Texas Heat Abatement Procedures

[misterfeathers]

Howdy Y'all,

The summer in texas is coming into full swing. Just recharged my A/C and am ready to battle the heat in my 1989 vanagon this year.

Only one problem..the A/C is on a losing battle since I can't shut the external air flow to the front vent system off. I have heard conflicting reports but it seems that closing either the floor vents or the defrost vents only redirects airflow to the other.

Is their a way to totally cut off outside air flow to the distribution box? I was thinking of sealing the fresh air system off completely. Has anyone had any success with this?

Where would be the best point to do so? Would cardboard or tape be adequate to seal the inlet point for the season? Would the best point of closure be at the beginning of the system behind the radiator?

I have done a fair bit of research on hot foot and the air distribution box, but was looking for another workaround. Thanks for the input.


--Sweating in Texas

[Howesight]

I built and installed my own front AC system for my Syncro Westy. I modified the plastic airbox to include a flap that was intended to stop all outside air getting in.

See here:

Unfortunately, the flap works less than perfectly - - I still intend to make it work, but for now, I have simply used black duct tape to completely seal the exterior air intake. The flap I installed needs a vacuum control servo, I think, to be effective. Currently, I use the lowest slider control on my HVAC controls to operate it, but the wind just blows it partly open since it is a fully-cantilevered flap.

In addition, since even a brand new VW heater control valve will not completely stop the coolant flow to the front heater core, I have added a quality vacuum-operated coolant valve right in my engine compartment so that even the heater hoses under the van get no flow. This works really well.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[danfromsyr]

to answer your question, YES you can block off the intake grill in the upper radiator grill with nearly anything non-permanent

I've used saran wrap, aluminum foil, etc to varying durations of success.
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[Terry Kay]

Thank God for black duct tape & an accessory front heater valve so the war between hot & cold AC is no longer a problem in the summer.
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T.K.

[morymob]

Until I have time to remove dash I use some closed cell packing strips, 2 halves cut to size and wedged into front air entrance, stops air completely,

[HoustonPhotog]

[danfromsyr]

available about halfway down Terry's site http://vanagonwestfaliaaccessories.com/
just make sure if you have a suby swap you have a thermostat bypass loop installed correctly.
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[HoustonPhotog]

[Terry Kay]

Here's what I have suggested to do when installing the accessory heater shut off valve to cut off the heat in the summer.

Rather than just isolating the front heater--put the valve back in the heater feed hose prior to the rear heater.
This way with one flip of the finger, you get a positive shut off on them both--the rear & the front.

Bada Boom--Bada Bing.

Easy---
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T.K.

[HoustonPhotog]

[Terry Kay]

Abel,
There are 2 hoses, one on the right one on the left--
The one on the right is the feed hose the one on the left is the return.

That's laying on your back on the right hand side of the van and looking from the rear forward.

Mount the valve just prior to the rear heater.

Here's a easy to follow map of the hoses;

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T.K.

[HoustonPhotog]

[HoustonPhotog]

edit. just saw the pic you posted... perfect! thanks!
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Abel Longoria
VanAlert App for Vanagons/Buses | Texas Vanagons | My Vanagon Build Thread | Follow Me On Instagram | Vanagon-centric Stickers Available Now

[misterfeathers]

Thanks Y'All for the great information.

A few questions:
1) Is the front air inlet easily accessible without tools to tape up? I'm in an apt complex and am trying to figure out if this is easy to do or if I need to arrange to go to a friends place and borrow tools.

2) For the hose valve trick- do you have to bleed your system after doing the work since there was air induced into the system?

Thanks!

[dobryan]

[Terry Kay]

<<2) For the hose valve trick- do you have to bleed your system after doing the work since there was air induced into the system?>>

No-

No air induction if you play your cards right.

Clamp off the hose on either side of where your putting the valve , install the valve, unclamp the hose.
Simple.
Done.
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T.K.

[HoustonPhotog]

the fresh air intake seems like another must do for me... currently looking for pics of the area behind the grill... im one of those that likes photos in order to completely see the process in my head before doing it...

thanks!
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Abel Longoria
VanAlert App for Vanagons/Buses | Texas Vanagons | My Vanagon Build Thread | Follow Me On Instagram | Vanagon-centric Stickers Available Now

[dobryan]

[Terry Kay]

Easy--

Remove the Vans Grill---

You'll see another black plastic grill on top of the body hole.

That's the air intake grill.

Black duct tape it closed--Morta, Finito--no more air in the cab--put the Vans grill back on.

10 minutes--all done.
Ah ha--didn't see the posted picture--there it is--
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T.K.

[HoustonPhotog]

Thanks Everyone!
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Abel Longoria
VanAlert App for Vanagons/Buses | Texas Vanagons | My Vanagon Build Thread | Follow Me On Instagram | Vanagon-centric Stickers Available Now