Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:48:14 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Coolant pipe kit and distributor kit from GoWesty
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GoWesty make a kit of brass inserts and clamps to prevent/cure the
problem of the steel inserts coming out of the ends of the new-type
plastic fore-and-aft coolant pipes. It's a very clever idea and
(based on installing 1/4 of the kit) should work very effectively,
effectively forever. They didn't debur the ends of the inserts, so
be careful installing, or debur them yourself. Cost this month is
$50 to treat all four pipe ends, usually $60. Highly recommended.
For those of us with A/T with a special tee-d hose connecting the
2.1l coolant distributor to one of the pipes, installing that insert
requires also getting from GoWesty a coolant distributor kit with an
extra nipple so as to use a straight hose within which to install the
insert. The kit comes with the necessary hoses and clamps for
$80. The straight hose (Gates) is a lot stiffer than the original,
so it's a bit difficult to install, but not unreasonable. The
smaller hose (goes to the A/T cooler) supplied is regular heater
hose. They also supply a VW-OEM hose from the cylinder head to the
distributor, because the relevant nipple on the distributor is
differently placed.
As far as I'm concerned, this entire job (thermostat housing,
athwartships hose to distributor , distributor kit, insert kit) would
have been essentially impossible without NAPA SER 3444 hose clamp
pliers or equivalent. That's their larger (14") size of straight
pliers meant for flat band clamps, actually made by K-D. An offset
pair would have been handy, but I always managed to find a way to
make the straight ones work. Without them it would have been futile
or dangerous or both. They cost about $30+, which is why I didn't
get an offset pair. My Craftsman pair, many miles away in Maine,
might have worked ok, but they are actually meant for round-wire
clamps. I think these gave a safer i.e. more secure grasp of the
clamp. Flying clamps = zero. Damaged fingers = zero. Accidental
clamp release = zero.
--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"
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