Can someone tell me what I destroyed?

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:39 am

When I was taking the old heater channel out I noticed a big piece of rubber that had to be ground away. This is how the new channel looks:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j47/k ... CN2913.jpg

I'm just now starting to search out all the spot welds on the old left heater channel. I noticed a big piece of rubber dangling from the rusty channel end:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j47/k ... CN2914.jpg

So, anyone know what this is and whether I need to replace it? I haven't seen anything like this in the VW catalogs.

TIA,

Kevin

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:40 am

the foam stuff is cheezeball insulation.

Rubber piece is a grommet .. this is what is installed to keep from cutting the wiring loom on sharp steel edges.

Yes it should be replaced.

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:56 am

From the second photo I can see what I think is a grommet surrounding the wires leading to the voltage regulator. It's all dangling to the right. The big rubber piece is to the left of the regulator. Both channels had it, but I destroyed the one on the right with my grinder. Is that the grommet you see? Also the right channel has no wire loom so no need for a grommet???

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:45 am

crvc wrote:From the second photo I can see what I think is a grommet surrounding the wires leading to the voltage regulator. It's all dangling to the right. The big rubber piece is to the left of the regulator. Both channels had it, but I destroyed the one on the right with my grinder. Is that the grommet you see? Also the right channel has no wire loom so no need for a grommet???

Yes the black rubber thing the wires run through in this pic is the grommet.

As for the other side yes you'll need it unless you weld the hole shut. If not water and crud will get in there and you'll be doing this same job again down the line.

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:37 pm

I phoned Cal Imports and asked about the rubber I found within the heater channels. The operator (Kris) didn't know what it was and suggested I sent a photo. Since I had the jpg on my computer I emailed it to him at Cal Imports. He got back to me several hours later. He emailed that he showed the photo to everyone in the building and the consensus was this was not standard to the 1967 Beetle. Their best guess is someone jammed a chunk of tire rubber into a rust hole in each heater channel. So I don't need to replace it.

Oldbugss · Post by **Oldbugss** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:31 pm

OK, what are they smokin' at CAL?

This is most certainly stock and not just some chunk of rubber. Just a sec, i am gonna go take a pic of mine. brb.

Ok, this grommet is large. It has a reason.

The main loom is getting pretty heavy at this point. The grommet is like a large stiffer type rubber cup with a small "U" shaped lip on the edge.

This small channel allows it to be put into the receiving hole that have a metal lip all around it, and keep it there.

With a hole cut around center of the large grommet, the main headed to the engine can now be threaded into it. There it has room for years of vibrations and shocks so as not to let the edge of this large diameter hole in the 'channel to cut through the casing. Plus the angle at which this loom in entering the 'channel is steep. It's a win win situation on both fronts.

I am also suspect that is helps in the shrinkage of the loom over the years.

Mine was in super shape. I have not found any repro's of this part as of now.

Dennis C~

Well?

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:56 pm

Hopefully I can get the channel out this weekend. I'll clean up the rubber piece and send a photo. The guy from Cal Imports wants to see it as well.

Kevin