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Wish I had done this to start with. I removed the stereo, HVAC computer thing and the upper vent (7 minute job). Then I took a freaking razor blade and I cut a hole big enough for my hand to fit through in the air chamber. I then reached in and taped it up. Then I taped up where I cut the hole. Problem solved. I now have heat. If I had it to do over again I would do as the previous posted said and plugged the fresh air vent.
OP, I'm not one to throw rocks in my glass house, but I think it's important to point out the obvious. I think you should have used a Dremel tool or jigsaw with a short bit. To begin, mark all four corners and make pilot holes for drilling and then spot drill each hole to act as guides. At that point, use a white sharpie to draw four straight lines. Then, with your dremel or jigsaw, cut four straight lines to each corner which will produce a nice square that can be reattached.
OP, you should NOT have used just standard black duct tape. Instead, you need 3M high temperature stainless foil tape. (The stuff that HVAC installers use) That black duct tape will goo up over time and the adhesive will not be able to handle the heat and so it will peal off and you'll have the problem all over again. There is also a chance the chemistry in standard duct tape will cause a bad odor when heated.
The high temperature foil tape should have been used on the flap as well as the other cut out.
I don't mean to be rude to you. I understand you were desperate to find a solution, but this just is sloppy. Sorry. Just my opinion. But I'm glad you got it to work. I'm afraid you're really going to need to at least change out that tape!
From looking at that picture, can we see the hole that you taped up? I don't know the location of the flaps and I'm trying to visualize what you did..I may do the same!
Cut a hole behind the stereo big enough for your hand to fit through. There are three flaps that you can then get to. I suggest you use better tape then what i did.
Originally Posted by cds72911
Oh my, new thing for everyone to inspect on a PPI - pull the radio and see if the owner hacked a hole in the hvac. Such a sad day...
LOL I knew that this would horrify many of the true Porsche lovers out there.
Originally Posted by NuttyProfessor
OP, I'm not one to throw rocks in my glass house, but I think it's important to point out the obvious. I think you should have used a Dremel tool or jigsaw with a short bit. To begin, mark all four corners and make pilot holes for drilling and then spot drill each hole to act as guides. At that point, use a white sharpie to draw four straight lines. Then, with your dremel or jigsaw, cut four straight lines to each corner which will produce a nice square that can be reattached.
OP, you should NOT have used just standard black duct tape. Instead, you need 3M high temperature stainless foil tape. (The stuff that HVAC installers use) That black duct tape will goo up over time and the adhesive will not be able to handle the heat and so it will peal off and you'll have the problem all over again. There is also a chance the chemistry in standard duct tape will cause a bad odor when heated.
The high temperature foil tape should have been used on the flap as well as the other cut out.
I don't mean to be rude to you. I understand you were desperate to find a solution, but this just is sloppy. Sorry. Just my opinion. But I'm glad you got it to work. I'm afraid you're really going to need to at least change out that tape!
I agree. The black Gorilla Duct tape was what I had in the garage at that time and I had to make do. The truth of the matter is that I have already purchased some foil tape and I may go back in this weekend and re-do my tape job. Perhaps I'll even make use of my GF's smaller hands and see if I can get a much neater coverage.
The reason I posted this was to give people another choice. Getting to the bottom flap is going to be a real bear for those of us with a 996. And having to hack apart the top to get to the other side of that flap is no fun either. I'm posting another option.
Truth be known I wish I had thought of blocking the fresh air intake and using the recirculate button.
Honestly, if it works and is not destroying the car in a structural way I don't see the issue. Sure it is not pretty and the cut could be done better but it sounds like it works. I might try it myself and see if I could do a cleaner looking job now that we know it works. Since I will use my heat only a handful of times a year IMO it's not worth paying thousands to have the dash removed. I am about to drop some serious coin on IMS, RMS, AOS, clutch and some odds and ends.
Honestly, if it works and is not destroying the car in a structural way I don't see the issue. Sure it is not pretty and the cut could be done better but it sounds like it works. I might try it myself and see if I could do a cleaner looking job now that we know it works. Since I will use my heat only a handful of times a year IMO it's not worth paying thousands to have the dash removed. I am about to drop some serious coin on IMS, RMS, AOS, clutch and some odds and ends.
+1
While perhaps may not meet certain folks standards, I think the idea is wonderful example of ingenuity. Thanks for sharing Red and being a pioneer
Saving this tread for when I tackle mine. I have been blowing foam for over a year and half now, so its only a matter of time before mine stops. I like red's new method, but I probably wont try that one unless I get really desperate.
Does the blend door need to 'seal' with foam? Or will foil tape on the blend door be good enough for its purposes? Does it need the 1" thick foam?
I would give credits to the OP for ingenuity, If you compare it to airbox removal (see here), this fix is a much less risky. Look at the amount of stuff, screws, connectors, a/c evap to remove....
Also, the access hole can be reused if one need to fix it again or adjust something. If one could make that access hole more tidy and seal it with proper tapes, it's quite a decent option to me.
Spent a good amount of time trying to reach the bottom of the flapper. Then I did something..... Wish I had done this to start with. I removed the stereo, HVAC computer thing and the upper vent (7 minute job). Then I took a freaking razor blade and I cut a hole big enough for my hand to fit through in the air chamber. I then reached in and taped it up. Then I taped up where I cut the hole. Problem solved. I now have heat. If I had it to do over again I would do as the previous posted said and plugged the fresh air vent.
Desperate times call for desperate measures!
As mentioned above, foil tape should have been used...
I like it! I appreciate your methods because that's how I work through many projects and then I learn from others too that offer suggestions/better ideas and then I have the opportunity to go back and address. I am not a mechanically inclined genius, unlike many great owners on this forum, so I read these DIY's.
Am I to take it that the silver colored plate (similar in appearance to an outlet plate) is the flap?
My question to those that suggest bagging the cabin filter and then operating HVAC in the recirculation mode - have you actually tried this?
I would expect defogging/ defrosting windows would be darn near impossible without the introduction of fresh air. De-bagging the filter anytime you want the windows cleared might make one rethink the idea.
The OP was 99% of the way there with a much more elegant and minimally invasive solution when he went in from the top. Bagging that, slicing the enclosure apart and plugging the gaping hole with duct tape is a huge messy hack. It is destructive and inelegant, and devalues the vehicle. I’d be pissed if I found a PO had done this to a car I purchased.
The OP was 99% of the way there with a much more elegant and minimally invasive solution when he went in from the top. Bagging that, slicing the enclosure apart and plugging the gaping hole with duct tape is a huge messy hack. It is destructive and inelegant, and devalues the vehicle. I’d be pissed if I found a PO had done this to a car I purchased.
So he could have patched all the flaps from the top?
Yup, cut the top of the pivot off with a dremel, remove the plug underneath, unclip the arm on the bottom from inside the car, extract the plate through the hole in the top where the heater core was removed, and recover it with an appropriate material.
Yup, cut the top of the pivot off with a dremel, remove the plug underneath, unclip the arm on the bottom from inside the car, extract the plate theough the hole in the top where the heater core was removed, and recover it with an appropriate material.
Ah, that's smart. I take that there's only one plate inside the airbox?
02-22-2019 | 10:02 AM
If I had it to do over again I would do as the previous posted said and plugged the fresh air vent.
