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Had a fantastic drive with the Norcal guys on Saturday (thanks to Mark and Jeff for organizing). The drive was pretty hot and unfortunately my A/C was not working. Pretty sure the head unit is broken so started removing it yesterday. I had noticed the following problem before but until now had not really gotten into it. I removed the center vent to discover that the **** does not actually attach to the Flap. I had assumed originally that at some point someone must have changed out the vent. But thinking on it more have no idea why someone would do that. So either the flap was changed or the vent should not have a **** to turn - but then how does the vent open and close ?
Why on earth would someone change the flap and if they did - why install the wrong one ?
Does anyone have any insight/ideas on this. I have attached photos. Im assuming I need to replace the flap with the correct one but would feel happier getting some consensus from you guys.
Someone else will pop in here with the correct answer, but I recall a long discussion in one of these threads about early & late '78s, and the AC vs. non-AC cars. Some flaps were vacuum operated and some used the ****. Later in the year, they all went the same way. Of course, I can't recall what used what.
Mine does not have the ****, and has AC, but it's a mid-t0-late '78 car. Behind the dash is the bracket, but nothing connected to it. I'm interested to hear insight from more owners & knowledgeable OB enthusiasts.
(BTW, I'm loving that radio & what looks like a perfect dash! Count yourself extremely fortunate!)
Wow...seems like I know this answer, but my mind is drawing a blank! I will try to get to the shop tomorrow after work and take a look at #30 and the 79 Euro....I think they both have this configuration.
Wow...seems like I know this answer, but my mind is drawing a blank! I will try to get to the shop tomorrow after work and take a look at #30 and the 79 Euro....I think they both have this configuration.
Ron - did you have a chance to check your cars vent set up ?
Wow...seems like I know this answer, but my mind is drawing a blank! I will try to get to the shop tomorrow after work and take a look at #30 and the 79 Euro....I think they both have this configuration.
Originally Posted by AirtekHVAC
Weird, as 30 is obviously a very early car...
the 79 euro has a shaft and a gear attached to the flap,no actuator.
So on #30 does the center vent have a **** also or is it blank ?
My car is a 1978 I believe #926. It was hard to tell from the photo where the vacuum pod is located. Could you please confirm
#30 center vent has no ****.
The vacuum pod is mounted below the vent on a bracket, 3 rivets hold it in. Based on the arly age of this vehicle, and all the weird parts on it, I have no reason to doubt this is factory. If you need more pics, I’ll get them for ya, just let me know.
I pulled the center console but am still none the wiser. The center vent look original to me and I see no evidence of this being switched. I just makes no sense. Does anyone have any ideas at all on this. There is no way the car could have been sold this way originally. The center vent cannot be operated at all. Anyone have any ideas ?
I will look at the underside of both my consoles when I get home. This makes no sense. If you don’t have a vacuum line plugged, and you have no actuator then you should have a gear on that flap. I think someone has done a console swap, or other nefarious deed, and didn’t catch what they were doing, or didn’t care.
Last edited by AirtekHVAC; 07-30-2018 at 09:30 PM.
I will look at the underside of both my consoles when I get home. This makes no sense. If you don’t have a vacuum line plugged, and you have no actuator then you should have a gear on that flap. I have honk someone has done a console swap, or other nefarious deed, and didn’t catch what they were doing, or didn’t care.
But the console and vent all come as one piece. Either the console has the a vent that opens with a *** or a vent that opens with Vacuum. I have a console with the workings for the *** but the Flap for the Vacuum. This is totally bizarre. Am I missing something here ?
I wasnt really sure what was going on here so I decide to go ahead and replace the flap. I contacted Mark (928Intl) and he happened to to have a NOS flap. WOW - I couldn't believe such an item existed. I felt for sure the best I could hope for was a nice used one. Here are a few pics on what I did to replace the flap.
First set about removing the 2 speed clips that were stacked one of top of the other. The vent has the same setup on both sides. I decided it would be best to remove the passenger side clips and pull the bar back through to the driver side.
I simply used a small screw driver to carefully pry the clips off. Worked going around each clip and backed it off a little at a time. The clips were both on very tightly.
Both clips now removed, leaving a small plastic bearing (for lack of better description).
This also just pulls right off - though was also pretty tight.
Once you have removed both clips and the small plastic bearing, the Metal rod is now free to slide completely out from the Passenger side.
The Flap is now free to pull out of the center console.
Rod just slides right down the middle of the flap
Here is my NOS Flap - complete with the gear !! thanks again to 928Intl.
To install is just the reverse of everything we just did. Of course be sure to match the gear up with the gear on the control****.
Insert Rod from passenger side.
Slide all the way in until the speed clip and bearing are in as far as they can go.
Install the Driver side bearing - again slide it all the way on and make sure it is seated nicely. At this point you should be able to test the flap by twisting the control ****. Make sure everything is moving freely before installing the clips
At this point you should be able to test the flap by twisting the control ****. Make sure everything is moving freely before installing the clips
Thats it
Finally figured it out.
Once I had the old flap out - Everything was explained. You can now clearly see the Gear has completely broken off.
07-23-2018, 09:23 PM
1978 Center Vent
Finally figured it out.
