dash control panel woes

[UTKarmann_Ghia]

Whelp, last weekend I bit the bullet and actually fixed my driver's side fresh air/heater deflector vent assembly. The heater side of the unit which controls the flap had broken away from the L-shaped metal bracket which attaches to the cable (not the cable housing). I drilled the plastic and threaded a screw and epoxyed the screw to secure the valve bracket. Worked PERFECTLY. I was pretty impressed with myself. Took about 3-4 hours to complete that little project...but...

After testing the dash cable response for the bottom 2 levers, I found that they worked ok when they were NOT hooked up (ie the wire moved in and out OK). But when attached, the darned levers inside the car wont "push" the valves. They will pull them OK (not great but usable) but pushing is out of the question. Now the valves in the boxes themselves move light as a feather. and the passenger-side mechanisms work easily also. I'm looking at how the wires are attached under the dash and they have like a 90 degree angle built into the wire. IS THIS HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK? This is part of the reason those dash controls are soooo "spongy", but they flex so much when I'm trying to move them that they wont push the wire. Both are the same way so I'm assuming that's the design...but who though up THAT design?!

Has anybody else had the same problem and can tell me what to do about it? I did try spraying some WD-40 in the tube but I dont think that will help much.

Please any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

[jkrubinlaw]

I can't even figure out how the thing is supposed to work?

[RallyJon]

they have like a 90 degree angle built into the wire

Huh? You mean the control cable is bent? That's not the way it's supposed to be.

I just finished putting the vent system back together. The cables must operate smoothly and not have any kinks in them. The cables go left from the control box, under the steering column, up through a grommet into the trunk, then curve back to the right to reach the valves.

Mine were a bit stiff, and I tried lubricating them with bicycle cable grease. It didn't help much.

It's a really simple mechanical system. Have someone sit in the car and work the levers while you watch what the cables do up front.

Also, check to make sure the metal clips that hold the cable sheath to the valves are tight. If they're broken or missing the sheath will slide back and forth with the cable, and nothing will work.

[UTKarmann_Ghia]

Thanks Jon, yes, the wire is bent 90 degrees from where it attaches to the dash adjuster to where it actaully goes into the bowden tube.

EVERYTHING else looks perfect and actually feels really good too, but I was a bit perplexed when I saw 90 degree kinks right before the cable goes into the tube (from the dash controls). Which is exactly why they feel "spongy" when you move them.

So the wire should be straight going into the bowden cable? Funny, when I first saw it with the bend, I thought "man, this would sure work better if those wires were straight!"

Jon, are all the years the same for this? That's the only question I have left...

[RallyJon]

Jon, are all the years the same for this?

For the parts we're talking about, your car and mine are identical.

[UTKarmann_Ghia]

Damn you're fast! Jon, u da man!