Cold, Colder and Coldest

1968 - 1979 Volkswagen Type 2 Heater Tube Refurbish

 

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So as you can see, the first snow a couple years ago compelled me to finish my Heater Tube Refurbish. The end result is a much warmer bus and the knowledge that it is now toxin free.

This process has two main purposes:

 

 

1. This procedure dramatically decreases heat loss from your heater tubes.

2. Rid your Bus of very carcinogenic Asbestos insulation (before you get all geared up, read what the paranoid but exhaustive EPA had to say about the whole can-of-worms http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/ )

STEP 1

Collect these parts and materials.

PARTS

 

  • Your original heater or "accordian" tubes. In this tutorial I refer to them as just "heater tubes".
  • Your original metal sealing sleeves. On earlier buses ('68-'71). Some later buses did not use them.
  • 113-255-292 P (2) Htr Fresh Air Hose, Plastic 260mm
  • This part can be found at AirheadParts.com and BusDepot.com
  • Don't be confused, this is the internal tube that replaces the metal mesh and cellulose fiber tube that will be discarded. This is not the outside tube!
  • 111-819-945 OE (4) Seal/Sleeve Heater Flex Hose
  • This will replace the Asbestos collets and sealing rings. I also found these at AirheadParts.com and they can be found at BusDepot.com
  • Simple "bubble wrap" insulation from Home Depot. The 24" wide roll works well.
  • 4 new hose clamps to replace the usually rusted clamps. Found at any Hardware Store.

MATERIALS

  • (for handling the Asbestos)
  • Face Mask/Goggles
  • Rubber Gloves
  • Face Mask
  • Bucket of Water
  • De-greasing solvent (like Simple Green)
  • PAPER disposable rags
  • Heavy duty trash bag
  • Pants you will throw away
  • Shirt you will throw away

(I know many of you may think this is over-kill, but better safe than sorry when dealing with asbestos abatement)

STEP 2

  • Put on your protective gear and pull your heater tubes.
  • Dunk them in your bucket of water. This will keep the asbestos from going airborne.
  • Then disassemble the heater tube. They unscrew at the seam. You might have to break the seal, but it will seperate.

Contents of Heater Tubes

Contents of a heater tube.

  • What you see here is two asbestos collets, two asbestos sealing rings and the internal air tube which is wrapped in cellulose. The cellulose may or may not have asbestos in the pack.
  • Put all of the items including wet paper towels and rubber gloves in the heavy duty garbage bag, double knot it and discard while items are still wet.

STEP 3

  • Clean your tube halves with your cleaner of choice using a nylon brush. They will look a little like this depending how hard you scrub. (Be sure to discard rags and gloves like previously and discard of the water you scrubbed the heater tubes in safely)

Heater Tube large SectionHeater Tube Small Section

 Long "Female" end of Tube                            Short "male" end of tube

 

  • Below are two brands of early heater tubes, but they seem identical.

  Helphos                                                    VW

  • Also scrape/scrub off the asbestos on your metal sleeves. After they are dry, you can put aluminum tape over them like I did or paint them to seal any residual asbestos.

Heater Tube Sleeve

  Aluminum Tape Covering Metal Sleeve

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