Time for New Heat Exchangers? (A/C)

[Morris_82]

Finally got started taking my engine apart last weekend. I found several things wrong/missing, but this was the most interesting to me:

These came out of the fresh air side of my driver side heat exchanger. They're rock hard and look like brick and ashpalt fused together. Looking in my passenger side exhanger, I saw heat sink fins on the exhaust pipe, so my guess is the driver's side fins went bye bye.

Funny aside: before I took this picture, my wife saw these on the carpet and thought the dog crapped on the floor. I ran in the room and thought the same for a sec, then I saved the dog from a big ol' butt whoopin'.

I've already got a lead on some new ones.

[ewalt98]

Are you sure you didn't just go camping at Craters of the Moon?
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Eric
82 Westfalia Camper (Currently getting a little bit fixed up)
85 944
72 GT6
88 F350
03 F150

[wolfej1]

Was there a big hole in the heat exchanger? I was unclear as to what you meant by you saw heat sink fins on the exhaust pipe?

Is your heater working now?
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1982 Westy
2004 KDX200
2008 Kawasaki KLR 650
1979 Yamaha DT 175
1995 Toyota 4Runner

[Morris_82]

hey wolfe, there are no abnormal holes in the exchangers; i was peeking through the warm air inlet side. when i looked in the passenger side exchanger, i could see the exhaust pipe and metal fins coming off it. if you're a computer geek like i am, it looks just like the heat sink on a processor. i have no proof it's OE, but it makes sense: the fins would dissipate heat from the exhaust to warm the air going to the cabin. inside the driver's side heat exchanger, there were no such fins, only these hard chunks.

or perhaps they're moon rocks?

the heat is definitely out of commission right now as my engine is pulled. i have no idea if the heat worked previously as i was lucky enough to drive my van for all of 45 mins before it broke down (possibly because of other problems with engine cooling, among other things).

interestingly enough, the hose from the warm air outlet of the heat exchanger is missing on the driver side. Maybe the exhaust pipes rusted through, toxic smelly-goods were coming through the cabin vents, and a PO removed the hose to band-aid the problem.

note to self: take more pictures next time

[reluctantartist]

Sounds like you do need a new heat exchanger...there should be fins inside it. I saw a few for sale on the classifieds.

Good Luck
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them.