Date:         Thu, 13 Jun 2002 21:54:05 -0500
Reply-To:     Roy Olynick <rrh@AUTOBAHN.MB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Olynick <rrh@AUTOBAHN.MB.CA>
Subject:      Fw:      Re: Cheap front AC for an 86 Westy
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| other technique.  There are two problems with the rear
| A/C system: distance and resistance.

There's a third problem as well: the slipshod design of the A/C cabinet. It's
way too big, not sealed properly and has too many directional vents.

I improved the A/C in my Westy noticibly by closing the two outside directional
vents and inserting friction fit foam tubing into the cabinet to guide the cool
air directly to the remaing vents.

Remove the vents and you'll see that the A/C cabinet is just a big, cavernous
box which allows the air to simply bounce around inside until it finds a way out
through the vents. Like most of us, the air needs some guidance, which is what
the foam tubing does. After inserting the tubing, the air has much more velocity
coming out of the vents, thus allowing it to reach the cockpit more easily. The
tubing prevents the cool air from going where it shouldn't...like into the
closet! Having the A/C fan on the second speed does a good job of providing cool
air to me and my front seat passenger now.

This mod takes about fifteen minutes and cost less than $3 Cnd.

Roy Olynick
'87 VW Westfalia GL
(till death do us part)
'91 Honda Civic SE
'01 Honda Civic LX
www.autobahn.mb.ca/~rrh/Westy_Home.htm