S1 heater box rebuild

[bopperd]

Okay, I give up. Reassembling my heater box with the Welsh kit is straightforward enough, except for the four 1/2" foam strips, two short and two long. I know one of the long ones is glued along the sheet metal lip next to the flap. But the other three, I can't figure out. They had long since "perished" from my box when I disassembled it. J30, the service manual, and a couple of hours on the net have not helped. Anybody know where these strips go?

Cheers,
Dave Schinbeckler

[Dave K]

They go on the exit to the bulkhead to give it the heater box a good seal against the bodywork.

Dave

[Heuer]

No, the bulkhead seal is a square black one piece item in the kit. The four white foam seals go around the casing adjacent to the flap when it is upright to prevent air leaking past and into the heater matrix.

[bopperd]

I understand the function, but J30 differs with respect to whether they are glued to the case, the flap, or the heater core itself. The top tong strip, C18514, is described as "seal on heater radiator seating air control flap when closed." Which means it's supposed to be glued to the core itself but I can find no evidence that the core ever had any glue on it. When it comes to the short pieces, C18917, they are listed as "seal seating ends of air control flap." No location is given, so they might be attached to the side of the case, or the core itself. The lower, long strip, C18107/3, "seal on heater case for lower edge of air control flap," is clearly mounted to the case. So if the short pieces are to be glued to the case, why not use the same language and eliminate the ambiguity? Anyhow I guess I will glue all the pieces to the case and be done with it. The strips are so flimsy I doubt they will do much good anyhow.

[frogeater]

Hello
I agree with you for the poor quality (in term of efficiency and durability) of the white kit seal. and the difficulty to glue it on the side of the flap or around the casing adjacent to the flap. In my case, by chance, I had a new piece of foam more robust, but not too much robust, I glued on the flap ,that I cut a little more larger than the flap herself, to make seal.
Emmanuel

[Mich7920]

Hi
I also have the poor quality kit of white foam from SNG.
I don't glue it for the moment.
If you glue it did you use neoprene ?
Don't you know a seller with a better quality kit ?
I suppose the original wasn't a so bad things...

Thanks
Mich

[Heuer]

None of the foams glue to the heater matrix. There are two oblong fibrous ones which go over and under the matrix. Two white foam squares (one with two holes) insulate the matrix ends. You then have the four white foam strips and a white foam oblong. The oblong glues to the flap to seal against the cold air outlet (shaped fibreglass riveted or bolted to case) which ensures all cold air goes through the matrix with none escaping.

Finally you have the four white foam strips. These are used to prevent air entering the car past the flap when it is in the upright position (fresh air off). If you examine the heater box with the flap upright you will see air can leak past all four sides because the flap is not a close fit to the box, otherwise it would scrape. You need to glue the foams to the box so they align with the sides and top of the flap preventing air creeping past. Finally the bottom foam is glued where the flap hinges so it presses tight when upright.

The repro foams are not exactly accurate, something made even worse when you try to fit them on a repro box! But basically you need to fit them so all air goes through the matrix (hot or cold) when the control is set to open, and none escapes; no air goes through the matrix (hot or cold) when the control is set to off, and none gets through to the car.

[Mich7920]

Thanks David.
Is the glue a Neoprene one?

[bopperd]

Emmanuel, I like the idea of cutting a piece of foam larger than the flap, but I think what I am going to do instead is make some new, heftier strips of foam from a piece that I have. They should make a better seal, be more durable, and will be easier to glue in place.
Michel, I don't know who makes a better rebuild kit. They all seem to have the same poor quality foam. The adhesive I'm using is PL300, made by LePage. It's an industrial foam board adhesive that comes in a tube for a caulking gun. Building contractors use it for gluing polystyrene insulation to studs and concrete. It is very thick and does not attack the foam, but holds extremely well. It is also temperature and moisture resistant. I don't know what it's made of, or whether you can find it in France.
Wish me luck.

[Heuer]

I used UHU glue - any contact or home adhesive will do as there are no stresses involved.

[rolando38]

same experience than you guys, I think the SNG kit is poor regarding the foam parts (but very good value for a overhauled genuine radiator)

I glued thm though using Pattex neoprene glue ; so far so good but it was only a month ago...

[Polse7317]

I glued all the foams also with N?oprene.

If it can help....