TheSamba.com :: View topic - Heater Box Disconnect

Thu Feb 23, 2017 5:42 pm

My 63 has a 1600DP with stale air heater boxes, installed by the PO. I am going to eliminate the heat to the cabin (summer driven only). I am removing the flex tubes and capping the holes in the body.

Question 1: Are there any operating issues if I leave the stale air heater boxes on the car and just run them uncapped; or is it a necessity to change over to J-tubes and the industrial tin?

Question 2: Just curious; I've read here that stale air engines require special cylinder rings to keep exhaust from getting into the cabin. Is this accurate? I would doubt that my 1600DP is set up for this.

I did a search for this topic in the other forums as well and couldn't find anything definitive.

Thanks,

Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:24 pm

No

No

Bug on!

Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:13 pm

... I do what you are doing and don't cap anything... then re connect the plastic flex pipes in winter.

Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:14 pm

Yes, stale air heater boxes have an exhaust pipe of 32mm in diameter, compared to 35mm in diameter for fresh air, that is the difference in "exhaust donuts" you heard about.

But that's all stock application stuff... I have no idea what was done to make those 1200 heater boxes work on your later engine. Even when you try to use a 40HP fresh air muffler, 40HP stale air heater boxes don't have long enough pipes to reach it, and they don't line up "on center" either, as I demonstrated here:

Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:52 pm

I'm not sure how he did it either. I'll have to take and post some pictures next time I'm out in the garage working on it. If I recall correctly, the heater box pipes have a little bend in them to line up with the muffler.

This is the aftermarket muffler that is on the car, purchased from cip1:
C13-55-3418 - EUROSPORT 2-TIP EXHAUST - CERAMIC COATED WITH CHROME TIPS - BEETLE 66-74 / GHIA 66-74 - (A20)

http://www.cip1.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C13%2D55%2D3418

Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:27 am

As odd as this might be it is exactly what I'm looking to do... put stale air heat in a 1970. I was curious what I need to make that happen. Can you take some pictures of your set up especially the heat exchangers and how they line up with the muffler?

Thanks!

Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:18 pm

Anybody know where I can buy the 32mm stale air exhaust clamps? They are 1 1/4" diam, the 35mm are 1 3/8". ???

Thanks!

Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:47 pm

chrisflstf wrote: Anybody know where I can buy the 32mm stale air exhaust clamps? They are 1 1/4" diam, the 35mm are 1 3/8". ???

Thanks!

Wolfsburg West carries all the common stuff for 36/40hp. They were quite a bit more expensive than a cheap 1600 kit though when I bought them a few years ago.

Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:10 pm

Tried there already, They show it for 55 -74. Thats what I bought today and its the 35mm - 1 3/8 " stuff. The adds arent very accurate either. I may try to modify the later ones. I thought this would be a no brainer job, haha

Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:35 pm

Last time I saw stale air 40HP exhaust kits, they were NOS stuff that was sold by, I think, MOFOCO on eBay. I bought a few of them "just to have" .

Still I see 1961-63 exhaust gasket sets for sale here and there, but as it's been a very long time since I bought one of them, I can't testify as to if they really are as advertised.