2 Questions

[chaseincats]

Hi guys,

Figured I'd keep both in here instead of making two posts.

#1: It seems my 'mode (heater) door' is not closing fully.  When I look under the dash via the driver side footwell, i can see that the mode-door's vacuum pod is fully closed (down/retracted/no vacuum to the pod) when "vent" or AC is selected, I still can feel a little bit of hot air coming out from the hot air vent under the dash.  Is there a way to fix this or are they all like that?

#2: Is there a way on an s30 to get recirculating air rather than strictly vent?  The reason I'd like this is that when the AC is running, it is pulling/cooling air from inside the cabin but when I switch the AC off and just want to have the fan run (for MPG savings) the "fresh air door" vacuum pod is relaxed and the cool air in the cabin is invaded by the hot/humid air outside when I select "vent".  I'd like to have the blower run with the air from inside the cabin.  We have two heat settings, "heat" and "recirculate heat" so is there a way to do this for the cabin fan?  I was thinking about connecting the fresh air vent vacuum pod directly to the intake manifold which will always keep the fresh air door shut - would that work?

 

-chase

[dutchzcarguy]

Most likely.. your heaterdoor has lost the foam that ones was on it. when you restore this you can also look for problem #2..  because you have to take it out of the car..  sorry..

[Captain Obvious]

1) What he said. The mode flapper doors rarely form a totally perfect seal, even with new sealing foam. It's not unusual to get a tiny bit of air still flowing through the heater core even when the control in in the VENT position.

2) No, and no.  With the stock system, the only way to get recirculated air is with the control in A/C or REC HEAT. When you switch it to VENT, it always uses fresh intake air instead of recirculated. And as for connecting the intake door actuator to the intake manifold... I didn't study things extensively, but I believe that's backwards. I believe when there is vacuum present on that actuator, it pulls the door to fresh intake. So the point is... Just disconnect and plug the vacuum line to that actuator and I think it will always pull recirculated. I think.

[chaseincats]

6 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

1) What he said. The mode flapper doors rarely form a totally perfect seal, even with new sealing foam. It's not unusual to get a tiny bit of air still flowing through the heater core even when the control in in the VENT position.

2) No, and no.  With the stock system, the only way to get recirculated air is with the control in A/C or REC HEAT. When you switch it to VENT, it always uses fresh intake air instead of recirculated. And as for connecting the intake door actuator to the intake manifold... I didn't study things extensively, but I believe that's backwards. I believe when there is vacuum present on that actuator, it pulls the door to fresh intake. So the point is... Just disconnect and plug the vacuum line to that actuator and I think it will always pull recirculated. I think.

Sounds good - will do.  Are either of you at zcon now btw?

[Captain Obvious]

Double check the FSM for the direction of that fresh/recirc actuator. I'm fairly confident I got it right, but not 100%.

Want another idea?  A local buddy of mine @GGRIII ran a cable from the fresh/recirc linkage over to a push/pull knob that he placed where the cigarette lighter normally goes. Now, with a pull (or push) of a knob, he can choose fresh or recirc at any time regardless of what else is going on with the system. I think it's pretty slick.

As for Zcon, no, unfortunately I couldn't make it this year. Are you there?

[chaseincats]

3 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

Double check the FSM for the direction of that fresh/recirc actuator. I'm fairly confident I got it right, but not 100%.

Want another idea?  A local buddy of mine @GGRIII ran a cable from the fresh/recirc linkage over to a push/pull knob that he placed where the cigarette lighter normally goes. Now, with a pull (or push) of a knob, he can choose fresh or recirc at any time regardless of what else is going on with the system. I think it's pretty slick.

As for Zcon, no, unfortunately I couldn't make it this year. Are you there?

Just gave the FSM a look and you were right about the vacuum direction.  That's an interesting idea with the cable.

Yep, I'm there now - will probably head to the event lot and pull/cap that vacuum line in a few minutes because the zcon cruise is tomorrow morning.

Edited July 19, 2019 by chaseincats

[dutchzcarguy]

10 hours ago, chaseincats said:

Are either of you at zcon now btw?

No..no…  I live in the Netherlands.. HOLLAND...  The Dutch!   Haha.. confusing hey? Des pay bas...  

[GGRIII]

I'll see about posting some pics and a description of my mod.  The quick and dirty is: an old fresh air intake knob, as I recall drilled it out, soldered some piano wire in it, bicycle brake housing, an old cheesy pressed steel  cigarette lighter - guts removed washer tacked in place with the mig,  whole thing assembles up where the cigarette lighter use to be.  Looks right at home, 12V lighter port moved into glove box where it is more useful for usb power (not in the way while driving...)  Give me a day or two... 

[chaseincats]

5 minutes ago, GGRIII said:

I'll see about posting some pics and a description of my mod.  The quick and dirty is: an old fresh air intake knob, as I recall drilled it out, soldered some piano wire in it, bicycle brake housing, an old cheesy pressed steel  cigarette lighter - guts removed washer tacked in place with the mig,  whole thing assembles up where the cigarette lighter use to be.  Looks right at home, 12V lighter port moved into glove box where it is more useful for usb power (not in the way while driving...)  Give me a day or two... 

It's cool, don't worry about it.  Unplugging/capping the fresh-air dashpot's vacuum line did the trick, thanks though!