My BA6 gas heater install (pic heavy)

[tootype2crazy]

I picked up 3 complete BA6s at the junkyard over the summer for $20 each and I decided to install one of them. My bus didn't come with one originally, so I had to get creative with installing it. Below are some pics of my install. If you have any questions or need more clear photos, let me know. Also of note: I know my bus is not very clean and some parts are rusty, I'm working on that. It was used as a work vehicle for some 10 years and now it needs some TLC.

Here you can see my exhaust solution as well as how I mounted the recirculating fan. I used an extra mount for the fan that goes above the engine and I mounted the fan to the floor with some stainless steel round hex key bolts. The exhaust works well, it only cost $12. It is 1 7/8 stainless steel exhaust repair kit from Auto Junk. In between the crossmember is a 1 7/8 connecter. I ran some sheet metal screws up into the pipes to keep it secure. I have a NOS exaust pipe in my basement. When I get some more dough I'll probably get an 'L' piece made and use it.

Here you can see my recirculating duct (blurry in the background). I used a piece of 3 1/2" aluminum dryer vent tube and had to crush it a little to get past the suspension part.

I took a piece of galvanized metal from a stove pipe and cut it to the right size and put it through the hole I made. The aluminum duct attaches to the other end with heavy duty foil tape.

I made brackets out of some sheet metal that I was originally going to weld in, but I decided to bolt them in instead in case I ever want to take the heater out.

On this one the heater was too low so I drilled another hole and moved it up.

This is what you see on the top side of the floor. You can't hardly tell they are there.

To install the temp sensor I used a 1 1/8 hole saw to cut a hole in this piece of duct. Then I fashioned a small piece of metal with a notch in it for the sensor and JB welded it on.

The under-dash wiring is really simple. One wire goes to fuse terminal 9, one to 10, and another goes to the contact for the heater switch that turns the rear booster fan above the engine on. The rest of the wiring loom goes only to components that are part of the heater.

It works great. I'll post some temperature readings when I get a working thermometer.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Peter T.]

Great job! Most guys I ask about installing one say it's way too complicated.
How long did you take to install and did you first test run the heater?

[tootype2crazy]

I did get it running on the bench first. The fuel pump was stuck from sitting. Other than that I just cleaned the point contacts on the combustion fan and it started right up. The total install took me about 5 days working half a day. I really like to take my time on these things though. If I were to do it again I could do it in 2 because I wouldn't have to think about how to do stuff.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[raymino]

Congratulations. You will love your BA6! Looks great.

I wrapped my exhaust to try and not fry that hard to find (wait, you have 2 extra!) rubber duct square on one end and round on the other.

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'79 Westy Headflow Masters 2.0L FI
'87 GTI 16V Sold!
'06 Jetta 2.5 Package 2
'71 Super Marine Blue

[tootype2crazy]

Excellent idea. That rubber duct concerned me as well, but i noticed that right after running it, it wasn't that hot. Maybe because the rubber is so thick and its probably vulcanized too. VW wasn't concerned about it it seems. I will probably wrap it anyway.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Synapse]

Strong work. I like your mounting solution for the recirc duct.

By coincidence I just installed mine in a non factory equipped bus today. Here's how I did the recirc duct. First I separated it into its four components, (1. the bulkhead plate, 2. the bulkhead plate cover, 3. the convoluted duct itself, 4. the endpiece that goes through the crossmember). Next I cut the convoluted duct in half. Then I cut a window in the accessible portion so that once everything was in place I could weld the tube in situ from the inside. Then I held everything in place and welded the duct together from the inside. I welded the window I had created closed. Lastly I welded the bulk head to the body.

Here's the duct cut in half with the window used to weld from the inside out.

Here's it all welded up.

Here's the bulkhead piece.

Overall, a large PITA, but one I hope to enjoy on many cold days to come. If I have to do it over again, though, I think I'd go like you did.

btw, sorry for the poor quality photos, but thats all I got (pictures were kind of an after thought during all of this).

