At 10:13 PM 2/15/00 -0800, David Greenland wrote:
>Same Here,
>
>I had good non-rusty heater boxes replaced (on my '75) because of the
>Asbestos thing. the new ones weren't original VW, didn't fit too well and
>didn't put out as much heat.
>
>-I wouldn't do it again....
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
>Of George A Lehman
>
>I also had my heat exchangers replaced by VW.  The replacements were not
>the original aluminized type but are painted steel.  They do not seem to
>kick out as much heat.
>
It's not the change in material that results in less heat.  Why do you
suppose they put the asbestos there in the first place?  To provide
insulation, so the heat would get to where it is wanted, instead of
bleeding off into the air.  Take out the asbestos and you get less heat.
QED.  The great asbestos witch hunt is exactly that: a witch hunt.  The
chances of getting asbestosis from heating duct wrapping in houses, or VW
air exchangers, is virtually nil.  The problem originated in miners who
were exposed to fibres on a daily basis, 7 or 8 hours a day. All this
asbestos stripping is a make-word project.  I'll keep my heat exchangers
until they rot (by which time the van will probably be rotten too) and then
look for another set.  With asbestos.