Alex Sol

It's getting cooler up here in the Toronto area and time to address the heating system.

In the past I had burning hot air from the passenger side. Through this forum, i found the 'paper' ducts don't last and eventually crumble.

Exact problem with mine too. i found the old duct had been duct taped and crumbled and leaking out lots of hot air. i replaced with the silicone duct that i was using for the header heater ducts. The silicone is supposed to be able to handle 550 deg heat.

I recently purchased a 4' roll of 3" high heat silicone ducting with the wire swirl throughout.

Question: does anyone know the lengths of the two heater ducts that come out of the headers and into the heating system?

Are they the same size/length? I could not find the exact sizing. I recall it is easier if you have a little extra length as the springy flexible duct will 'push' itself onto the two 3" metal tubing bits.

In the past, i've removed these flexible ducts in the spring but since fixing the passenger foot well duct, i may just leave these in permanently.


also, i have purchased the 3" home depot dryer vent ducts and do not recommend them... they get very crispy after one winter... and don't seem to take to salt (on our roads) very well...

-nick

I believe that they're both 75x320mm

tdiquattro

It is worth doing the 2 at the foot wells as well. I don't think the lengths of the rears matter, as long as they have no metal in them that can touch the starter. Worth removing and dismantling the flappers as well.

John McM

Heater pipes, rear and footwell.

Alex Sol

thanks for the dimensions. same for the both sides. the passenger side looks much closer but tighter turn.

i replaced the passenger side footwell already

John McM

I only have one spare. My recollection is that they were the same length on both sides.

Harry Apps

PET lists different Pt Nos for L and R which suggests different lengths.

John McM

The rears? That's strange as mine look like equal lengths and Pelican lists right and left under the same part number 964-572-785-00-M260

Alex Sol

i installed two different lengths with a shorter one on the passenger side but they could both easily be same length. it helped to have longer length close to 40cm or about 1ft 4 in as i bought some cheap china silicone and the quality looks good but quite stiff. i had to wrestle with the tubing to get the sharp turns. the longer tubing made it easier. it worked okay and no obstruction with suspension bits or starter wire etc.

i did have some very strange issues:

1. driver side blows cold
2. middle and passenger side blows warm
3. exhaust comes into the system when i turn on the windshield demister

could be i haven't connected the stainless pipe with the two oval inlets coming from the rear fan so sucking in exhaust or the header / exhaust has a hole in it? i'm running stock header.

i looked underneath and wonder if i can bypass the fan and still get heat. i won't be driving this car in the winter but even on cool nights on rainy days, i get all clouded up... making for dangerous driving condition and a need for wipers... inside the car not out!

perhaps block off the two oval pipes connected to the header to stock sucking in any exhaust?

Alex Sol

@tdiquattro thanks for comments, what is meant by 'dismantling the flappers'?