[tootype2crazy]

Nice work there man. Yours definitely looks very solid. The thing about mine is it literally took me like 15 minutes. Also it will be easily removable in the off chance I need to take it out. You'll love the heat though, it gets super hot in the bus now, which is something I never thought I'd experience.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Synapse]

Yeah, I struck by the amount of heat these things put out. Looking forward to some cold camping trips now.

Your rubber mounting grommets look in good shape. Were they original? If not, where did you source them from?

[tootype2crazy]

Yep they are original. I had 9 of them to choose from because I got 3 heaters, so I chose the best 3.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[pb24ss]

just in time for winter. nicely done

[Stuartzickefoose]

do you have an overall pic of the whole setup under the bus? and a list of the total parts need to install?
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[tootype2crazy]

I haven't been on the site in a while because I've been really busy and my VW work slows to almost nothing in the winter because I don't have a garage. Nonetheless, I thought I would drop in and let you all know that the heater has been freaking awesome over the winter. It completely blows heaters in water-cooled cars away. Heavy ice on the windshield was falling off within 4 minutes of starting up the bus. Just now I was sitting in a drive through and it was raining and 38 degrees outside and my windshield was steaming when the rain hit it. The whole cabin area defrosts in about 2 minutes flat. And my wife loves it because her feet stay toasty warm. I am now of the opinion that all ACVWs that cruise around in cold weather should have a gas heater. These things are just beyond belief.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[chicagovw]

That's for sure. I got the original BA6 in my 78 bus working. It's used daily in my plumbing service and good heat is a must! Our other buses (73 and 74) use modern Webasto units and my bug has an Espar.

[wantedabiggergarage]

[tootype2crazy]

Well I am installing another gas heater in another bus. The aluminum dryer duct did not work out so well on the other bus because it got little holes in it while installing it and then it sucked in some exhaust fumes from the heater and that kinda wasn't so great. Not only that, but for the life of me I couldn't find 3 1/2 inch aluminum duct anywhere this time around.

So after hours of searching on the internet for some 3 1/2 inch duct hose I finally stumbled upon Gates 23856. This stuff is awesome and perfect for this application. The rubber is tough, and the ribs are made of a stiff but soft metal band that is easily bendable.

It fits like a glove up under the torsion tube and can easily be made round again. Also it goes perfectly onto the opening of the recirculating fan with a nice tight fit. Best of all, I found it on amazon for $6.00. 6 feet for $6. I don't know if that price will last as a lot of them I see for sale are around $30.00.

I also came up with a more professional solution for mounting it in the body. I cut a round hole in the body 3 3/4" in size, pulled the hose through, then took a square of galvanized metal and cut a circle 3 1/2" in size and then cut it in half. I then put silicone on the back side of it to seal it to the body and then took the 2 halves and 'clamped' them around the hose and then zip screwed the metal to the body.

All I have to do now is run a bead of caulk around the hose to really seal it up and then fashion a hood to cover it so bits from the seat above don't fall in. I'm very pleased with it though.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[tootype2crazy]

My wife got a digital probe thermometer for cooking so I finally have a worthy device to measure the temperature of the air coming out of the heater. The ambient temperature outside right now where I live is 22.8ºF or -5º C. The temperature coming out of the front floor vent with both the front floor vent and the rear vents on and the engine warmed up and idling got to a high of 233ºF or 112ºC. I'd say it's working OK .
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[notchboy]

So, you run it for what? 5-10 min before it sweats you out?

That will heat up any drafty cabin quick, let alone one thats not drafty.
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[tootype2crazy]

I was running it at max temp to get a reading but for practical driving you turn the temperature down to about the mid point on the switch or else you will get hot. I was getting hot while I tested it. What I love is even the steering wheel warms up, which even with the best stock heater boxes and fully insulated tubes, never happened before and my danged hands would be freezing.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[busdaddy]

Nice!, as usual a well tuned Espar (Eberspacher) rocks!, too bad all subcontractors and suppliers for VW and other makes couldn't be on thier game like those guys were.

But someone once again recently told me those things are "dangerous bombs and should be disconnected", aren't you scared?
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[notchboy]

Yeah, thats a cool set up for sure. Stuart and I have been racing to see who will have a BA6 going Ive almost got all the parts.
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