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Air cooled beetle - are heat exchangers hard to change?
Posted: 26 Jul 2008, 21:21
by ringo
Hi,
I know a few of you are beetle owners - so i wanted to ask a question or two
1) Whats the best place to get info on beetles? Forums? Which ones?
2) Changing heat exchangers - is it a simple job? Or is it a case of "make sure the studs dont snap or your buggered" ?
Thanks
Ringo
Posted: 26 Jul 2008, 21:41
by CovKid
No substitute for experience and dirty hands. Bugs are Meccano on a slightly bigger scale. Plenty of plusgas around the heat exchanger nuts on the front of the engine (crawl underneath job), days before you tackle them but otherwise fairly straightforward. Make sure you have a fitting kit too.
In common with most v-dub exchangers and exhausts sometimes a club hammer comes in handy to line stuff up.
Volkszone might be a good place to start for help although actually many early T25s have similarities and even though our vehicles are from the 1980-90 era we are all well aware of the origins - heck even the window winder handles are bug winders. Cut my teeth on bugs and still own one so welcome to the world of relatively cheap and fun motoring!
P.S., if your heater cables are shorter than they should be, choc-blocs and coathanger wire is a great fix!
Posted: 27 Jul 2008, 07:28
by ringo
Thats great thanks CovKid.
Its for my sister in laws mexican beetle - tis only 5 years old and the heat exchangers have shot it.
The rest of the beetle is completely rust free - as they want to sell it i advised them to get those changed.
We are picking up a completely not so new bug on Thursday (for my wife) - it needs some welding done for the MOT but im picking it up for a song of a mate...
Like i havent got enough cars that need working on.....
Ringo
d
Posted: 27 Jul 2008, 10:53
by dazzzer1
Whats the best place to get info on beetles? Forums? Which ones?
it needs some welding done for the MOT but im picking it up for a song of a mate...
not sure how much you know, im not an expert but
id be very careful b4 you start throwing money at a bug thet needs welding. im sure that your mate wouldnt rip you off, but as you are asking where to get info on beetles you may not know the pit falls.
id get an mot done first i were you
common rusty places are numerous and include,
floor pans
heater channels(especially under rear seat and in foot wells)
inner rear wheel arches
'a'posts
door bottoms
heater channel closing panels(bottom of the heater chanel)
heater channel closing end(end of the chanel in the rear wheel arch)
inside front wheel arches along the botton
all the bolt holes that hold wings on
all bumper mounts
boot and deck lid rubber seal srtips
boot front and vent
spare wheel well
frame head
etc etc etc etc
dont want to put you off, but ive seen loads of people arrive with a shiney beetle and leave with an enormous welding bill and consequently needing a paint job too. the difference between a van and a beetle is that much of the van is not structural and therefor can be excused for the mot as long as there are no sharp edges
Posted: 28 Jul 2008, 14:53
by richnewton
ringo wrote:We are picking up a completely not so new bug on Thursday (for my wife) - it needs some welding done for the MOT but im picking it up for a song of a mate...
Like i havent got enough cars that need working on.....
Ringo
You jammy git...................... i'd love a beetle
Re: d
Posted: 28 Jul 2008, 15:23
by ringo
dug wrote:
not sure how much you know, im not an expert but
id be very careful b4 you start throwing money at a bug thet needs welding. im sure that your mate wouldnt rip you off, but as you are asking where to get info on beetles you may not know the pit falls.
id get an mot done first i were you
common rusty places are numerous and include,
floor pans
heater channels(especially under rear seat and in foot wells)
inner rear wheel arches
'a'posts
door bottoms
heater channel closing panels(bottom of the heater chanel)
heater channel closing end(end of the chanel in the rear wheel arch)
inside front wheel arches along the botton
all the bolt holes that hold wings on
all bumper mounts
boot and deck lid rubber seal srtips
boot front and vent
spare wheel well
frame head
etc etc etc etc
dont want to put you off, but ive seen loads of people arrive with a shiney beetle and leave with an enormous welding bill and consequently needing a paint job too. the difference between a van and a beetle is that much of the van is not structural and therefor can be excused for the mot as long as there are no sharp edges
Thanks Doug
Im going to take a good look at it next week - will check under all the carpets, doors and wheel arches....
Where is time going - its nearly August and i havent done what i said i would to the van (it aint sprayed yet).
Ah well, all this car stuff makes for a busy me...
Ringo
x
Posted: 28 Jul 2008, 20:42
by dazzzer1
if the carpets are stuck to the heater channels just give them a good squeeze
Posted: 28 Jul 2008, 21:09
by CovKid
Yup, spot on. Any 'give' in heater channels internally and its effectively either a dead bug or one hell of an expensive one to put right.