Bulley (or is that Tim The Toolman),

I was wondering what, if anything, you've done to your Westy?  I don't live in
snow country but  sure would like my Westy to be quieter and I'd like my feet
not to fry on hot days but I really don't feel ready to rip out the whole
interior.

Anythink easy to do?

Jeanne - Santa Rosa, CA
'87 Westy Syncro

----- Original Message -----
From: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 1999 6:41 AM
Subject: HOT HEAT in an air-cooled van, (VERY long) was: 12 volt heater
suggestions

> Dennis-
>
> You don't need or want an electric heater. You already own a fantastic heat
> system...what??? You don't believe me?
>
> Well, a couple of years ago, my wife and I poured a heap of $$$ into a 1976
> van to preserve and improve it. The least expensive aspect of the project
> was making the stock heater WORK. When we were done, we were able to
> comfortably sit in shirt sleeves in the van when it was 0 F degrees
> outside. In our 1982, the heat coming out of the front ducts is now so hot,
> you cannot hold your hand over it from more than a second or two. This,
> without adding expensive or complicated furnaces, electric heaters, etc. I
> have cc:d the type 2 list with this note, although I am not currently on
> that list.
>
> I built a website that chronicles to whole project
> http://www.bulley-hewlett.com/VWindex . Since some of the early parts of
> the project contributed to our heater's performance (like fully insulating
> the body), I would recommend at least scanning the pages from start to f
> inish, so you get the baseline info you need. You don't need to do all the
> stuff to drastically improve your heater's performance.  The "heat" portion
> of the site is only partially complete, but I will fill in some details
> below. There is a graphic (on the heat page) that shows all the components
> of the stock system. And the changes we made. The text below relates to
> that graphic.
>
> First, here are the things that can prohibit the stock, VW air-cooled heat
> from effectively heating your van (starting from the source, to the vents
> (**items require modification):
>
> 1. **Failure in design to recycle heated air from inside cabin (all air
> pulled into heater is ambient, COLD air)
> 2. (some models) Lack of blower speed (auxiliary blower) to push air
> through heater boxes.
> 3. Leaks in ducting leading to heater boxes.
> 4. Leaks in heater boxes.
> 5. Leaky seams around heat riser tubes (run from boxes to heat valves
> 'flapper boxes').
> 6. **un-insulated heat riser tubes
> 7. Un-adjusted, leaky, or non-functional flapper box valves.
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Now up to that point, if you have one, or many of these problems, you don't
> actually have a complete heater. That is, you aren't actually capturing the
> enormous amount of heat available from your exhaust system. Now here's the
> rest of the list:
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> 8. **un-insulated heater duct mufflers (those black plastic accordion
> looking things).
> 9. Leaky junctions in main pipe
> 10. Leaks or tears in main pipe
> 11. **un-insulated main pipe
> 12. **front auxiliary fan to suck heat forward
> 13. **un-insulated van, which allows ALL heat to leak directly back to the
> atmosphere without impediment.
>
> Some of the above call for complicated efforts. Some are quite inexpensive
> and easy to accomplish. In the near future, our site will go into great
> depth on ALL of the above with photos and diagrams just like on the rest of
> our site. For now, here is a "quick hit" all air cooled folks can enjoy,
> with nominal expense/effort.
>
> The greatest impact you can have on your 1980 (Dennis) without heroic
> expense and effort, is adjusting the flappers, and insulating the ducting.
> It will cost about $19, and will take about 5-6 hours. Assuming that your
> heater boxes/flappers are in good shape, this project will DRAMATICALLY
> increase the heat in your van. Fair enough? Good.
>
> What we are going to do: Adjust the flappers, insulate the entire ducting
> system, from the heat noise mufflers to the front of the van. For those of
> you who aren't Dennis, I am writing the instructions for a 1980 Vanagon.
> Any type 2 van would be nearly identical, except the routing of the hose
> over the fuel tank.
>
> Here's what you need.
>
> 1. A 25' box of 4" Inside Diameter R-4.3 insulated Mylar(r)-cased flexible
> household ducting. (you can get this at an HVAC specialist. Home Deep-ho
> won't have the 4" ID, only 6". Remember, you want 4"!!!
> 2. A dozen 20" cable ties.
> 3. Jack stands
> 4. A partner (for about 10 minutes)
> 5. Scissors, wire cutters, goggles, a straight-blade screw driver, a pair
> of pliers, and a 6mm open end/ring wrench
>
> What to do.........
>
> Jack up the van. Disconnect the battery. Get all your tools under the van.
> Put on your goggles. Scoot under the van, and locate both flappers.
>
> On the dashboard, have your partner fully open and fully close the heater
> control lever in a continual oscillation so you can inspect the flappers.
> On either side of, and just above the transmission, look for a thin cable,
> connected to a short (2") control arm by a spring and barrel bolt
> arrangement. The control arm should be moving forward and aft, with the
> motion of the cable as your partner opens and closes the valves.
>
> You want to make sure they FULLY OPEN when the cable is under tension, and
> the control arm is FORWARD. You can be sure they are fully open if, when
> your partner has the lever in the fully open (HOT) position, you see the
> spring on the end of the cable compress against the control arm.
