Where's the Bowtie on the A/C

Hugh R · 08-24-2003, 04:15 PM

I have an 84 ROW Targa, with a weak A/C system. I see a lot of references to the removing the "Bowtie", but I can't figure out what it is. Do you mean the black plastic air registers on the passenger and driver sides of the underside of the dask above your feet? They're held on by two philips screws and have three holes in them and a duct that points towards the firewall, or is it something else? Also, (maybe same question) if you install a center Griffiths vent under the ashtray, where does it connect?

Appreciate any enlightenment you can provide.

radcon · radcon's Garage

Look behind the console at the centerline of the car. There is a plastic "bowtie" screwed to the A/C evaporator housing with two screws, one on the top and one on the bottom, if I'm not mistaken. If you take of the bowtie, you will see a single hole that is the air outlet from the evaporator.

david914 · 08-24-2003, 04:21 PM

If you look on the firewall right behind your center console, you'll see a black plastic piece held by two bolts. Behind it is a round port (~1 1/8" diameter) that comes from the A/C unit. If you remove the two bolts and the plastic "bowtie" the air will come straight out toward the passengers where it will do more good, and not their feet. BTW, the Griffith's Kuehl Vent connects to this same port.

Hugh R · 08-24-2003, 06:47 PM

I'm having problems uploading pictures. I'll try an load one later, but I swear there isn't any kind of access panel/bowtie/cover directly behind my center console on the firewall (I assume that you mean on the sheetmetal ductwork which is part of the A/C plenum.

CarreraS2 · 08-24-2003, 06:57 PM

Here's a pic of the vent, with the bowtie removed.

The three little holes surrounding the vent are where the 3 10mm bolts go.

Hugh R · 08-24-2003, 08:58 PM

I looked at that picture, and I don't have a hole like that in my A/C duct work. I'm having problems uploading pics today (don't know why, maybe that new virus). I'll try posting a pic tomorrrow of what my 84 ROW duct work looks like.

Thanks for all your help.

Hugh R · 08-25-2003, 07:19 AM

I definitely don't have that hole in my A/C venting.

vesnyder · vesnyder's Garage

I not you have one unique 911? It is directly under tha radio on the firewall. The "bowtie" looking thing muust be remove first!

Just replaced the bowtie with an aftermarket vent that I mounted to the top of the console - made a big difference in the cooling capability of my AC - and it only cost ne $20!

plain fan · 08-25-2003, 09:01 AM

Hugh, don't feel bad. My dealer installed A/C on my 78 SC doesn't have the bow tie and it doesn't have that hose running from the plastic shroud either. Guess our cars are just special

Rot 911 · 08-25-2003, 09:07 AM

I believe the bowtie was specific to the SC's. The Carreras have a different ventilation setup.

CarreraS2 · 08-25-2003, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kurt V
I believe the bowtie was specific to the SC's. The Carreras have a different ventilation setup.

I'm not so sure. It's been a few years now, and I could be mistaken, but I remember removing the bowtie from my friend's '86 Carrera shortly after he bought it.

Rot 911 · 08-25-2003, 09:32 AM

I know they made a change in ventilation with the '86 Carrera, but I thought from the '84 Carrera on there was a vent change that lost the bowtie.

Steve W · Steve W's Garage

I think the loss of the bowtie vent was from somewhere around 85 and up. PerformanceAir stated that after the transition, the vent was permanently gone, but if you want to retrofit the duct, you need to remove the evaporator motor housing and do some surgery to get it in there.

Argo · 08-25-2003, 10:01 AM

I removed the bowtie on my '88 a few weeks ago. Same place as the above pic but it was held on by 2 screws instead of 3 bolts.

Argo
88 Targa

Steve W · Steve W's Garage

If you look closely in this pic, you can see where the PerformanceAire double diffuser replaces the bowtie. This is along with an additional duct ported into the plenum of the blower to double the airflow volume.

greglepore · 08-25-2003, 11:13 AM

My '85 Carrera had a bowtie. Gone now.

Hugh R · 08-25-2003, 11:13 AM

Here's a picture of the underside of my dash. I don't see the bowtie thingie.

CarreraS2 · 08-25-2003, 11:16 AM

Yup. Definately not there on your car!

Rondinone · 08-25-2003, 11:18 AM

I have a '79sc euro with no bowtie.

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

I replace the bowtie on my car after removing it for several years. I think the bowtie is to provide cool air in the footwell especially the passenger side footwell where the cabin air is recirculated back into the evaporator.

By recirculating cooler air back into the evaporator, the air that is blown into the passenger cabin is colder (colder vent temp) since the air going into the evaporator is cooler. Most new car has a recirculation system to increase the efficency of the a/c system.

I normally close off the fresh air vent (top lever all the way to the left) and my car has been pretty cold even though it's a Targa.