Bus heater

Maffei · 02-12-2016, 09:42 PM

Hello,
We recently purchased a mini bus, a super bantam. We have begun the tear apart and have cleared out the seats, the walls and ceiling panels and all the old gross wet insulation. Rust has been wire wheeled and treated. Leaks have been identified and once it stops raining will be addressed.
We started on the floor today and have run into a problem, the rear heater. We like having the heater and want to keep it in is original location. The problem is that we need to remove and replace the flooring under it. We have tried to move it but it won't move more than an inch up off the floor. There are 2 hoses, one on each end of the heater running down into the floor under the heater and they appear to be copper. Our plan was to simply lift the heater up enough to get the flooring out and slide a new section under it. It is sitting g directly over a gas tank so we can't access it from underneath the bus easily. Help! What do we have to do to get the flooring out?

Tango · 02-13-2016, 12:33 AM

You will very likely need to disconnect the hoses. I suppose there is the chance of having enough slack in the line to raise it...but...???

opus · 02-13-2016, 10:26 AM

Find out where the hoses turn to rubber and clamp them there and cut them. Reinstall with rubber hose but be sure to pre-fill the hoses if you can, to eliminate too many air bubbles.

ED Privott · 02-13-2016, 07:01 PM

be ready for the flood of anti freeze if you split the heater lines (most heater in the sitting area well run to the engine) even if you turn off the valve there well still be water in the line, just a thought before you remove the heater. check twice before braking any type of a hose in the heater system...... it can make a BIG mess !!

Maffei · 02-13-2016, 08:02 PM

Bummer. I was hoping we could avoid the whole antifreeze bit. Well I found the spot where the hard lines turn into rubber and they are attached with a hose clamp so I'm going to pull them off there, at the base of the heater. Going to try to just plug the lines and reclamp, hoping for minimal spillage. I will put something down underneath to catch any spills. Sounds like a great thing to do on a rainy blustery day tomorrow. :\
Thanks guys!

treenail · 02-14-2016, 01:14 PM

I bought a skoolie and chopped off the back to make a dump truck. When I was ready to remove the rear heater I used one of these u-shaped copper fittings.

http://aagtrading.com/wp-content/upl...-condition.jpg

Before removing the hoses from the heater I clamped both lines.

After removing the body I followed the lines back up front. It was a simple plumbing fix with the right size ribbed hose barb to by pass the run out back to the aux. heater.

There was very little mess. I drained the hoses carefully and saved the anti-freeze for topping off engines since the AF was still clean.

ED Privott · 02-17-2016, 06:16 PM

BOY-HOWDY, sounds like a heck of a good plain (I wish I had taken the time to look mine over before the mess I had to clean up) going to the engine block and hitting the fitting would be a lot better than what I did. it was my first bus (56 chevy) and I cut the line and held it up higher than the flow (1), didn't have a plug of any kind!! stuck them(both) out the window to go find anything I could to plug the lines, full of AF (2). they hit the floor as I run outside to find something - anything (3). found a branch, had to cut it shorter (4) then cut (wittle) it to fit (5), ran back into the bus as all the AF was running down the floor & out the door (6). so in other words 1)I cut the lines before thinking about what was about to happen (how much could go wrong, the trucks not running, right? 2) pushed the ends out of a window thinking they would stay, right. 3)looked around thinking the line were sticking up high and out a window so they won't leak or spill, 4) only thing I could find was a branch from a tree that looked big enough to fit a 1.25 in. hose, no hurry cause the lines are stickin' up & out the window 5)I wittled them to fit perfect, cut ea. two in. long 6) as I enter I see the lines had fell, AF all over!! half of radiator & engine empty of AF !! all over the floor of the buss, sure wish I had thought about fitting @ the engine back then !!!!! WHAT A MESS.......

Maffei · 02-17-2016, 10:00 PM

Well we got it out. Wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. The hoses were clamped to the copper pipes right under the heater so the lines were right behind the drivers idea rear wheel well. Unscrewed the clamps, pulled the hoses down, let it drain a bit into a bucket until we could hold the hose upright and it didn't spit AF. Then just placed a plastic bag over the hose and zip tied it on real tight. Both hoses are attached to the inside of the wheel well to keep them upright. Once the floor is replaced we are just going to reinstall the heater and reconnect the hoses, refill with AF and away she goes. We only lost about 16 oz of fluid. All in all, not too bad.
So far everything has been pretty easy to do, knock on wood, not like the last project - 1976 vw camper.
Thanks again for your insight. I'm sure it won't be the last question I have.

mad_wolf · 02-18-2016, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maffei

Bummer. I was hoping we could avoid the whole antifreeze bit. Well I found the spot where the hard lines turn into rubber and they are attached with a hose clamp so I'm going to pull them off there, at the base of the heater. Going to try to just plug the lines and reclamp, hoping for minimal spillage. I will put something down underneath to catch any spills. Sounds like a great thing to do on a rainy blustery day tomorrow. :\
Thanks guys!

Use a pair of vise grips or similar pinching device of both hoses as close to the copper as practical .

That way the fluid in the rubber portion will leak slowly if at all . you might be able to find a apporite sized copper tube U at home depot or a car parts house to clamp in place until your ready to reinstall the heater .

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