Heater Box Removal...!

[Astromic]

hey guys,
i'm on replacing a 4-1 header to my engine but i don't know if i have to remove the heater box(not a must to me in this weather) and add a "L" pipes or leave the heaterbox, does the heaterbox make a big exhaust restriction or not.
i heared some ppl talking about removing it and then the replacment pipes produces heat under the cyl-head wich is not good, is that right?
i need ur advice before doing anything,
thank's in advance.

Michael

[wrenchnride247]

If your engine is stock you should be fine keeping the boxes on. If you want to remove the boxes... then you have a little work to do.

The first thing you need to do after removing the boxes is plug all holes where heater tubing is located. First, the holes where tubing comes out of the fan shroud needs to be plugged. If you don't, you loose alot of your air pressure in your cooling system, which can lead to high head temps and oil temps. The other holes are not as important, but help keep engine bay temps down, like the holes in the rear tin (the ones that the hose goes through to get to the boxes) these can let heat from the header in to the engine bay. The hoses that connect the boxes to the body are an area that most over look (I did once). These allow unwanted items into the heater channels like rodents, noise, water, dust, fumes, etc.

The "J" tubes do heat-up the heads some. There are various ways to shield the heads i've seen, or heard about. They covered this in a recent issue of HotVWs if you get that mag.

Hope this helps some.

[Astromic]

Originally Posted by wrenchnride247

The "J" tubes do heat-up the heads some. There are various ways to shield the heads i've seen, or heard about. They covered this in a recent issue of HotVWs if you get that mag.

Unfortunetly i don't have this mag at all , but i read on aircooled.net that they are just restrictions but they say nothing about the consequences of removing them.
so what i should do to prevent heat on cyl heads?

Originally Posted by wrenchnride247

Hope this helps some.

It did, a lot, thanks' for your help ...

Michael

[chug_A_bug]

hey I how's it going well I have a stock 1600 single port and I put j tubes on it and I just went to the race shop and got header rap, it's a cloth that you can wrap your headers and J-tubes in and it keeps the heat down big time it's like 60$ for a few feet of it but good stuff.

[wrenchnride247]

I found the issue (HotVWs May '06 pg.86-88). They used hose clamps and aluminum flashing (for roofing) sold at the hardware store in rolls. They wrapped a piece around the "J" tube under the head, and secured with one hose clamp in the middle. The head ran 30 deg. cooler.

The same article states that "header wrap" should not be used on street cars. When the wrap gets wet, it produces steam that rots through the steel "J" tubes in no time at all. (sorry chug_a_bug ). If your car never see's rain,or water than it's ok I guess.

[chug_A_bug]

hey wrenchnride hey that's cool that you called me on that I didn't even know that I'll be getting some Alm roof wrap now and ya my car does see the wet I live in Canada dude never the winters though

[wrenchnride247]

Sorry chug_a_bug . HotVW's made me say it. Saved you a headache in the future.

[chug_A_bug]

nono thanks alot for that I just went strigh to the proformec and not thinking of what could happen to the j tubes so thanks and thank HOT VW too haha

[volkdent]

I rebuilt my heaterboxes with larger diameter J-tubes with fins welded to them on the inside, and bypassed the motor fan altogether so it drew fresh air from the interior instead of the stinky engine compartment. Here you can see the tube on the outside, it's the only pic I have of it. Where it heads up to the engine compartment I cut it off and welded a plate over it, the tube you see has a bend in it that mates with the side of the heater box at the back. The air comes from the interior via a bus fan, into this tube, then continues the rest of the flow as normal. I had to find a decent(not to rusty) heater box, bend back all the flanges, remove the original J tube with aluminum(magnesium?) heater core, welded some fins on a larger diameter J tube, and then welded everything back up again. Best of both worlds, no stinky engine compartment air. If you lived in a really cold environment, I'm not sure you'd get adequate heat for a really cold day, but for most places it would be fine. The air was hot coming out and with the fan, the front window actually stayed clear.



Jason

[chug_A_bug]

hey Volkdent that's cool hope you can post the pic soon
very nice

[wrenchnride247]

That's a slick set-up Jason:agree: