I'm sure this is an easy answer, but as I'm not quite sure I thought I'd ask for advice.

 

The cold start warm air hose from the exhaust manifold cover to the air filter has worn out. Looking at it, I think it was just old.
What should I replace it with? I've seen a silicone 'air intake hose' online, it says it's good for up to 325°C, that's got to be good enough, right?

 

Thanks for any advice!

 

Edited 23 August, 20188 yr by Wolfgang_Wolf
Better photo

Welcome to the Forum.

 

The 'cardboard' looking stuff in your photograph USED to be stocked by motor factors for use in heater systems, where it was connected between the heater blower and the demisting vents near the windscreen.

As modern designs no longer use that sort of set-up, there is less call for it, but it might still be worth a try at your local factors.

 

I have never seen silicone hose used for this application, I would have thought that it might have given off a bit of a 'pong', but if it is claimed to be good for 325° and it is called 'air intake hose' (or maybe induction hose) it should be OK even though the exhaust manifold itself can become much hotter than that.

 

Regards

double check its 50mm

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T1-BEETLE-T2-TRANSPORTER-CAMPER-VAN-50mm-FRESH-AIR-HOSE-PIPE-028129087A-A410/221383959515

Thanks for the responses guys!

 

Steveo, it's actually a little bit bigger than 50mm, measures up more like 56mm o.d. That definintely looks like it's exactly the same stuff, though.

 

I'm not sure I like the idea of the smell of melting silicone wafting in from the engine bay through the heater, but then I also don't really like that cardboard hose - it broke, after all, as well as being ugly as.

 

The other thing I found was plain aluminium ducting, perfect size at 55mm internal diameter. The only thing that made me hesitate with that was, is it a good idea to have a hot metal tube right in the middle of the engine bay with no insulation? I thought of trying to wrap it in that fibreglass tape normally used for exhaust headers, then started to think, come on, this is too much fuss for a little bit  of air hose - but that's as far as I got.

oh i like it because it look original 

 

if you can visit a scrap yard mk3 golfs have some of rubber used there that lasts fine , see if you can grab one , they had several sizes depending on engine size

 

the aluminium one works fine you see it alot , i think it looks a bit cheap n nasty myself and dents easily...honestly you probably dont even need it 

The stuff that steveo 3002 has put you onto is ideal - and the same as that in your pic.

 

I know that you say 'it broke after all', but for all I know, it might have been on there from new - so you could say 'it broke after all those years'!

 

Possibly a little confusing, but most pipes are measured quoting the inside diameter (not all though) and when you get down to small bore stuff, (petrol pipes and the like) the I.D. is mostly quoted.

 

If you were to measure the spigot that your air hose fits over, you'll probably find that it is in fact 50 mm.

 

Regards

mine is 2" so yeah 50mm should fit 

Thanks for the food for thought.

I do agree that the aluminium hose looks cheap and nasty. This is what  drew me to the silicone hose, which looks like something off a race car but then given what they charge for it, it should.

 

I'll nip out and measure the spigot just to double check - when it stops raining!

 

Steeveo I think you must be right, I've read on here that it gets deleted as soon as you upgrade the air filter so clearly far from essential. All that being said, if it helps the engine start on one of those mornings when it's -5°C then it'll be worth it. And more to the point...

 

I'd know.

Took me a while to get around to posting this...

 

Steveo3002 you were right, I bought the cardboard hose and it's a perfect fit. Also they send you enough to do 2, so when it fails again in 20 years I'll have the spare.

 

Here's a picture of it looking good as new... shame that you can't say that about anything else in the engine bay.

 

The car"s got more serious problems now, which I'll chat about in my build thread.