BA6 Heater Install into 1973

[vwwestyman]

I have what seems to be a complete or very nearly complete BA6 heater kit on the way to me that I intend to install in my '73.

I could swear that I had looked at a thread last week that showed with lots of details where all of the components are supposed to go and all that.

But for the life of me, I can't find it again. I don't know if I was searching for something else at the time and happened to find it or what, but I am coming up nada on that today. I did find TypeTooCrazy's thread but that isn't the one I'm thinking of.

Do any of you know the thread I may be talking about? If you post a link, I'll use it when I install mine and also take some pics to add to this thread later.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[scrivyscriv]

Wasn't that a BN4 post?
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
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If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[vwwestyman]

Nope. It may not have been an installation thread, really. It seems like the person just decided to take a lot of pics of all the components of their heater to show where they went and such.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[obieoberstar]

Not sure of the thread of BA6 heaters, but here is pic I took some years ago. Maybe this will help.

[Tcash]

To link to this thread

[vwwestyman]

Dang, Tcash! Do you have these threads/subjects already grouped up as files to send to these threads? Very helpful, thanks!

It seems that it was probably the "has not run in 10 years" thread that I was looking for again. I must have clicked it last week but forgot the title, and then looked past it when I was trying to find the thread again thinking that subject matter was not correct.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[Tcash]

Ya it would be nice to have one Topic for each Subject . That way you could open that Topic and (search this topic) once.
Instead of having to open 99 Post and search each and every one of those. A lot of the good stuff is buried in build threads and then you get non related titles ie (Bubus butt cold) as well.

Good luck putting in the BA6. From what I understand they started putting them in t2's in 74.
Tcash

[vwwestyman]

I'm a little apprehensive cutting as much into the Westerner as I'd have to do to install this thing... I didn't realize that a recirc duct cut was necessary, and I didn't realize that the heat tube on a '73 was welded in.

So I decided I'd still spend some time testing it out on the garage floor to see if it needs any repairs, etc. At least then if I sell it, I'll be able to say it works.

I've got most of the parts hooked up to each other, but there are a few pieces of the wiring I'm not sure of. I'm hoping someone can help me out.

Edit: Clearer pic and descriptions in a later post, further down in the thread.

Also, the wires on the safety reset switch: I just matched up the wires to the colors on the diagram. Correct?
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[vwwestyman]

Anyone have any ideas on those wire ends? I took the day off work today and it would be kind of nice to bench test this thing.

For the control/thermostat switch wires, I saw one post that commented that 31 was to be hooked to ground and K was only used if there was a timer clock installed.

Can anyone confirm this for me please?

Also, I think the only part I'm missing is the "flapper box" that is mounted between the factory heater Y and the gas heater, that the recirc fan ducts into.

I'd like to find this to work properly. (If you find/have one to sell, please let me know!)

But in the mean time, I'm thinking I could simply cut the original metal duct further forward, and cut a hole in it to duct the recirc fan into. The only downside I can think of for this is there won't be a flap in it. This would mean that if I didn't have the gas heater on, but did have the heat exchangers opened up, some of that heat from the exchangers would end up being pushed backwards, through the recirc fan, and into the back of the bus.

Is that really bad somehow? Or not a big deal besides some potential heat loss (up front) when the gas heater isn't fired up?
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[vwwestyman]

I'll try bumping the thread on a different day/time than last time hoping to catch someone's schedule.

I just cant imagine there is no one who can help with the questions, I think they just haven't seen them.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[notchboy]

Hey Im in the same boat for the most part - or at lease was when I did the BN4 stuff. I haven't had to set up my BA6 on the bench for any reason so I never laid it out and plugged in the power.

There is going to be lots of negative spots that need to have wires run to work. From what I remember you'll need a neg wire with 4 leads to tap into. Plus the red power, the gray is the power in from the switch.

All I can pull off the top of my head.
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[busdaddy]

[vwwestyman]

Here is a numbered pic to help identify wires. If you can identify where any of these go, it would be most helpful!

1 Female Connector: blue/white and black wires crimped together with it. My hunch is this goes to a fuse. Which one?

2 From pics I've seen, this just curls up to the screw that mounts the safety reset switch and provides its ground.

3 Based on red color, likely the main power for the system. Which fuse?

4, 5 Based on wire colors, this is likely the light for the control switch when the headlights are turned on. Where does the female connector go (somewhere on the cluster, I suppose), and the other wire with the plastic shield?

6 From the switch, brown with white stripe. Does this piggyback to the fan relay wire in the heat switch?

7, 8 According to busdaddy (If I'm understanding correctly) 31 will need to go to ground and K should be left alone and open.

If anyone can add any info to this, please do! Thanks!
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[notchboy]

3 - you hot to the bat
2 - grounds to the screw that holds the circuit breaker to the bulkhead
4&5 is just a jump from the dash lights. 4 goes to the light for the air control dash pod and 5 ends at the hazard switch.
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[vwwestyman]

Thanks Jason.

Still haven't decided on this.

One problem is I don't have the air flapper box that sits directly behind the heater, for the fan return intake. Been trolling the classifieds for a while and haven't found anything. Also been thinking about a way to make something.

I've thought about setting it all up so that rather than the BA6 fan turning on, the rear booster fan is turned on. This would preserve the ability to warm up the bus ahead of time, with that fan blowing instead.

The only downside I can see is that I would lose out on the benefit of recirculation.

But would it hurt anything with regards to the actual heater running?

I know the answer is primarily going to be theory, but I want to hear your theories on how it might work! Or has anyone actually tried this?
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[notchboy]

On my 76 the booster heater is on when the recirculating fan is on. They both run at the same time when the BA6 is running. Since you have a westy there is that out put hole under your back seat. Stuart was going to maybe use that as his recirc hole. Not sure how it could be plumed. Secondly worst case is having the recirc fan pulling outside air in and over the heater - runs less efficient but will still allows it all to work properly. Eberspacher has an on and off history of re-circulation. Maybe they did it based on application. But a BN4 started with no recirc and ends with one.

Just some thoughts.
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[chabanais]

Nice! I've had mine in my kitchen for the last 17 years. One day...
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"I spud therefore I yam."

[vwwestyman]