Why hasn't anybody made....... Options

[914bub]

I was wondering why nobody has produced a stainless heat exchanger "kit" for 914's? I don't mean stainless heat exchangers like the ones that pop up now and then that were made in the past. I mean a kit that would use a separate upper and lower plate that would be held together with "cheese head" screws like the other heater system tin for 914's. Since it seems like a lot of the stock non-stainless metal ones are rusting away it would make it so anybody could cut off their old metal, bolt-on the new stainless halves and be set for life. I'm sure the pipes occasionally rust away but I've seen very few that had messed up exhaust pipes. Seems like it's usually the outers that are wasting away.

I'm also curious who made the stainless ones, how long ago and for how long? I'm sure the initial cost of tooling wouldn't be cheap but it seems like with all the messed-up ones floating around somebody could sell tons of them. They'd be a lot cheaper to ship than a complete heat exchanger as well.

@Mikey914 ? Maybe?

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

at one time the clamshells were made in japan and by someone in northern europe. However what happened is that every one was leery about putting clamshells around the pipes that could have holes in them by now and pass exhaust gasses into the cockpit, killing people. Hence because of sue happy, everyone discontinued them

I was wondering why nobody has produced a stainless heat exchanger "kit" for 914's? I don't mean stainless heat exchangers like the ones that pop up now and then that were made in the past. I mean a kit that would use a separate upper and lower plate that would be held together with "cheese head" screws like the other heater system tin for 914's. Since it seems like a lot of the stock non-stainless metal ones are rusting away it would make it so anybody could cut off their old metal, bolt-on the new stainless halves and be set for life. I'm sure the pipes occasionally rust away but I've seen very few that had messed up exhaust pipes. Seems like it's usually the outers that are wasting away.

I'm also curious who made the stainless ones, how long ago and for how long? I'm sure the initial cost of tooling wouldn't be cheap but it seems like with all the messed-up ones floating around somebody could sell tons of them. They'd be a lot cheaper to ship than a complete heat exchanger as well.

@Mikey914 ? Maybe?

[SirAndy]

at one time the clamshells were made in japan and by someone in northern europe. However what happened is that every one was leery about putting clamshells around the pipes that could have holes in them by now and pass exhaust gasses into the cockpit, killing people. Hence because of sue happy, everyone discontinued them

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I can see liability being an issue, any product like that better come with some extra large fine-print to ensure the manufacturer and/or reseller isn't sued out of existence if someone was to put them on rusted out pipes and subsequently dies from the carbon monoxide in the cabin.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[mb911]

at one time the clamshells were made in japan and by someone in northern europe. However what happened is that every one was leery about putting clamshells around the pipes that could have holes in them by now and pass exhaust gasses into the cockpit, killing people. Hence because of sue happy, everyone discontinued them

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I can see liability being an issue, any product like that better come with some extra large fine-print to ensure the manufacturer and/or reseller isn't sued out of existence if someone was to put them on rusted out pipes and subsequently dies from the carbon monoxide in the cabin.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

That's a great point..