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Fitting late Kombi engine bay seal
MikeM - November 22nd, 2004 at 11:05 AM

Ok, this should seem like a stupid question to all you kombi owners.

When fitting an engine bay seal (kombi snake) to a late kombi engine bay where should the "join" end up? At the front or back of the engine?

Is there a tech article on this somewhere?

Thanks.

Andy - November 22nd, 2004 at 11:33 AM

Mike,
Can't quote any book because I've never looked.
I always put join to “front” (over clutch)
A gap often develops where the ends meet, and if it’s behind the fan, it’s sucking exhaust heat in as cooling air!
Another minor point is “shiny side down”. Again, can’t quote a book, but the shiny side will absorbe less water and the under side is exposed to splashing water.
While your at it, look for any obvious gaps in the tinware, often at joints, between the tinware and the fan, gaskets around oil fill tube, heater ducts etc.
Shouldn’t be a problem for you though anymore?
Richard
:beer

Nitram_Ztilad - November 22nd, 2004 at 11:35 AM

Is this a trick question ? Like "What is the sound of one hand clapping ?" or "If a tree falls down in a forest and there's noone there to hear it, does it make a sound ?"

I always put my join at the back 'cause it's neater.

MikeM - November 22nd, 2004 at 12:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
While your at it, look for any obvious gaps in the tinware, often at joints, between the tinware and the fan, gaskets around oil fill tube, heater ducts etc.
Shouldn’t be a problem for you though anymore?



Thanks for that Richard, and I'll have a look and straighten up any dodgy tinware while i'm at it.

I've just bought (another) kombi, and this is the first one I own that actually has an engine! The other 2 are restorers and the engine is a long way off being fitted.

I bought this as it was a going concern at the right price and I needed a Ute to cart some VW parts around.

Strangly enough it has had some engine work done recently by an apparently proficient VW mechanic, but when the work was done they didn't fit an engine bay seal. It's seems to be a common thing that mechanics don't fit these to kombis, yet it seems so simple to fit. What's the story?


http://www.customoffroad.com.au/singcab/DSCF0018.jpg

Andy - November 22nd, 2004 at 12:15 PM

Mmmm.....
Sweet.
Don't want to swap it for a camper, or an 8 seater?
:thumb
With the seal, I suppose a lot of people, mechanics included don't understand why it's there. I have had a trusted VW mechanic fit a seal with a 1" gap right in front of the fan :puke

[Edited on 22-11-2004 by Andy]

bus914 - November 22nd, 2004 at 06:05 PM

do you need to take the motor out to put it the right way around?

11CAB - November 22nd, 2004 at 06:09 PM

No the motor doesnt need to come out...
And I agree with what ANDY wrote, put the join to the front so that there is no chance of exhaust hot air going into the fan, and shiny side down.