Maggie wrote;
>> OK, I'm just going to expose my ignorance (again).
Why do I need a flue vent cover - I thought the metal
one *was* the cover?

Maggie,

I just grabbed my camper Supplement to the Volkswagen
Vanagon Owner's Manual, so that I could cite you
chapter and verse regarding the urgent need for a flue
vent cover, and here is what I found:

"The FLUE VENT must be kept uncovered at all times.
Only when you wash the Camper, or while taking the
vehicle through an Automatic Car-Wash, should the FLUE
VENT be covered.
"To drain accumulated water due to normal
condensation, open the screw on the condensation drain
pipe."

So I've apparently been incorrectly covering mine all
these years, not to mention the countless precious
hours squandered in Goodwills and St. Vinnies',
seeking an aerodynamic saucepan lid of just the
correct proportions.

Not sure how I got started covering it; I seem to
recall it was upon the advice of a veteran fellow
Westy-owner who suggested it as a way to keep bugs and
spiders and other crud out of the delicate flues and
boiler chamber. It has certainly served this purpose
well, but apparently increases the likelihood of
rust-causing condensation ...

Jeffrey Earl
1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi"
http://www.vanthology.com/

"OK, I'll leave it at that since I've already gone on
for far too long about something I don't know a whole
lot about ..."

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