Car cooked me this morning

[VINMAN]

I got roasted on the way to work this morning! I couldnt turn the heat off. couldnt regulate it either. I checked the vacum line going to the heater control valve. Nothing! No vacum.
I guess the climate control unit is kaput??

[CJFusco]

I don't know about down there in NJ, but this morning was the first time in awhile i've NEEDED the heat

[VINMAN]

Yeah , this was the first time I turned the heat on since the spring. It was a little chilly this morning.

[CJFusco]

that's a bit like saying "that Ted Williams was a pretty good hitter."

[VINMAN]

I bet Ted Williams was a little bit "chilly" this morning too!

[Panzer909]

Originally posted by CJFusco
I don't know about down there in NJ, but this morning was the first time in awhile i've NEEDED the heat

I second that - it was COLD this morning on the way to work!


Vinman, did you check that little white plastic clip under your dash and see if it crumbled?

[VINMAN]

What plastic clip??

[Panzer909]

Originally posted by VINMAN
What plastic clip??

Courtesy of Clark's garage:


Full Heat at All Temperature Settings

There are two problems which most commonly cause this condition. The first and most common problem is a damper linkage in the driver's side footwell (for left-hand drive cars). Stick your head in the footwell and look up and toward the center console. You should see a small diameter metal rod which is threaded into plastic clips on either end. On later model 944s, there are two damper linkages instead of one and they are located behind a plastic cover. One of the plastic clips on the linkage may be broken preventing the linkage from operating the damper. When the damper fails to operate, the system fails to full heat. Most German cars are designed to fail this way. It's a safety feature to keep you from freezing in winter. The Porsche part number for the damper clip on the lower linkage (i.e. the clip in following picture) is 944.572.314.00. I'm still researching part numbers for the other linkage clips. If you would like to see a picture of the single damper linkage with a broken clip click here.

The second problem is with the heater control valve. The heater control valve is vacuum operated and located at the back of engine near the firewall. There is a vacuum line which goes from the valve to a vacuum connection at the firewall where the heater hose connections penetrate the firewall. Check this vacuum line to make sure it is connected and doesn't show any signs of cracking. There is another vacuum line fitting near the heater hose connections which goes to a rubber "Y" connector. One side of the "Y" goes to a small check valve attached to the large brake booster vacuum line at the back of the firewall. The other side of the "Y" goes through the firewall to a plastic vacuum retention canister next to the battery. Make sure all these lines are connected and don't show any signs of cracking. If all vacuum lines are properly connected you may wish to remove the heater control valve from the system and check it's operation with a vacuum tester.

[VINMAN]

Thanks Panzer, that was it! The clip broke off. Just ran outside and checked it. Thanks for the help.
Vinny

[bluebullet]

my clip broke off a few months ago in like early august..hit a bad rut in the road and all of a sudden the car was swarmed in heat. Looked under the dash and the plastic clip had shattered. I manaaged to slip it up over the actuator arm so It kinda holds itself closed for cold air, but I find myself leaving it hanging and I crack the sunroof a bit to create a vacuum. Sucks some of the heat out the roof and keeps the cabin at a comfortable level..

[todwic]

Some of you may recall that I was having a/c issues (hot air, no matter what through the vents, even with the a/c on [in my '86]). Tracked it down: In my usuall hamfisted attemp at repairs on something else, I had somehow broken the check valve that resides on the blower side of the firewall, next to wire harness goes into the cab. Replaced, and the a/c works great. A real plus when it's 105&deg outside. I was really starting to get road rage when traffic would stop and I'm sittin there with hottest heater air streaming into my cab.