> Alternatively, when the cable is under tension, make sure there is no more
> than 1mm-2mm additional movement the control arm 'could' make, if the cable
> were tighter. I have never seen a bus where these are properly adjusted,
> unless the owner has recently done it.
>
> If the control arm isn't opening the flappers enough, you aren't getting
> all the heat available. Using the 6mm wrench, release the barrel bolts, and
> adjust the cables so that when the dash lever is in the fully open
> position, the flapper valves are fully open. Done? Great.
>
> Next, let's insulate the ducting. Leave the van on jack stands. We will
> start at the front.
>
> Remove the spare tire from its carrier, and remove the front grill. Behind
> the grill, release the clamp holding the top of the duct to the plastic
> fitting that leads inside the van. Release or cut the cable ties that hold
> the duct against the body, and pull the duct gently down into the area w
> here the spare tire would normally lie. We will insulate from the front
> edge of the fuel tank, to the fitting going into the dash. We won't
> insulate the duct going over the fuel tank, as it would be too tight of a
> squeeze, and would probably cause rusting by holding moisture against the
> top of the tank when it rains...
>
> Open the box of Mylar(r) ducting, and measure out the same length PLUS 8"
> as the ducting under the van, from the tank, to the fitting...remember, ADD
> 8". Cut the ducting with scissors, and wire cutters. You will notice that
> this ducting has four (or three, depending on manufacturer) layers:
> LAYER 1: an inside tube of wire-reinforced Mylar,
> LAYER 2: a thick bat of Fiberglas insulation surrounding,
> LAYER 3: a mesh of reinforcing cords, some manufacturers don't use the
> reinforcing mesh. It doesn't matter for our use. And
> LAYER 4: a sturdy outside casing of thick Mylar.
>
> This ducting will fit PERFECTLY over your existing paper ducting. Slide the
> entire group (all four layers) of new ducting over the old ducting. Now
> comes the IMPORTANT part. You MUST seal the new ducting so that water can't
> seep in, and get to the fiberglass. At the fuel tank end, trim Layers 1, 2,
> and 3 back to about 1" from the place where you will stop insulating
> (probably just about over the front axle). This should leave about 3" of
> layer 4 to seal against the original paper ducting. Neatly gather layer 4
> so that all of the extra Mylar is at the bottom of the duct. Using your
> cable ties, secure layer four against the dusting, and trim off any excess
> Mylar.
>
> On the other end of the duct, perform virtually the same sealing procedure,
> trimming back the inside layer, leaving the outside protective layer. But
> you can use the existing screw clamp to seal the ducting as it passes into
> the body. Make sure you can feel fiberglass batting evenly around the
> entire length of the duct, that there are no "bunches" and no bare spots.
> Adjust the insulation as needed. Replace any cable ties that held the
> ducting. The outside protective ducting should be smooth, not wrinkly and
> slack, but not TIGHT. Tah-dah! That was easy, huh?
>
> Follow the same procedure for the main duct, running from the junction box
> (just in front of the transmission) to the rear of the fuel tank. Use cable
> ties to seal the tank end, and the existing screw clamp at the rear. Make
> sure you re-hang the duct securely with a couple cable ties.
>
> The procedure is a little different for the black plastic heat noise
> mufflers. Remove the mufflers completely by releasing the screw clamps, and
> gently pushing the mufflers off the junction box, and the flappers. Make
> sure you include the silicone rubber seals with the mufflers.
>
> Again, cut ducting +8". This time, remove the inside tube (LAYER 1)
> completely from the new ducting, leaving only the fiberglass batting, the
> mesh, and the outside Mylar. Slide these three layers over the mufflers,
> and neatly gather the Mylar to pass UNDER the screw clamps that hold the
> mufflers to the flappers/junction box. Make sure the clamps are still loose
> enough to allow you to fit the mufflers. Trim off the extra Mylar. I'm no
> dope smoker, but if you do this right, the results will look like a couple
> of big, fat joints.
>
> Re-install the mufflers back on the van, and tighten the clamps.
>  Tah-Dah!!!!! That's it. You have just insulated most of your ducting.
> Unless, you want to get REALLY gung-ho, and insulate the junction box,
> which helps a lot, that is it. Take the van off the jack stands, take of
> your goggles, and hook the battery back up.
>
> Now here is the fun. Start the van, and go for a spin with the heat on. Did
> you have to open a window? Next, WITH CAUTION, slide up under the van, and
> feel the difference in temperature between the outside of the insulated
> ducting, and the un-insulated portions (over the fuel tank, or at the
> junction box). Amazing, huh? All the heat going to waste.
>
> Don't throw that extra ducting away, as you will need some of it for the
> next "phase" of this project, recirculating the heat...that is another day
> though....
>
> Hope this helps. Again, those of you on the type 2 list, I ain't on your
> list, so, cc: me with questions, if need be.
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Director
> Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
> www.bulley-hewlett.com
> Cary, NC USA
> 888.468.4880 tollfree
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> The cold is comin'. I'm looking to supplement my 80's heat
> situation.....and
> it needs it. Thanks in advance.
> Dennis
> New Hampshire
>
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