Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:00:14 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Hot Foot Mods -- what's the best?
In-Reply-To: <d48c6c540808241250p2502b65eu573dd52437d2bd72@mail.gmail.com>
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It is likely possible to do at least the most important part of this
repair without pulling the dash. Though I have yet to do so to prove
that it can be done with the heater in the car, I did notice when my
heater box was out for this repair last spring that it APPEARS that
the BOTTOM (worst offender) of the three flaps (the other two there is
no hope of reaching without pulling the unit) can be repaired with the
unit still installed.
What you have to understand is how the flap is installed. There is a
removable plastic piece that holds in each end (and maybe at the
middle, I don't remember) that when pulled out (it's a snap fit) fill
allow the entire aluminum rod and plastic flaps to slide out of the
groove that guides them into place. I wrote a post about this when I
had mine on the table, about how it should be possible, but I don't
think I saved the document on my computer.
Anyway, two things to mention for anyone who wants to try it: first be
sure that you can release the control wire from the left hand side and
be sure you mentally or otherwise record the exact attitude of the
lever on that side when the unit slides out because you want it to go
back up in the heater in just the same way.
It's very easy to remove the old foam and replace it with sub-floor
insulation from a home store. Works very well to seal the leaking
vents. And no more whistling serenade at highway speeds.
Jim
On Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 2:50 PM, James Jean-Woo Kim <jkim.phd@gmail.com> wrote:
> Another common source of hot air seepage is the air distributor box
> flaps. There are soft foam-type insulation on these flaps that over
> the years disintegrate. One has to take out the dash and the air
> distributorb box to successfully repair this type of hot foot
> syndrome.
>
> On 8/10/08, Michael Diehr <md03@xochi.com> wrote:
>> Re: hot-foot mods to avoid heat seepage through the body on hot days
>>
>> I've seen described:
>> * extra valve to fully shut off the front heater water
>> * pipe insulation on the coolant pipes under the van
>> * insulating material on the sheet metal downwind from the radiator
>> (either inside or outside)
>> or above the automatic transmission
>>
>> Any advice on which is the best benefit/cost ratio?
>>
>
