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brownbus2 Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020 Posts: 244 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:00 pm Post subject: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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Hi
76 FI with 72-74 exhaust. I took off the exhaust (I cant remember what led to it other than trying to get to that pesky alternator bolt.,,and wanting to clean it up).
Now the HE on the passenger side will not go in. The other may not either but this is as far as Ive got.
When I took it off I did use a rubber mallet to help it off.
Do I need to remove the bolts to reinstall?
Could the bolts be bent?
will removing the pushrod tubes give me much more wiggle room to line everything up?
The alternator adjusting mount is also hindering maneuvering.
I apologize for so many silly questions. I am just frustrated that this whole gas tank replacement has snowballed. I shoulda just replaced the tank and not done all the other stuff...But I wanted to try. And needed the completion of a challenge to help my confidence...TMI I know...
But thanks in advance for any help.... _________________ formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy
Last edited by brownbus2 on Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51153 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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Welcome to the world of vintage vehicle ownership, if it was easy everyone would have one.
The heat exchangers warp over time, once removed they spring out (or in) and make reinstallation challenging. There's various ways to straighten them, bars, big pipe wrenches, jacks between the pipes, hammers, etc.... After you get them tweaked so they go over the studs nice and into the recesses for the gaskets you'll have to file or belt sand the ends of the flanges so they are flat and parallel, sounds like big fun eh?
When it's finally time for the last install anneal the copper rings so they seal up nice. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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orwell84 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007 Posts: 2539 Location: Plattsburgh, New York
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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You could try grease on the studs, but they are an ass ache to get on and seal properly even on an engine stand. You could also use a round file to open up the holes in the flanges a little to give you more wiggle room. I wouldn’t pull the push rod tubes though. I don’t think it would help much. |
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brownbus2 Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020 Posts: 244 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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Just went out and tried to Driver side and it slid right on. So that boosted my mood and lowered my contribution to the swear jar.
Just throwing out ideas here...how often to the studs get bent? Could it be that happened and that isnt allowing the holes to line up?
Ok next question...that HE is starting to split at the pinch seem. Or rather, the pinch seem has come unwelded. will this continue at a quick rate and I will be replacing that HE soon down the road? Just thinking, if so, how much, if any, easier a new HE will be in installing. These are about 12 years old , but, not a lot of miles on them. I had the cerama-chromed when new. They are not as pretty now.
This project has hit so many bumps...should have been easier.. _________________ formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy |
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brownbus2 Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020 Posts: 244 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL go back in.. |
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As usual, I vent on here, go back out, try again and, Success!
Oh boy.... _________________ formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy
Last edited by brownbus2 on Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cmonSTART Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2014 Posts: 1915 Location: NH
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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Invoice is in the mail. _________________ '78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS |
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orwell84 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007 Posts: 2539 Location: Plattsburgh, New York
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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brownbus2 wrote: |
Just went out and tried to Driver side and it slid right on. So that boosted my mood and lowered my contribution to the swear jar.
Just throwing out ideas here...how often to the studs get bent? Could it be that happened and that isnt allowing the holes to line up?
Ok next question...that HE is starting to split at the pinch seem. Or rather, the pinch seem has come unwelded. will this continue at a quick rate and I will be replacing that HE soon down the road? Just thinking, if so, how much, if any, easier a new HE will be in installing. These are about 12 years old , but, not a lot of miles on them. I had the cerama-chromed when new. They are not as pretty now.
This project has hit so many bumps...should have been easier.. |
You can just pinch the seam shut, or hit it with a couple weld beads.
A lot of things on a bus are a bitch to get on. You beat on it for hours, cuss a lot and it still won’t go. Come back the next morning and on it goes. The good thing is, is that you didn’t mangle the studs trying to pull them out or start bashing on stuff to make it fit.
Bashing is sometimes required but only after you have determined it will get you closer to a solution. |
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ivwshane Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011 Posts: 1920 Location: Sacramento ca
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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I’m curious as to how well your cerama-chrome held up, any pics? _________________ 77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3582 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:12 am Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers wont goback in.. |
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cmonSTART wrote: |
Invoice is in the mail. |
. _________________ '68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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orwell84 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007 Posts: 2539 Location: Plattsburgh, New York
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:44 am Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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Me too. Could you send some photos of them in their current stare please?
I am just finishing up mine. They required quite a bit of welding. I won’t be getting them ceramic coated or using VHT. I will be using a rustoleum here gh heat paint on the inside (rated for 1200*) and another product on the outside rated for 500*. I still have the original factory paint on mine and it looks to be nothing special. The insides will be well insulated so I hope that will help. If they don’t hold up, I will have to try something else.
I recently had trouble fitting a used set in good condition. I had to clearance the exhaust ports on one of the heads a little to get it to fit. I did not try to bend the pipes as the sealing surfaces were already flat and parallel. I am running AMC heads which had less clearance than the old 1800 heads I was running. Fit was fine on the stock 1800 heads. |
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ivwshane Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011 Posts: 1920 Location: Sacramento ca
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:34 am Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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I powder coated mine using high temp powder. The tins have held up really well but the actual heat pipe has not done as well. _________________ 77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab |
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brownbus2 Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020 Posts: 244 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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ivwshane wrote: |
I’m curious as to how well your cerama-chrome held up, any pics? |
Illl take some tomorrow after work. For the most part they held up pretty well..They were coated new 12 years ago. _________________ formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy |
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brownbus2 Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020 Posts: 244 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:40 am Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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HE are on the heads...but not tightened. I realized I did not replace the nuts. How bad is it to re-use the nuts. If I replace should I use the copper or brass? Jbugs has both and I need to order something else from them today. _________________ formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy |
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ivwshane Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011 Posts: 1920 Location: Sacramento ca
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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brownbus2 wrote: |
HE are on the heads...but not tightened. I realized I did not replace the nuts. How bad is it to re-use the nuts. If I replace should I use the copper or brass? Jbugs has both and I need to order something else from them today. |
When I did my heat exchanger install the research I did said to use copper locking nuts.
Allows up for the nuts on the head bolts, it said to retorque them after running them and getting them nice and hot. _________________ 77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Heat Exchangers WILL (did) go back in.. |
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Adding a second nut to cover any protruding thread will help keep the studs from corroding as quickly.
The one thing I have learned to do is to bevel the mating edges of the heat exhanger flanges slightly before installing the HEs. A sharp edge can cut into the soft aluminium of the heads causing a chip to peel off that can get caught between the flange and the copper gasket resulting in a leak. |
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