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I've done several. Almost every single vehicle now needs this service. Keeping heat on the hot side and getting only cold air is almost impossible, when the foam deteriorates.
The tough part is finding the correct material to use. I ordered several different types, thicknesses, and widths of foam before finding the appropriate stuff.
The actual work is pretty simple....once the HVAC unit is out of the car, which takes a minute or two.
I've done several. Almost every single vehicle now needs this service. Keeping heat on the hot side and getting only cold air is almost impossible, when the foam deteriorates.
The tough part is finding the correct material to use. I ordered several different types, thicknesses, and widths of foam before finding the appropriate stuff.
The actual work is pretty simple....once the HVAC unit is out of the car, which takes a minute or two.
Yeah, I'm doing the center console one too, but I was mostly asking about the footwell box. Herman K once posted a few pictures about splitting the footwell box apart to re-seal, and then epoxying back together, but there weren't a lot of details. I was hoping someone else had done something similar, or had a good tale about being able to re-seal with everything intact.
At least I figured out why my box was leaking after strip caulking the hell out of it. This ace mechanic right here didn't put the reinforcing metal strip back in place.
I've resealed 2 of the footwell boxes without cutting holes. You just need to slide the metal rod out of the holes on the flap and then pull it through the grill.
Easy enough to do, but a bit fiddly. I've also resealed the main HVAC box using closed cell foam. It's fairly easy to do as well, just takes time.
Fortunately you can remove the flap assembly from the box with the back half still in the car, it just slides out, or at least it did on my 81 after removing the heater core.
Neither job is fun but the footwell one is worse purely from the mess all the crap stuck behind it make when you push it into the car.
I've resealed 2 of the footwell boxes without cutting holes. You just need to slide the metal rod out of the holes on the flap and then pull it through the grill.
Hang on, are you talking about resealing the actuator diaphragm or the flap itself? I'm trying to re-line my flap with closed cell and I can't see any way that it pops out of the box without breaking it open.
Or are you saying you can squeeze the foam through the top hole, and are able to reseal it while the flap is in place?
I'm in the process of replacing all the foam in the Airco Unit and the blower box, and am curious if anyone ever tried to separate the top and bottom part of the box?
They appear to be glued together, so would it be possible to use a very thin Dremel plastic cutting wheel and cut through the glue at low speed?
I have done this job on two of my prior sharks, but it has been a really long time. I am going to do it on my current red 85, since I'm pulling the CE panel and other items for maintenance anyway.
What I cannot remember - can the work from the top be done without removing the hood as per Dwayne's write up? It seems to me it can be. (yes I knowe that having the hood off makes it easier, but that isn't my question).
Thoughts?
I have done both boxes on my 91 S4. They are a bit fiddly but quite doable. Both boxes have to come out. The center console one comes apart once the clips are removed and then you have full access to the evaporator and flaps. clean and replace the foam sealing edges to the flaps with 2mm closed cell black EDPM foam - glued into place with good contact glue. The footwell box - you pull the hinge pin out and can get access to the flap with tweezers to glue in the foam - fiddly but doable. Dont cut anything off the box or butcher it. Take your time and reseal it back into place with Eastman black flexible sealing strips.
I have photos if you want to PM me
It didn't seem like it would be possible as I've got very broad wrists, but with judicious use of goo-gone and some patience it was possible to remove and replace all the old foam just reaching through the blower hole. Not a comfortable process at all, but it beats trying to glue the halves back together.
10-10-2020, 08:36 PM
