Club 80-90 Forums

any advice on replacing the metal coolant pipes on my 1985 petrol would be apreciated. Have seen the earlier post on this subject and would like to try and clear a few things up i am not sure of.

1. do you have to remove the petrol tank to get the old pipes out (please say no, its nearly full to the top!)

2. if i go for the vw plastic replacements is it correct that these are larger diameters and different connecting hoses would be needed.

3. my local vw specialist suggested just cutting the coroded section out (rear 18" section bad, rest of pipes vgood) and rejoining with some new rubber hoses. Anyone see any problems with this?

thankyou for any replies

First thing is to post a wanted add in the classified section for some second hand later model front to back plastic coolant pipes.

Got myself the pair for £25 recently from clash460 (on old forum) that's a saving of £105!!!!!!!!

Never underestimate the money saving possibilities of 80-90

Some even went for £16 recently on fleabay

Hi

1. I think some people have managed this job without dropping the tank. I opted to drop the tank as it was near empty and I'd done it recently to put a new tank on (thus finding the small hole in my steel coolant pipes above the tank) and didn't find this job too bad (time consuming though)

2. yes, I got pipes from plastic pipes to radidator from JK and VW, at the rear I got some flexible pipes with the correct diameter at each end from halfords. I forget the exact diameters

3. maybe, check the entire length of your pipes and give any suspect bits a good poking (if I may use such a phrase...), you might not be able to see the bits above the fuel tank without dropping it. BUT do you want to have to do this job twice??

Some people have had success with other kinds of plastic pipe instead of the VW parts (blue water pipe??)

Thankyou for the replies, talked some of the engineers at work today and they can see no problems with replacing just the back section of the pipes (even gave me the hoses and clips to do the job!) The rest of the metal pipes are in such good cond ie no paint off i think this is worth a go.

The rest of the metal pipes are in such good cond ie no paint off i think this is worth a go.

Sure? I've known them go below the rear of the seats position (above the tank?)