One reason not to remove rear heater hoses is to plumb in a hot water tank under the seat for showers, like I just did.

I ran the heater hoses into a boat gas tank and used about 5' of hose inside the 6 gallon tank.  I had to add a shutoff valve to turn off after it warms up enough but sure is a nice camping luxury.

I know others have done more sophisticated shower systems but this was a $20 gas tank, an $8 PEX shutoff and some spare heater hose and hose clamps and an early westy pump I had laying around.  The shower head I also had but they only cost about $10 on epay.

If I did it again, I would use a 4 gallon tank to keep more of the underseat space.  And 4 gallons seems to be enough.

--- On Tue, 9/1/09, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

> From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
> Subject: Re: plugging heater hoses
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 12:18 PM
> I haven't had a rear heater for
> months -- took it out the week I got the van,
> actually.  For a while, I had the hoses looped together
> under the seat, but they were just in the way and at risk of
> being damaged.
>
> Just this week, I went to the source -- the T-connectors
> where the hoses branch from the main heater hoses.
> Took out the T-connectors and put in a straight pipe
> connector in their place.  No plugs, no loops (both of
> which were criticized by others on this list).  Just be
> careful in handling the hoses.  The manifold that the
> main hoses attach to toward the rear is old, and may be
> brittle.  Also, you'll need (as I need but haven't yet)
> to plug the holes through the firewall so gunk doesn't come
> into the storage compartment under the seat from the roadway
> or the engine compartment.
>
> BTW, so far as plugs and loops, plugging the hoses is no
> different from having the heater valve closed, and looping
> them is no different from having the heater valve open, so
> far as coolant flow is concerned.
>
> Dave Mc
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 12:25 PM , Matthew Snook wrote:
>
> > I have decided to remove my blown rear heater as
> others have suggested.  Are
> > there preferred methods for plugging those two hoses
> that come in under the
> > seat?  I'm assuming that I should cut them back
> so that they don't enter the
> > cab at all, but does that create other problems?
> I was going to put
> > something in the loose end and use the hose clamps to
> close it off - what
> > have folks used to that end?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Matt
>