWeld on them but I dunno.

Do exchangers need hitemp paint? I doubt it...

Looks like Bus Depot says "1 size fits all" for the heat exchangers. Have you verified that the bus ones are different? VW tried to avoid special model parts due to mfg. costs.
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?par ... 043255105F

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:33 pm

hambone wrote:I wonder how well this stuff works? Maybe worth a try:
http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?number=FS2&dept=10
Apparently, people on S*mba have had good luck with JBWeld on them but I dunno.

Do exchangers need hitemp paint? I doubt it...

Looks like Bus Depot says "1 size fits all" for the heat exchangers. Have you verified that the bus ones are different? VW tried to avoid special model parts due to mfg. costs.
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?par ... 043255105F

Replacement exchangers give half the heat due to far fewer fins and flimsier jacketing with no insulation. Hey Bookwus, think you could skin an exchanger and put new jacketing on an old exchanger with the dense fins. The edges are rolled and pinched. IUniversal exchangers must have actual outer levers to work in a bus. Jeffrey Blair ended up with bug only.
Colin

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:40 pm

Ok so there is a difference.
Any hope in patching holey exchangers or is it futile? I even considered fiberglass fabric and POR15 like those battery tray repairs...the only issue would be heat causing material breakdown.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:08 pm

I wouldn't think the heat on the outer skins would be that crazy hot. I bet you could find something, jb weld, metal filler or maybe fiberglass that can resist it. You taken a pic? Maybe bend some aluminum or sheet metal and make an outer, outer skin.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:14 pm

I think I'm gonna go home and take a good long look and see if I can salvage them. Little pinholes, that can be patched. Just not sure of longevity.
Maybe a combo of JBWeld, fiberglass cloth and POR15 over the top and then a finish coat of paint. It's just crazy enuff to work. Yeah. Isn't this the era of miracle composites?

Bookwus · Post by **Bookwus** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:24 pm

Hiya Colin,

Amskeptic wrote:.......Hey Bookwus, think you could skin an exchanger and put new jacketing on an old exchanger with the dense fins. The edges are rolled and pinched......

I'm pretty sure that can be done. I've seen pictures of heat exchanger disassembly and reassembly over at TS. Besides just changing out the rusty, cruddy old skin removal would also give one the opportunity to clean up everything on the inside.

Truth be told, I would have attempted this quite some time ago had I a direct need to do so. Sounds like a great little mini-project to me.

Hey Bob.............

I'd be tempted to give that Restomotive FireWall compound a shot. Restomotive seems to know what they're doing with automotive chemicals and compounds.

By the way, when I had my heat exchangers off recently I painted them with high temp paint. A couple of coats of primer gray and then a couple of coats of clear. It has held up nicely so far.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:28 pm

Thanks for yer thoughts. Oy! Choices.
I found these, maybe actually cheaper/way less stress than trying to patch somethin:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... ?id=524135
Cheaper than aftermarket! And in Oregon.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:42 pm

hambone wrote: I found these, maybe actually cheaper/way less stress than trying to patch somethin:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... ?id=524135
Cheaper than aftermarket! And in Oregon.

If you got the cash. You'd probably spend 20 or 30 buck on patching material. One less thing to worry about. Is that near Mark? Be nice to inspect first.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:14 pm

Just got home, took a look. The top, near the seam of one is perforated, but not too bad. The other one has a couple pinholes.

Those are Chicago Grade "A" exchangers. I'm gonna clean them and come up with some sort of miracle patch. You're right I'm outa dough.
POR15 and fiberglass seems the best route right now.

Bookwus · Post by **Bookwus** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:41 pm

Hiya Bob,

I was cleaning a few parts for reassembly and got around to my heat exchangers this evening. And I thought about your post about Bug and Bus heat exchangers. Here's a picture of the difference.....

And as I was doing a little wipedown I recalled that I had patched a small hole in the skin of my left side heat exchanger with JB Quickweld. Here's a couple of shots of that (after 1500 miles)......

Looks a little like rust. It's not......just a little discoloration due to (I'm guessing here) the reaction of the JBQuickweld to the heat. But it is holding up quite well.

And closer..........

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:35 am

Hey thanks for posting that. Mine are at home, soaking in Simple Green (good stuff!).

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Type1 Heat Exchangers

Type1 Heat Exchangers