Date:         Sun, 29 Sep 1996 04:20:12 -0300 (ADT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      rad hose/pipe fixed

OK here's what I did.  Thanks to those who responded!  Bought 10 feet of
Gates heater hose 1" inside diam. Bit smaller than the 1 +1/8" the steel
pipe, but we'll see.  One pipe was toast, huge rustthroughs all over it, end
at engine just crumbled getting off the hose clamp.  Other pipe showing only
surface rust!! Wierd, just scraped/sanded/repainted, it's fine. Pipes are
removed rearward, with suitable rotations during extraction.  Used the
heater hose, actually about 9'6", and a steel plumbing coupling (for well
water system) to reduce from 1.25" to 1".  Used 3" of OEM pipe at rad end,
cut off and cleaned up.  With effort it can be wedged into the heater hose,
and held with a clamp.  Used Permatex RTV goop on all joints.  Need 6 tie
wraps to hold heater hose to other OEM pipe. Oh...  did I mention you must
drop the gas tank to do this job  :( as VW put clamps and tie wraps around
it all, behind the gas tank. Scraped/treated the outside of the gas tank for
rust/resprayed. Still going to rust through in a year I bet.  Anyhow, parts
were<$20 Cdn (vs$220+10% tax at dealer) labour..... way too long!

bye, tim