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Any concerns or experiencing the smell of the butyl adhesive backing on the dynamatt, especially when the heat is blasting?
Haven't noticed any. There was a strange smell that went away after a few heat cycles. I replaced the heater core while I was in there since it wasn't a terribly expensive part and I figuired I might as well. I think it just had to go thru a few heat cycles to burn off whatever coating is on the metal from the factory.
With the help of this tutorial and my trusty Bentley manual, I successfully performed this repair today.
Biggest problem I ran into was that I managed to drop the plastic “upper pivot” down into the heater core box. It then rolled right through the opening to the evaporator and disappeared.
After much muttering and cursing, I finally retrieved it with my trusty Harbor Freight grabber tool.
I used A/C aluminum foil on mine and there is a little more noise coming from the AC vents. I guess that is the reason why Porsche covers the aluminum doors with foam. But I'm happy to have cold air again and the heat also works great. I was able to apply some tape to the 2nd door front and back, but couldn't do a tidy job like the 1st door, so I'm also not getting any air leakage between the floor/front/window vents.
After a few years of ignoring the problem I fixed the "Black foam problem" in my 2001 996. The only problem I had was removing the lower flap pivot pin. Despite pulling it down as hard as a dare I could remove it from the passenger footwell until I tapped it from above with a long screwdriver. A light tap from above was all it took..
Thank you so much AMCPILOT for this excellent tutorial that has helped so many of us! I think I know why some widebody folks think that their lower clip is different: they are messing with the slot for the under dash foam and not the right piece. I have a C4S and did this job today and of course, I couldn't get the lower clip to budge so I assumed it was "different" because it was mentioned in a few posts here, it isn't. It looked like someone had removed the 6mm bolt and plastic spacer so I kept trying to get it removed, when it didn't come loose I assumed that I could remove and replace the door from above (as I saw others do.) I snapped the head off of the bolt that holds the piece in because I tried to force the door back in place (correctly aligned with the slot of corse) and broke the head off. Then it became very clear to me which one I should have been working on. Good luck all...
After a few years of ignoring the problem I fixed the "Black foam problem" in my 2001 996. The only problem I had was removing the lower flap pivot pin. Despite pulling it down as hard as a dare I could remove it from the passenger footwell until I tapped it from above with a long screwdriver. A light tap from above was all it took..
THAT was the only problem I had also. THEN trying to put it back in correct position. My old body just does not want to manuever like that anymore
The accessible one thru the heater core. It will redirect/impede the AC cold air to reach the defrost vents at windshield level. For all of us living in hot very humid southern climates (specially TX, LA or FL) , that is the most important. The second one, (smaller and almost "unreachable" in 997s) are for front/vent redirection, but minimum inconvenience comparing with the "foggin-up" windshield that it solved with the big flap covered.
Adding more to this thread.
It was almost bare. Shoot, so I found some videos and FAQS on how to cut the duct work to get to it, and took a look if that was an option on my 08 turbo cab, negative. I realized I could get my hands on that second flap, it wasn't comfortable, but I could do it, so I hooked up some jumper cables and moved the flap into it's three positions, great, I can totally get my hands on all parts of this flap.
Moxie (SF) - Thanks so much for your post! I also have an 08 997 and trying to get this fixed. Maybe this is the wrong forum but your post and photos are the best I have seen for the 997. I fixed the first one through the heater core, lots of posts out there on how to do this one and pretty straight forward.
In your photo you have the radio removed but it looks like you went in through the heater core opening to get to that second flap. Did you do everything through the heater core opening under the bonnet and did you need to remove the radio?
The accessible one thru the heater core. It will redirect/impede the AC cold air to reach the defrost vents at windshield level. For all of us living in hot very humid southern climates (specially TX, LA or FL) , that is the most important. The second one, (smaller and almost "unreachable" in 997s) are for front/vent redirection, but minimum inconvenience comparing with the "foggin-up" windshield that it solved with the big flap covered.
I think you have that backwards. The smaller and almost "unreachable" one in the 997s directs the air to the windshield defroster. I did the repair on the easy to get one before I even knew about the second flap. Because I live in Florida, I immediately found out that did me no good as my windshield still immediately fog’s up. There is a reply above (#64) where someone went in through the heater core opening after removing the easy to get to flap and managed to re-cover this hard to get to flap. I’m thinking of going back in to try but there is almost no information about doing this second one on the 997’s. In Florida it’s a real problem with the windshield fogging up.
Unfortunately you only fixed 1/3 of the problem. It has to be removed to get to all the holes.
Originally Posted by tom__w
When I fixed mine, I was able to apply HVAC tape to the flapper without removing it from the car. My foam was 100% GONE. Even though I used aluminum tape, my heater began working fantastic right away.
If you have some foam left, you are better off removing the flapper, cleaning it and using foam .. only because it is more 'factory' that way.
There are a few things that I would like to detail that may help others since I just finished this operation myself in my 2001 996.
Re: the plastic pivots. They are slightly a "pressed fit" they wedge onto the metal flap. You will have to really grab and pull down on the bottom one. I used a small knife blade to pry it. Also the lower pivot can go in either way, the plastic bar cannot. On the top pivot; you really only need to cut the very top of the plastic cover off. The further down you go you will be cutting the plastic pivot bushing which you want to avoid. This bushing will need pryed up and out as well. Using the black putty stuff is a good idea to cover it up. No need to try and replace the cut off part.
Re; the replacement foam. I would be cautious using HVAC tape made for a home. I have had the foil type come back off in 24 hours. For my procedure I used the tape made for tile called "musselbound" that **** is pretty much permanant. ALSO sand then clean the glue off with alcohol before retaping!!!
02-28-2023, 12:53 PM
