Beware of Thermex brand front heater core

[tencentlife]

Yep, that's a lot of area for flow to slip across.

On top of that, with only 3 galleries, the whole middle gallery wouldn't have anything going thru it even if the scalloped divider was a close fit.

That's some pretty piss-poor design there, seems like they took an existing matrix and added endcaps for the application without any consideration as to how coolant would flow thru it.
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Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[loki475]

What a stupid setup, all they had to do was use cores with 2 galleries. They lost any proper flow direction by having that middle gallery, which made the divider on the tank useless. I guess that's what happens when you get parts made by some random small European countries. My heater from Brickwerks (same as GW is selling) is terrible and it came from some unknown company called Prasco. Ordered a Brassworks heater and I'll report back once its been installed and tested.

[uberhare]

JPGroup / Thermex heater cores have been recently updated. I have not cut one open, but they did pull from the market last year to improve the design.
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[tencentlife]

Well once someone has one in hand, look inside to see if there are two or four galleries. If there's three, then as mentioned above, the thing will not use all of the possible surface area, and even if the divider was built for a closer fit some portion of flow volume will bypass the active galleries anyway, so it's unlikely to deliver good heat output. Send it back with a nasty note.

Adding to my comments above, the matrix they chose was obviously meant for end-to-end flow and they just stuck different endcaps on it without considering the in-and-back flow pattern at all. Stupid.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[loki475]

Well I just received my brassworks core...

And the damage to the paint from the expanding foam it was packed in.

And the OE vw core and its 100% seal between inlet and outlet. Geez I wonder why they went to the effort of doing that.

[loki475]

Just talked to Mike at Van-Café. They do not sell thermex, they only sold them briefly. They have their heater cores made for them. They are all aluminum. The black paint on these heater cores I have smells nasty.

[Gruppe B]

What did Brassworks say when you called them? Can't anyone make a heater core?

Terry Kay would have had some great comments for this thread

[shagginwagon83]

Yes please keep me posted on the Brassworks deal.
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[loki475]

Brassworks said go ahead and return it. Ya to be honest a heater core is the last thing I thought I'd have problems replacing. I started to look for a core to rebuild my original heater core but that would take a while to source, if even possible.
I'm real close to just putting a wood stove where my passenger seat should be. Lots of room in the back for wood.

[djkeev]

That is astonishing that the unit is built with the in and out next to each other but without baffles to direct water THROUGH the heater core!!!!

Producing items like this defies all logic!!!

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[DanHoug]

i am so disappointed to 'see the light' on the Brassworks core. this is the one i had highest hopes for and to have that blatant cross connection, WTF. just wow. glad they are taking it back.

had a friend with a Ford Econoline van with a wood stove in the back. they lived 20 miles outside of town with 3 little girls back in their hippie days and would fire up the stove before heading to town. worked great at -30F.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[brassworks]

I have not dissected the other designs out there but understand heater cores, radiators and heat exchange theory enough to comment on this post.

The vanagon heater core made by the Brassworks is baffled. If you "saw" it in half you will find a vertical baffle on the bottom that is soldered to the header and an adjacent baffle on the top that is soldered to the inside of the tank. The two nest against each other inside the length of the tank and route the fluid down the top 1/2 the core where it enters the unbaffled tank and routes back the bottom 1/2 to the other connection.

Light has an uncanny ability to sneak through the seam of the two plates but light is light and fluid is fluid. Fluid tends to take the path of least resistance via the tubes. I understand that this customer was concerned about light and so encouraged him to simply return it.

Not sure what caused the paint damage and would not be in a position to comment on that.

DanHoug and djKeev if you have further questions you can call me directly. 805.239.2501

[DanHoug]

thank you, Brassworks, for monitoring and responding. i'll be in the market for more cores so i will give you a call sometime. i'd started this other thread on Brassworks cores so it is really good to hear from you again. speaks well of the company.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=696178&highlight=
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[loki475]

The vanagon heater hoses are very long so there is not a lot of flow through the hoses at idle. The heater core needs to flow without bypassing at all. It was a windchill of -22 F the other day. A heater that works good in California might not cut the mustard up here.

[djkeev]

[T3messie]

[brassworks]

We make to order and have just completed a batch. When we sell through we'll make another batch. I will try to remember to send you images of the construction and specifically a baffle assembly.

[dhaavers]

^^^ Looking forward to this...



- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
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[loki475]

[djkeev]