914 plumbing

[Neal Colingham]

I need to know where the heater/venting hose runs in a 914. I have odors in my passenger space. I have new SS h/exchangers with new flapper box's. Engine is new and no gas leaks. It's a 76 so I am sure the hose is compromised. Is this possible with out
allot of work ?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The heater hoses run inside the longitudinals, up through the speaker enclosures, up into the dashboard. They hook up to the "mixing valves" up there. There might be another hose from the fresh air inlet to the mixing valves, but I'm not sure.

--DD

[Neal Colingham]

When you say longitudinals do you mean they are behind the rocker panels ?, where do I go to inspect the hoses ?
NEal

[Scott S]

Unfortunately no. They are incased inbetween the outer and inner rocker clamshells. You may be able to use something to "snake" them with (like doing a roto - rooter on them...)

[Neal Colingham]

Are they in the same place as the oil lines for a 6 cylinder conversion.
I will have to remove the rockers to get to them ?

[Scott S]

From the outside of the car in it goes:
1. Outer rocker cover
2. Outer rocker (what the jack post is welded to)
3. Heater tubes
4. Inner rocker (what your seat belts, e-brake handle, are anchored to)

The tubes are inside the frame that was created by the factory welding the inner and outer rockers together

[John Rogers]

I noted when I cut some holes in the box sections on my race car for the roll cage attachments that there were NO hoses of any kind in there? So being curious, I used a small mirror in our stock 1974 from the inside of the compt here the hose comes up to the cowel area and there were none in either side there too! The box section was open from front to back so I figured it acted like a piece of ducting. Good luck.

[toman]

Am I the only one who's going to ask about that picture?

[Bruce Allert]

Maybe that picture is of Neal and that's why he has a 914 now & not that bike!!! Prolly no butt either!
bruce

[Amark]

Neal, I have had that same odor in my last couple of 914's. I think it my be the nature of the beast. Maybe there is some residual oil on your new heat exchangers that needs to burn off.

Mark

73 2.0

[jackmech]

Where's all the people who have done longitudinal repairs? Is there a tube inside or is it just the walls?

[Loan Dog]

The "tubes" inside the longitudinals, if they are still there, look like corrogated alumininum foil ducts, about 3 inches in diameter. You would have to remove the outer rocker cover then cut the inner longitudinal off to get at them. If the PO of your car ever replaced the longs., chances are he did not replace the heat tubes, or crushed them. They're not very sturdy.
Don

[Neal Colingham]

Car is one owner, my family, no repairs have been done. I did have gas leaks at the tank but have been fixed. Heat exchangers are a year old so I don't think they are the culprit. I have been running a Hepa filter in the car at night. I have to say that the smell is not bad to me but to my wife (Bionic nose) it's a problem. I was just looking for something I could repair or replace that would help. Thanks for the replys.

[Loan Dog]

Neal, is it definately an exhaust smell, or is it a gasoline odor? Sometimes something as simple as a small vacuum line on the expansion tank in the front trunk that has disconnected itself can get odors into the car. Just another thought.
Don

[Neal Colingham]

Redmond European (my shop) just had the tank out and replaced all the hoses. I trust Montys work so I don't think I have any loose hoses. I think the smell is exhaust but Bionic nose (wife) swears it's gas. I will continue to run the hepa and see if the smell disapates. Att his time I don't smell a thing. Time will tell. P.S there are no drops on the garage floor indicating anything is dripping, ie Gas. Maybe I will just buy a 5 pound chunk of chocolate and melt it on the engine and say it's her Valentines day present.

[Scott S]

Here's a thought...
When I replaced my fuel lines there was some spillage that was nearly impossible to really get cleaned up - it was in the far reaches and crevices (with Pumas!) of the center tunnell. Perhaps it's just residual. My car is not bad at all, but it is noticable. I am hoping that the new carpet kit will return it to that good old horse hair smell...

[Neal Colingham]

Scott, that is exactly what I think, on the carpet kit have you choosen a kit,vendor ? that is my next purchase so any recommendations would be appreciated.
Neal

[Scott S]

Hi Neal -
I am doing the GT thing, so I ordered a pile of Perlon felt and am doing it all myself - if it ever gets to a normal temp around here!
-S

[Neal Colingham]

Well i'm not a seamstress so I will purchase mine, good luck. I have seen kits from Pelican from around $300 to $400 and othrr kits as low as $195.00 for what looks like the same quality from other vendors. confusing
Neal

[mikester]

Neal,

My experience with this problem was when I decided to rebuild/repair my blower fan.

As soon as I removed it, I started smelling gas in the passenger compartment. The reason was, I had removed the hoses that connect the blower assembly to the air directors, leaving them open to the compartment the fuel tank is in. Mild gas fumes seem to always be in there for me. I sealed up the directors so that air from the compartment would not get into there while I had the blower assembly out of the car. I put the assembly back in and used the old hoses. I started smelling it again...I checked the hoses and one of them was a little mangled. That allowed air from the compartment into the cab again. I sealed it up, no more problem. If you're getting a mild gas smell in the passenger compartment, I would surely check those hoses and the other various parts of the fresh air assembly.