Re: need T-3 heat exchanger advice

[Steven Ayres <comwest@well.com>]

Casey=> would really appreciate some advice on how to loosen those 
=> large nuts that attach the fresh air heaters (heat exchangers) to the 
=> muffler.  

Ouch, that's one of the hardest bits. Here's what happened with my 
no-rust California '66. Having lost all patience with trying to move the 
nuts, I cut off the muffler can, soaked the nuts overnight in Liquid 
Wrench, got out my cold chisel and applied it to the nut. After much 
hacking and whacking and smacking, the right one came loose, but on the 
left I nearly cut off an entire lobe of the nut before I gave up. I took 
it to my friendly neighborhood VW mechanic, who I hoped would have the 
right tool.  He got out his torch and "the toughest air hammer in 
Arizona" and went after it for, I kid you not, half an hour. 

Eventually the nut surrendered to this torture and there was much 
rejoicing, but the heat exchanger is pretty badly dented from the 
various ideas for holding it down. It's worth it, though -- the small 
exchangers are not easy to find, mostly because of this particular 
design flaw, I reckon. 

I know there will be several here who'll advocate throwing the 
exchangers out with the muffler and going without, but I figure you're 
trying not to think about that option. 

Steven Ayres, Prescott AZ