Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:24:00 -0400
Reply-To: Edward Duntz <eduntz@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Edward Duntz <eduntz@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Removed rear heater
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
One of the things I did to my '85 Westfalia before my last trip was to remove my non-working rear heater. I figured that I got along withoug it for the last five years, I only camp from March or April to October, and I could use the extra room. The funny thing is that I was so used to packing around it, that it is taking my a while to figure out how to best use the extra space.
I ended up taking out the heater, and also removing the T fittings and replacing them with straight plastic couplings. I did this so that I didn't have any hose sections left under the seat that might get hit with things I stuffed under there. I had coolant running down my arm and my back as I took them out, and it's a little tight under the engine with other coolant lines running around there. I got by without really bleeding the system. I had the rear of the van slightly elevated. I started the van and immediately went to the engine, removed the expansion tank cover, and added coolant as I revved the engine to keep it sucking it in to the tank. I put the cap back on and then shut off the van. I didn't want to leave it running long enough for the t-stat to open. I figured that I may not have let any air up to the radiator because the t-stat was closed when I took out the T's. I let the van cool and then added more coolant as the first time. I've driven over 1,000 miles since then with no cooling problems.
If I had to do it again, though, I think I would leave the lines under the van and just use an L-shaped plastic hose barb under the seat. I would protect the exposed hoses with some insulation. This way if I ever wanted to put the heater back, it would be pretty easy. The way it is now, I've got to put the T's back in. Some people (with no logical reasoning, in my opinion) speak against putting in that "by-pass" under the seat, saying that they have heard of cooling problems. You're simply providing another short path for the coolant to flow, but this time without the heater core.
Ed in CT
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