Fresh Air Cover Plate

[Mr. Blue]

Wondering if somebody could post a pic of the proper way the fresh air cover plate should fit when attached to the heater box over the shroud outlets. I can force them to fit but would rather not. Should they be able to be installed after the heater boxes are secured or should they be installed at the same time? I also notice a notch in at the edge of the heater box. Attached is a pic of the plates I am talking about. Thanks everyone for the help!

[germansupplyscott]

The upper side of the ones in your photos goes towards the inside of the engine. Left and right are different. The left side is the narrower of the two.

There is a gasket that goes between them and the heat exchanger.

Install the covers after the HE is secure. It's difficult to get them started if you have aftermarket HE, original HE usually don't have this issue. Longer than needed - like around 20mm or so - screws are good to get them started, then swap in the shorter (~16mm or so) screws.

The notch on the edge of the HE is for another gasket, a narrow strip of the same squishy material used for the other gaskets. The original HE came with this gasket glued on. New ones don't.
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SL

[Mr. Blue]

Thanks so much SL! I fit them tomorrow!

[jtauxe]

Do you have the little flappers in place that these cover? Those are important. If you can't get some, you can fashion some out of sheet metal. I used a discarded pie plate.
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John
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[Mr. Blue]

Yep... flappers are in place. What exactly do the do? I have heard several different explanations.

[germansupplyscott]

The flappers close at low engine rpm's when the heater booster fan is operating. They increase the temperature of the heated air by preventing or limiting the (relatively cool, relatively higher volume) air from the cooling shroud to enter the heat exchanger. At rpms above idle the cooling shroud air just pushes the flapper open but at idle they can be closed or close to closed by airflow from the booster fan.

They may serve another purpose as well, I am not sure.
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SL

[Mr. Blue]

Thanks gang. The longer bolt was the trick! Once I snugged them down, the original screws went in just fine! Both were aftermarket hb's. On to the next thing!
Cheers!

[airschooled]

For anyone about to do this job, I find this job MUCH easier using Philips head screws. #3 big-ass screwdriver, no dorking around with smaller ones… I think VW did that on later engines anyway, and most hardware stores sell M6x12mm.

Good luck,
Robbie
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