Amazon heater refurb

[HWKWallis]

Quick question for those who may have already tackled this.... Is any kind of gasket employed between the two halves of the heater body, or if not is it advisable to apply a sealant to the metal faces?

Thanks

Jim

[nozamaman]

Quick question for those who may have already tackled this.... Is any kind of gasket employed between the two halves of the heater body, or if not is it advisable to apply a sealant to the metal faces?

Thanks

Jim
The original heaterbox had a bead of grey sealant on the lips of the two halfs of the box with small self tapping phillips screws.

[HWKWallis]

Much obliged!

Jim

[c1800]

I recently posted this on another forum, hence the US products. But you’ll see what they are and be able to find something similar.

Don’t use any sealant that hardens and sticks, like a gasket sealer it’ll be very difficult to get apart in the future.

This

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-1-lb-Plug-Duct-Seal-Compound-DS-110/100212441

Or this

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mortite-19-oz-x-90-ft-Grey-Weatherstrip-and-Caulking-Cord-B2/100152937

You our can also use something like this, just make sure you can compress it down to almost nothing. This is what I used.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-3-8-in-X-3-16-in-X-10-ft-Black-High-Density-Rubber-Foam-Weatherstrip-Tape-R338H/100197882

[HWKWallis]

Great info and all the more useful if already tested. I was wondering about using something crushable not least to avoid squeezing gloop all over the new powder coat.

[JP 1800]

The original sealant was referred to as dum dum, butyl tape sealant is the closest now and is readily available. It is ideal for sealing wings, trims etc.

eg: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vvciic-HEADLIGHT-RETROFIT-Headlamps-TAILLIGHT/dp/B07M9BBZ6J/ref=asc_df_B07M9BBZ6J/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=272054178218&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=452896920135898315&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-713032197548&psc=1

[simonvolvo]

Here are some pics of mine when it was opened for the first time after having left the assembly plant. The original "grey sealant" referred to is clearly visible.

[HWKWallis]

There was some indistinct residue on my but far less liberal than in these examples. Interesting treatment of the capillary tube; mine curled spring like.

[Ron Kwas]

Jim;

Sealing compound seems to me to have the same consistency as the putty (inert, calcium carbonate and oil based "33") we use for "bedding and sealing" glass into window frames...it is soft and pliable initially (so can be shaped like dough, and would be displaced to seal when Heater box halves are sucked together by hardware), but it doesn't ever dry completely, or "glue" the two flanges together making them difficult to separate later..."squeezing gloop" is not a huge issue during assembly...yes it will squeeze out (so use less!...it is intended to seal, not hold separated!), but is not "wet" per se, so can easily be wiped away after assy halves are together, without mess. This product also closely resembles the original "dum-dum" sealer used...I'd stay away from the butyl based goop used to glue in modern Windshields (...you wouldn't want a windshield to pop out too easily!, but that stuff does make a mess, and would make future separation difficult).

...OR...if not so much concerned about originality, you could even just use a modern single sticky sided, thin weatherstripping foam.

Reference (info for "33" glazing product: https://www.dap.com/dap-products-ph/33-glazing/

...and as JP has already touched on, because of the characteristics noted, that product is what we use between bolted panel seams of the vehicle also...

Cheers

See also: https://www.sw-em.com/Water_on_the_Floor_Notes.htm ...related and includes info and good pix from Derek.

...also thread about drainage from Heater Box: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=300775

[Derek UK]

Interesting to note on Simon's pic 3 that the sensor tube looks to be badly crushed where it goes between the two sections of the box. I gave my metalwork a bit of a tweak at that point to avoid that happening.
Some heaters have the tabs for retaining the loop of tube and some don't. Typically the complete heater boxes were supplied by an outside contractor but built to Volvo's design. There may have been more than one supplier.

[HWKWallis]

Thanks all..... Went for a dry crushable seal in the end which seems to have done the trick.

Reading more of your good stuff Ron as I seek to build on reliability.

Jim

[csm22]

Followed Derek's earlier suggestion when refurbing my heater box and used a round file to cut a shallow groove at the splitline for the tube. Sealed the box with a black butyl flat tape which was way stickier than the grey putty tape, but it gave a nice even seal all around. Should be good for another fifty or so years.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129069636@N06/49580416203/in/dateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129069636@N06/49580416203/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Chris

[jgcoutts]

I worked 40 years as a Property Master in the movie business, and I can tell you there is the world of difference between the grey stuff in the heater photos and black butyl. We used to use butyl for a myriad of things, quickly sticking prop licence plates over real ones or hanging a payphone on a painted concrete surface. It has a tremendous amount of elastic strength but can be easily pealed off while still pliable. Still pliable is key because once it "ages" as in baked on in the sun it is very difficult to separate to the pieces stuck together without deforming one or both, particularly thin aluminium licence plates. The grey stuff on the other hand has none of butyl's lateral strength and which we used until Fun-tak came along and should only be used on the heater because parts held together can readily be separated.

The same goes for bedding in the fuel tank!

[csm22]

I worked 40 years as a Property Master in the movie business, and I can tell you there is the world of difference between the grey stuff in the heater photos and black butyl. We used to use butyl for a myriad of things, quickly sticking prop licence plates over real ones or hanging a payphone on a painted concrete surface. It has a tremendous amount of elastic strength but can be easily pealed off while still pliable. Still pliable is key because once it "ages" as in baked on in the sun it is very difficult to separate to the pieces stuck together without deforming one or both, particularly thin aluminium licence plates. The grey stuff on the other hand has none of butyl's lateral strength and which we used until Fun-tak came along and should only be used on the heater because parts held together can readily be separated.

The same goes for bedding in the fuel tank!
Best part about using black butyl flat tape is it provides even coverage of the mating surface with consistent thickness all around. Much neater.