Smuggler's box air tight?

[MrScott]

My car had the A/C removed by the PO. If I crack a window at speed I get a breeze from lower "bow tie" vents. I assume this is the path of least resistance for air to fill the vacuum created by the open window.

The vents connect to a tube in the smugglers box which used to connect to the A/C blower -- now it's open to the box. Is this 'breeze' typical and the fix is to seal the vent hose or should the smuggler's box be air tight and this suggests a bad seal somewhere?

[deshetlr]

There are two tubes into the smuggler's box. The first is the one going to the bow tie. The other goes to the tunnel which is where I suspect the breeze is coming from. The tube to the tunnel was an input to the evaporator box.

[2Utes]

I used a rubber cap for ABS plumbing pipe to seal this tube. Friction fit seems fine, so I have a spare large hose clamp as well.
You also have a small round opening for the drain old evaporator drain in the bottom of the box and a roughly trapezoidal opeing into the passenger footwell area that could be contributing sources of airflow.
The linkage from the steering wheel to the steering rack also passes through the area and is open to the air above the belly pan.
So to answer the original question, the smuggler's box is definitely NOT air tight.

[MrScott]

Good info guys, thanks!

[wgirardot]

Originally Posted by deshetlr

There are two tubes into the smuggler's box. The first is the one going to the bow tie. The other goes to the tunnel which is where I suspect the breeze is coming from. The tube to the tunnel was an input to the evaporator box.

On my 82' SC if have an air inlet to the evaporator behind the passenger side floorboard. Is there another air let to feed the evaporator that comes from the tunnel?

Bill

[porsche930dude]

mine has a big gap around the steering column aswell right out to the road. Is there suopsed to be a seal of some sort there? i just stuffed a rag in there so mice dont eat my tools

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by 2Utes

You also have a small round opening for the drain old evaporator drain in the bottom of the box

The round opening is the drain hole to the ground, correct? Open hole in the bottom of the car without (maybe) a hose in it.

[Canada Kev]

Yeah, there's no way it's air tIght. With the AC removed, I would be tempted to hook up a fan there in that system as well, just to het some more fresh air into your face (dash vents) to help with cooling of the humans.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

The round opening is the drain hole to the ground, correct? Open hole in the bottom of the car without (maybe) a hose in it.

Correct

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by Canada Kev

Yeah, there's no way it's air tIght. With the AC removed, I would be tempted to hook up a fan there in that system as well, just to het some more fresh air into your face (dash vents) to help with cooling of the humans.

When I did my A/C delete I removed the evaporator coil from that fan box, slightly enlarged the hole where fittings exited, and epoxied in a piece of PVC pipe. Then I put a NACA duct in the front where the condenser fan was, and connected the two with some flexible duct.

The fresh air really helps, and having the fan is essential in the SE.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

When I did my A/C delete I removed the evaporator coil from that fan box, slightly enlarged the hole where fittings exited, and epoxied in a piece of PVC pipe. Then I put a NACA duct in the front where the condenser fan was, and connected the two with some flexible duct.

The fresh air really helps, and having the fan is essential in the SE.

Huh . . . pretty interesting idea. Any pictures you can share?

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by Flat Six

Huh . . . pretty interesting idea. Any pictures you can share?

I can take some, although my install is pretty ugly. I should have painted the PVC pipe black before I put the fan box back in the smugglers box. That fan box is one tight fit. I can see those damn Porsche engineers designing it with exactly 1mm clearance one each side.

[SiberianDVM]

As promised, I am trying to post pictures of my A/C delete and fresh air intake. PVC is a 2" 45 degree union bought at Home Depot; red sleeve is 80mm silicone made for some turbo bought on ebay, but they have them at FLAPS, old flexible duct form blowr to dash vents was dry rotted; flexible duct is 3" x 4' Gates bought on ebay; NACA duct was standard single bought on ebay (had to trim end to fit when I moved my battery.

Also installed inline fuse to fan motor, as I was told this was unfused from factory.

Just barely visible is aluminum plate riveted to front bulkhead covering intake hole from deleted front condenser fan.

Haven't finished my battery cableing yet, still waiting on a kill switch kit to be delivered.