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There seems to be some confusion over the use of asbestos in type 3 exhausts: >Right!!! And besides, does anyone have any real proof that there is >asbestos in these? They appear to me to have a lot of fiberglass plus a >plaster/cement that certainly MIGHT contain asbestos, does anyone really know. >The asbestos is covered on the outside only. It's not a cloth but a >>cardboard type of material. I'm also a purist and my heaterboxes are NOS >>and, like Aaron's, well protected from rust from the outside (zinc >>plated). The main problem with the heater boxes is, like with the >>exhaust, rust from the inside. The old insulation material starts to >>flake when old. Not all cars had the insulation btw. I think it was only >>in countries with a colder climate. As many of the type 3's and all the >>notches and KG34 now living in the States were bought in Germany they >>were equipped with the insulation. My KG34 has (now had) this material >>round the steel tube running from the large heater boxes to the mixer >>boxes also. > >In the US, the heat exchangers stopped having the insulation in 73. I had >always assumed this was done in the name of economy, just as many of the >other 73 parts were cheapened (thinner sheet metal in some places.) >The insulation on the flex tubes between the heat exchangers and the mixer >boxes is definitely different: It is many layers of fiberglass cloth, faced >on the outside with a grey cloth/vinyl(?) and bound and stitched around all >four edges with the same material. >I'm pretty sure it's not fiberglass. I took some of it to the lab and >checked it with the microscope. Fiberglass is very regular in structure >and the fibers are long and transparent. This stuff however has short, >rather irregular fibers that are not transludent. I don't have a >reference for proper astbestos myself, but from what I've seen from >micoscope pictures they come very close. Also when asbestos wasn't >considered dangerous and I was an innocent youngster, I used to repair >the exhaust of my bike with white asbestos band (? it looks like a piece >of white rope) to seal the connection between the exhaust and the >cylinders. That looked exactly like the stuff in the insulation. >So, in conclusion: not perfectly sure, but for me beyond a reasonable >doubt. >The insulation around the flex tubes is on my car identical to the >insulation around the heater boxes. It is however as you say stitched >around all four edges. However, the insulation material on the inside is >the same, and at the back side is the same greyish cardboard like >material. >Good change that, as the US was a bit faster with regulations on the use >of asbestos than Europe, it was not allowed in the US. Also, my cars are >from '67 and '65, at that time asbestos was great stuff everybody used >without thinking of a possible danger! >On our cars there is no real danger as long as the heater boxes are solid >and not rusted through. >Theo Anything that had anything to do with heat insulation, count on it, it's asbestos. Certainly if it is an older application and is a fiber-like material. I recently bought a exhaust gasket kit made in Mexico/Brazil, and it plainly said it contained asbestos. Mind you, already since quite a number of years it is forbidden to use asbestos, but you can still get automotive components and building materials containing it. Don't let anyone tell yours it is the "unharmful" kind - any type of asbestos is harmful. It has a short fiber structure, much like very, very small needles. When these 'needles' settle themselves in your lungs, your body will try to encapsulate the fiber, but it won't let itself because of its inherent properties. Therefore the encapsulation grows and grows - that's what's called a cancer. Theoretically, one fiber is enough the start a cancer, but there are also many known instances of people working with asbestos all their life without getting sick. It's the same with smoking: it has been proved that it CAN cause cancer, but gladly there's no guarantee you WILL get it. As long as material containing asbestos is not broken up (that's when the fibers come free), it is best to leave it where it is. If you want to remove asbestos, wear a face mask, WET DOWN the material (that way the fibers won't get airborne) and carefully remove it. Try not to break it too much. Wrap carefully in many plastic bags, label it, and bring it to the proper authories to get rid of. Don't put it in the garbage! By the way, asbestos is a natural material. It is mined, much in the same way as coal, ore, etc. There are no known materials that have all properties combined in them like asbestos has. It really is a magic material. Take care!