TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:09 pm

I bet this has been covered before but I am gonna ask anyway. Does anyone know what size, hose, where to purchase said hose and what's the best way to reach waaay down there and connect them inside the front fender wells? I would be looking for any type of replacement tubing from a vacuum cleaner, airplane or what not....

Thanks!!

Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:41 pm

DrDarby wrote: See my reply in this post:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=197098

The problem is the 2" cardboard lined foil tube that runs from the top of the heater channel up to the defroster. From years of damp windshields and humidity the internal paper lining goes to hell and clogs the inside of the tube. I've tried taking the floor vent off and fishing an air hose up there to blow the stuff out with limited sucsess but a lot of it will still be attached or stuck internally. I tried one of those flexible grabby things from the top after disconnecting the splitter and always end up just replacing the tubes with regular 2" aluminum tubes like you use out back in the engine.
You'll need to pull the carpet back a little to expose the bottom of the "A" pillar and you'll see a little hole covered with a snipit of seat upholstery. Look inside and you'll see the connection between heater channel and defroster tube. If you are really really lucky you'll be able to work it loose here by prying with a screwdriver and pull it out into the trunk and feed the new one in. The new 2" tube is a little oversized so I put a bead of silicone sealant inside the hose before sticking it down there. In a perfect world that will work and you'll be done............... Normally you'll need to cut a bigger window at the bottom of the A pillar to work through. Carpet will cover this spot.
The defroster tubes connect to a "Y" splitter that has a third connecion at the top. One goes to the corner of the windshield and should be used, one goes Via the plastic tube you mention to the center defroster vent (make sure it hasn't come loose over the radio) and should be used also. The last one goes to the fresh air vent tube between the air box and the dash vent over the speedo & glovebox. This third defrost tube should be disconnected and capped at both ends. The fresh air box never seals well and most of your defrost will get "LOST" here.
Hope this helps.

He says that you might need to cut an access panel
How ever I havent had to do anything like this
Hope this helps, goodluck!

edit: also check out this link: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=434051&highlight=heater+tutorial

Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:25 pm

Thanks for the info! I heard that cutting an access hole might be needed but I really don't wanna do that. Later.

Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:14 am

Duude wrote: I bet this has been covered before but I am gonna ask anyway. Does anyone know what size, hose, where to purchase said hose and what's the best way to reach waaay down there and connect them inside the front fender wells? I would be looking for any type of replacement tubing from a vacuum cleaner, airplane or what not....

Thanks!! LOL its funny you said that,, i replaced mine with hose for a shop vac. it was ez to slid down over the tube with out heaving to cut the hell out of the "A" pillar. and you can git just the hose at wallmart

Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:06 am

vw_hank wrote: Duude wrote: I bet this has been covered before but I am gonna ask anyway. Does anyone know what size, hose, where to purchase said hose and what's the best way to reach waaay down there and connect them inside the front fender wells? I would be looking for any type of replacement tubing from a vacuum cleaner, airplane or what not....

Thanks!! LOL its funny you said that,, i replaced mine with hose for a shop vac. it was ez to slid down over the tube with out heaving to cut the hell out of the "A" pillar. and you can git just the hose at wallmart

Another source and cheaper than a shop vac hose is a sump pump hose. They come in 1.25", 1.5" and 2" and 24 feet cost between $8 and $12 depending on the diameter.

Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:52 am

I'm actually well qualified for this answer. I built a heater plenum for my vanagon heater core in my bug. I bought a couple different style hoses from www.mcmaster.com but i was most happy with part number 5475K83 . It doesnt smell when it gets hot, it's strong, and it's cheap.
That size is good for whatever size the corner of the windshield vents are. I'm not sure what other sizes there are in the air system up there but that place sells different sizes.
Sure beats the hell out of that flimsy foil hose crap.

Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:21 am

Why not get the real deal from Wolfsbug West? Then you know without a doubt they're gong to fit on the little shaft down there.

Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:39 am

Duude wrote: Thanks for the info! I heard that cutting an access hole might be needed but I really don't wanna do that. Later.

The access hole doesn't have to be large at all, I just made the circular hole a square about a quarter inch larger on all "sides" of the circle. Good luck!

Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:28 pm

jwold wrote: Why not get the real deal from Wolfsbug West? Then you know without a doubt they're gong to fit on the little shaft down there.

Because a plastic pipe is rigid enough that you don't have to cut a hole in your pillar to attach it.

Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:41 pm

Inane Cathode wrote: I'm actually well qualified for this answer. I built a heater plenum for my vanagon heater core in my bug. I bought a couple different style hoses from www.mcmaster.com but i was most happy with part number 5475K83 . It doesnt smell when it gets hot, it's strong, and it's cheap.
That size is good for whatever size the corner of the windshield vents are. I'm not sure what other sizes there are in the air system up there but that place sells different sizes.
Sure beats the hell out of that flimsy foil hose crap.

Do you have a pic of the heater plenum thing you built??? Was it an old heater core for water cooled coverted to heat you bug???

Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:03 pm

JasonBaker wrote: Inane Cathode wrote: I'm actually well qualified for this answer. I built a heater plenum for my vanagon heater core in my bug. I bought a couple different style hoses from www.mcmaster.com but i was most happy with part number 5475K83 . It doesnt smell when it gets hot, it's strong, and it's cheap.
That size is good for whatever size the corner of the windshield vents are. I'm not sure what other sizes there are in the air system up there but that place sells different sizes.
Sure beats the hell out of that flimsy foil hose crap.

Do you have a pic of the heater plenum thing you built??? Was it an old heater core for water cooled coverted to heat you bug???

It's basically a rear heater from a vanagon with a box built around the outlet. Out of the outlet is three pipes, one for the defrost hoses, one for the left side of the car (face and floor vent) and one for the right side of the car. All three have little foam covered flappers to cut off one or turn one on or off. Then just some air hoses to run the heat all over to where it's supposed to go.

My beetle is watercooled, though, so none of that is too helpful for ones still air cooled.

Back when mine was still air cooled, the best thing i ever did for it was go back to front making sure the entire heating system was solid, leak free, and functional. Once they're in good shape they work alright, but not enough for super cold weather or getting in and out of the car, or down hill. So i added a gas heater, night and day when it's cold.

Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:36 am

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=442479&highlight=

Try This.