Club 80-90 Forums

I am about to take delivery of some plastic water pipes and have trawled the net for instructions. I am variously told from various sources I do/do not need to take off the Radiator and fuel tank. Also pipes go back in best from front/from back. Confusion reigns.

Hi, iv spent nearly 6 hours replacing the rotten metal pipes for plastic ones on my van today, I read the wiki but went about it slightly different, Firstly I took the rubber hoses off each end then cut then pipes just behind the fuel tank with a hacksaw, also I cut all the ties holding the heater pipes in position,
I removed the front section of the pipes by pulling and twisting them towards the front of the van trying not to damage the fuel tank, it was hard work but they came eventually,
next I removed the rear sections which came out quite easily, (I had been told I could do the job without removing the fuel tank or lowering the rad so thought I might as well try it)
I then disconnected the heater pipes from the engine then pulled them through to the front of the van over the fuel tank, then reworked them back through to the rear over the gap on the nearside of the fuel tank, I did this as the plastic pipes are slightly larger diameter and I did not want to make the hole in the chassis larger.
I tried fitting one plastic pipe from the rear then the second but it didnt work so I went for both at the same time (from the rear towards the front), with lots of twisting/pushing/pulling/swearing/shouting they went in, I have connected the rear ends by warming the rubber hoses in hot water then I connected the heater pipes, tomorrow I will connect the front hoses.
I did this on my drive just by using a pair of ramps (under rear wheels), its hard work but better than labour charge at a garage
Im going to fill and bleed the system tomorrow too, I will use the method on the wiki and maybe put the van on ramps at the rear to get all the air out of the system, hopefully it will work, il let you know!
cheers rich

Iv filled and bled the system today and it all seems ok, went for a short run then checked the level again and it was fine but best of all NO LEAKS

hey look it's the fireman from the hewitt arms do
glad to hear you got the pipes you were waiting for rich. you gonna come to pickering now then?
catcha lata m8

Well done Rich. My pipes will be arriving in a few days hopefully. One bod said he needed to modify the rear end because the pipes were wider. Was this your experience ?

They are wider and there is a holder/bracket the pipes go through right at the rear, I modified it by cutting it off and just securing my pipes with a homemade bracket, its easy you will see when you get to that bit

Just for a note for anyone else considering this job.
Under the fuel tank, where you can't get to it should be a hose clip attaching both pipes to the chassis, sounds like someone has been lucky doing theirs with the tank in.
I always take the tank out so I can do the job properly, and re-attach the pipes as they should be.
If converting from early metal pipes to later plastic pipes remember that the holes that the pipes run through in the chassis aren't big enough for the extra bore and you have to do a bit of "dicking about" to sort it.

Simon, Re "Dicking about" with water pipes. I guess you mean re-routing them over the tank and not thro' the chassis as in Rich's post above. A brilliant idea, why don't I think of things like that. New secondhand pipes being delivered Friday ( or is that later today), then the fun starts if I can get the rust and antifreeze from the old pipes out of my eyes first.A very large number of viewings for this topic . It will come to us all in the end. Mine have lasted since 1982. not bad.

Re rear bracket removal. I cut a few inches off with an angle grinder. It's easy to get at it from the engine compartment by removing the air filter box. Don't forget there are electrics behind where you are cutting so cut shallow.The rubber heater pipes were already out of the way as they are disconnected and pulled forward for re-routing. Tank will be dropped Saturday and all will be revealed. More rusted fittings I expect.

Progress is slow as I am getting on in years and doing it on my own. Having read so much about it I approached fitting the new wider plastic pipes with trepidation nay fear. After a token 20 minutes I decided I would rather fight live 12 foot Boa constrictors. But Tesco Metro being fresh out I decided fiddle this for a game of soldiers and got out the angle grinder and cut two vertical slots in the cross member each side of the hole. Five minutes later this left a nice wide slot into which I could lift the aforesaid pipes with ease. With a quick fore and aft shuffle they were in position. Easy-peasy. I will make a bracket and bolt on to close the hole. Anyone want a hole ? Next job was getting the rubber pipes over the pipe ends. Not easy. I did the first and only so far by pushing the handle of a large screwdriver in the rubber tubing and left it for an hour stretching the rubber that vital MM or so. I used strong soap and water as a lubricant but next time will use grease. I know it can affect rubber but what the heck. nice to be assembling.It's downhill all the way now

Late, late snag. all back together and tried to move van but could not get into reverse. turned out heater pipes needed moving a bit as they stopped the reverse throw. So fit them with reverse selected. nothings ever easy.