Dash heater control panel

Toga82sc · 03-06-2002, 10:52 AM

The plastic plate connected to the metal frame on my car is broke. When I slide the levers, the whole plate pulls out. I've got a replacement unit with the cables and wires attached. Does anyone know where they attach? Anyone do this before?

Toga82sc

Roland Kunz · 03-12-2002, 08:04 PM

Hello

removing is very simple:

undow M6 10mm nut screw on the rear who fix the unit to the bulkhead.

remove the bowdens from the dividerflaps ( mark position, 7mm nut & plier then remove clamp clip ) and the one from the fresh air flap on the fresh air blower.

Then you can go two ways:

remove unit complete with the bowdens on it or pull it some inches and remove the bowdens on the regulator unit.

Have a look at your old unit maybe only the screw in the bulkhead is missing

If your plastic face is broken and moves then you can repair it too ( tricky but possible )

Grüsse

Argo · 03-12-2002, 08:26 PM

Roland - I have to check and adjust the heated air distribution valve (windshield defrost / footwell) in my 88 Targa. The valve on the drivers side creaks and doesn't completely divert the hot air to the windshield when I move the bottom slider on the dash all the way to the right. The heated air adjustment cable is hidden between the back side of the valve housing and the bulkhead. The Bentley manual says to "lift off the valve housing" to adjust this cable. Does this mean to disconnect the whole housing from the trunk floor (bolts or screws from underneath the dash?) or do I remove the top of the housing by removing those 2 circlips on the front and back sides? If I'm supposed to remove those 2 clips, it's easier said than done - I couldn't even get close to the backside one. Any help you could give on how to service and adjust this valve will be greatly appreciated.

Also - what is the trick to getting those rould circlips on and off? I had the front one flying all over the garage like a bullet when i used a pair of pliers on it!

Argo
88 Tarra

Toga82sc · 03-13-2002, 03:36 AM

Roland,

The unit I have to put in has a round plug (electrical connection) a couple of wires with single connectors, and 3 slider calbles; one is for the fan speed, where do the other 2 go. I assume these control directional air flow boxes but where are they located and how do I get to them? BTW the face plate on my unit is rivited on the frame unit of the controler and is broke in 3 of the 4 rivits so I'm going to replace it with a good unit I have. Any help would be appreciated.

Toga82sc

Argo · 03-13-2002, 06:55 AM

You're going to end up facing the same problem I have so I'll see if I can help you some and maybe you can solve it for me

The top row of sliders are for fresh air (open or closed)- moving the right hand slider on the top row to the right opens up the fresh air ducts and allows fresh air into the car. The left hand top slider is for the fresh air assist fan - slide it to the right and it turns the fresh air fan on. Needless to say, this is the one with the wiring (although I have never looked behind the sliders to see how the wires connect). The middle slider is for the fresh air direction - slide it to the right and the fresh air is directed to the windshield; slide it to the left and the fresh air is directed to the footwells. The bottom slider is for heated air distribution - slide it to the right and heated air goes to the windshield; slide to the left and it goes to the footwells.

The other end of these cables attach to various components found in the front trunk. Open the front hood and up by the firewall you will find (at least in my car) a black cardboard protector held on by 4 bolts/screws. Removing this will expose the fresh air / heated air distribution boxes (towards the outside of the car) and the fresh air on/off valve (in the center of the car). You should be able to figure out which is which by fiddling with the sliders and seeing what moves under the hood. The fresh air open/close valve in the middle of the car is easy to reach; the fresh air windshield/footwell distribution valves on each side are also not too bad to get too. The problem I am dealing with is the heated air windshield/footwell distribution valve. The cable connection/adjustment is on the back side of the valve housing up against the firewall and is near impossible to reach from the front. At the moment, I suspect to reach this cable, you have to pull the whole distribution valve housing up from the floor so you can reach behind it. I'm gonna give it a try this weekend. Although I can't help you more than this, this info should give you some idea how to proceed. I believe the above info is correct for my 88; I can't swear that it is how your car is set up but it should give you some help. Hopefully Roland will drop back by and solve this for both of us.

Argo
88 Targa

Toga82sc · 03-13-2002, 07:34 AM

Thanks Argo,

This helps somewhat. My 82 has 3 sliders, the top like yours is for the fan speed control. Not having a manual, I don't know the exact function of the middle and bottom sliders, but they probably control windshield/footweld direction and maybe side to side. The tip on where the fresh air fan and the directional boxes are, is probably right on for my car also. Will take a look at it this weekend.

thanks

toga82sc

steve911 · steve911's Garage

There was an excellent description of the heater/fresh air system recently.

follow this for which levers do what:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61658&highlight=heater

I think the only difference is that on the 87 there are 2 top levers; on yours the top lever does double duty by controlling the fan when slid to the right.

RoninLB · 03-13-2002, 12:46 PM

Argo..I was able to adjust the "backside" cable. Be careful to hold assembly when losening or tightning. I'm a double jointed midget so you may find it easier to remove complete valve. At least remove hose to see what is going on inside when adjusting.

