At 12:48 AM 3/22/2009, David Beierl wrote:
>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"

  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"