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]

Originally Posted by 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

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-...-110/100212441

Or this

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mortite-...d-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-Ki...338H/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-HEAD...32197548&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.