Argo · 03-13-2002, 08:39 PM

You actually got around the back of that thing? My hats off to you, Ronin - I thought I was doing good to replace the driver's side hood shock! Did you remove the hoses (or anything else) first to get better access? My driver side valve creaked and clanked so I tried to remove the top of the valve housing to take a look, give it a good lube and hopefully get enough access to adjust the cable. The front circlip was a PITA to deal with and I couldn't imagine how I'd get that back clip back on (or off, for that matter) so I buttoned it back up to come up with plan B. I'm going to use your idea and lube the valve by removing a hose and hitting it through the hole with WD 40. Before I try removing the whole thing from the floor, I'm going to try one more time to squeeze around back. What did you mean when you said to hold the whole assembly when loosening or tightening? Were you referring to the cable/clip assembly or the whole housing? Also, how did you get that bowden clip off? Luck, by feel or with a small mirror?

Thanks in advance for the help. If you tell me I have to remove that hood shock again to get access I'm gonna weep like a child ...

Argo
88 Targa

Roland Kunz · 03-13-2002, 09:28 PM

Hello

The frontside is reachable but the backside is very hard to do and so normaly you unbolt it and move it upwards.

best is to remove the complete freh air blower housing unit then you have enough space and acces to adjust the mixer flaps. ( Without removing them )

And only one end from the bowden cable is adjustable on the ones between flaps.

Sometime the flaps are broken on the shaft and so you can´t move them from the outside.

Grüsse

RoninLB · 03-13-2002, 10:17 PM

ARGO...Roland offers perfect info. If only trying to adjust the drivers side cable that comes from dash panel you may be able to get to it by removing dash gauges. It will depend on rear gauge wires. I can do it. I keep a small pencil magnet w/a lanyard and a mirror w/a lanyard close by. "holding the assembly" means the locking nut on wire that may twist the wire when fastening/unfastening. The rear of the drivers side is for adjusting "fresh air" The adjuster closest to fender is for adjusting the pass side "fresh air" valve. The adjuster closest to center of car is for adjusting drivers side valve "fresh air". The clip on the cable housing is removed by pulling back the bent "holder" over the top of the mounting fixture. Examine a clip that you can easily see and understand it. You should be able to adjust the valve without removing the cable housing fastening clip. If the job doesn't go smooth/quickly remove the blower housing like Roland says. Installing the blower housing for me is a very slow process.

304065 · 03-14-2002, 06:45 PM

Ron-

My hat's off to you for reaching around the backside of that. I found that to properly adjust it it helps to have it floating a couple inches off the firewall, which necessitates getting under the dash in the inverted yoga position to remove the screws.

Argo, sounds like you have learned, as I did, not to monkey with the circular clips- they are made out of steel with an unbelievable springing tendency, and will fly at least 30 feet if you are using conventional pliers. Fortunately I sweep my hangar very slowly and can find them again.

Another tip: I used needle-nose pliers to bend the bowden cable retaining tab down about 1/8" on each of the retaining clips. They're a little harder to get on that way, but if you do that they will hold the cable better. Particularly since the cables on my '71 have long since had the plastic covering worn away, revealing the metal coil.

RoninLB · 03-14-2002, 08:19 PM

Gentlemen...I am confused by the "firewall" reference. My '77 drivers side valve is not near any firewall. My car is a coupe.

Roland Kunz · 03-14-2002, 11:43 PM

Hello

I need normaly some 5 minutes to remove the trunkspace cardboarddivider ( As long not a complete Soundsystem hangs on there )
If you are working on these cars regulary you made enogh attempts to save time by doing shortcuts. Mostly shortcuts work sometimes but if you look at them close you broke things by trying something or you shreded your hands bloody to safe some 5 minutes. Thats nice for a amatuere who works once a month on the car but if you do it every day

RoninLB · 03-15-2002, 04:06 AM

Roland.......I agree completely...Ron

Argo · 03-15-2002, 06:48 AM

Problem solved! (actually, I just got lucky). Working in that zen position under the dash, after removing the footwell duct cover, I could see far enough up inside to verify that the heated air valve was indeed closing completely (I guess the weak windshield defrosting air flow on the driver's side is from a weak footwell blower motor, not a partially open valve). I could hit it with the WD40 from underneath (and from above through the windshield vent) to quiet it down nicely. If I have to adjust this in the future, I'd remove the 2 hold down screws from underneath the dash and pull the whole assembly forward a few inches to get the necessary room. Removing the ducts and the top fastener of the hood shock would also help access without tearing too much stuff out.

I think the 80's set-up is different from the earlier cars - my valve is not really near the firewall and access through the speedo/tach gauge holes in the dash wouldn't work - I'm not sure you'd even be able to see the assembly through the dash. Also, there were no threads or nuts to tighten, only the bowden(?) clips.

John Cramer - Boy, you aren't kidding about those spring clips. After screwing with the pliers for 20 minutes or so, I got out the vise grips to really get the pressure on it. When the damn thing flew off it actually stuck in my other arm. At least there it was easy to find. The other times it either flew down by the gas tank, under the fuse box wiring or out across the garage like a rifle shot. I actually dug up a pair of safety goggles to use. Could have used a kevlar vest as well

Anyway, I guess I'm on to the next project. Thanks for the help, Ronin and danke to you, Roland.

Argo
88 Targa

Roland Kunz · 03-16-2002, 01:19 AM

Hello

The bulkhead between trunk and dashboard can also be seen as a firewal ( it isn´t realy one but on normal cars the firewall is therel. Now the venting system is mountet on the trunkloor and if you loose the nozzle on the underside you can lift off the flaps inside the trunk.

Working on the driverside is very limitet if you have the brake boostered cars.

Grüsse

RoninLB · 03-16-2002, 06:41 AM

Roland...thanks for explaning/clearing things up for me. Sometimes I become confused because living in metro New York I have to keep my eyes in the back of my head often.