heater not "crispy" enough

[CrisZenithBlue]

hi guys,

a couple of days ago it got a bit chilly as i was leaving work at night and since i want to stay true to my "top always down" motto (Florida) i dropped it and figured its a good time to test the heater (which i never did in 10 months of ownership).

i was a bit surprised to see it wasnt really blowing all that hot. the engine was warmed up properly and with the setting on HI and fan at full blast i was getting "warm" air coming out but not the "crispy" air i was expecting. my old S2000 would cook your knuckles and i could never keep it on hi blast or i would sweat even with the top down in the mountains in Nov.

i did notice the more i had the heater on the warmer it got. with the top up the heat would be adequate i'm sure.

Is the heater supposed to do a better job or is that all it's got? does it have anything to do with the fact it has probably never been used? Not a lot of opportunities to use it in Florida but i might plan some trips up north during the cold season.

thanks,

Cristian

[Dlirium]

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

hi guys,

a couple of days ago it got a bit chilly as i was leaving work at night and since i want to stay true to my "top always down" motto (Florida) i dropped it and figured its a good time to test the heater (which i never did in 10 months of ownership).

i was a bit surprised to see it wasnt really blowing all that hot. the engine was warmed up properly and with the setting on HI and fan at full blast i was getting "warm" air coming out but not the "crispy" air i was expecting. my old S2000 would cook your knuckles and i could never keep it on hi blast or i would sweat even with the top down in the mountains in Nov.

i did notice the more i had the heater on the warmer it got. with the top up the heat would be adequate i'm sure.

Is the heater supposed to do a better job or is that all it's got? does it have anything to do with the fact it has probably never been used? Not a lot of opportunities to use it in Florida but i might plan some trips up north during the cold season.

thanks,

Cristian

From what I've read, you may not have a properly "burped" cooling system. Making sure you get all the air out may make a difference for the heating...

[grc0456]

Have you noticed any bits of foam blowing out of the vents? This is a common issue on older cars - especially those in the South, I'm told. The mixer flap in your car may have old foam that is deteriorated, leaving open holes that don't separate the hot from cold air - hence the "luke warm' feeling.

This happened to my car that was bought in FL - see this thread:

Interior vent debris

[jb92563]

Have you got the low temp coolant valve installed.

It sends coolant to the radiators at a lower temp so I expect the lower coolant temps would also be noticed on you heater.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jb92563

Have you got the low temp coolant valve installed.

It sends coolant to the radiators at a lower temp so I expect the lower coolant temps would also be noticed on you heater.

Actually, the low temp thermostat does not noticeably reduce the level of heat the car produces. The most common comment we get from customers in the winter is that the car appears to produce heat quicker, which is probably as the result of the coolant going into full circulation sooner.

[CrisZenithBlue]

Originally Posted by grc0456

Have you noticed any bits of foam blowing out of the vents? This is a common issue on older cars - especially those in the South, I'm told. The mixer flap in your car may have old foam that is deteriorated, leaving open holes that don't separate the hot from cold air - hence the "luke warm' feeling.

This happened to my car that was bought in FL - see this thread:

Interior vent debris

oh yes i have plenty of those. as a matter of fact when i put the fan on full blast there was so much of the foam coming out that i got a good amount on my shirt and worst in my eyes. i also know its clogging my flaps because i can hear the motors trying to move them sometimes. when the foam moves along the sound stops.

i will check out your thread thanks! i am not too keen on gutting the dash though..

[CrisZenithBlue]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Actually, the low temp thermostat does not noticeably reduce the level of heat the car produces. The most common comment we get from customers in the winter is that the car appears to produce heat quicker, which is probably as the result of the coolant going into full circulation sooner.

that was my understanding of the low temp thermostat as well. i have the regular (think original one) but the car was fully warmed up and still not making enough heat.

[grc0456]

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

oh yes i have plenty of those. as a matter of fact when i put the fan on full blast there was so much of the foam coming out that i got a good amount on my shirt and worst in my eyes. i also know its clogging my flaps because i can hear the motors trying to move them sometimes. when the foam moves along the sound stops.



i will check out your thread thanks! i am not too keen on gutting the dash though..

You will access the mixer flap under the wiper cowl in front. It does involve taking quite a bit of stuff of to get to it, but not really too difficult. I'm not much of a DIY guy and I did it. My problem was putting it back together - I must have broken a plastic bushing near the servo under the passenger dash.

There are instructions written by Meir, but I don't have them handy.
Search for them.


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[CrisZenithBlue]

Originally Posted by grc0456

You will access the mixer flap under the wiper cowl in front. It does involve taking quite a bit of stuff of to get to it, but not really too difficult. I'm not much of a DIY guy and I did it. My problem was putting it back together - I must have broken a plastic bushing near the servo under the passenger dash.

There are instructions written by Meir, but I don't have them handy.
Search for them.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

ok now that sounds doable, i think i will give it a shot when i have time. i'm tired of the foam in my eyes and once that stuff gets on my grey carpet and someone steps on it it stains for good and looks like dog poop, i already have a corner i cant get clean.

[grc0456]

I hear you! That stuff gets everywhere.

Why they put holes in the mixer door is anyone's guess. You also might try closing off all vents, opening one at a time, hooking up a vacuum hose, and turning the fan on high. Won?t solve your heat problem, but helps get rid of some of the loose foam.

At least your in FL!


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[CrisZenithBlue]

Originally Posted by grc0456

I hear you! That stuff gets everywhere.

Why they put holes in the mixer door is anyone's guess. You also might try closing off all vents, opening one at a time, hooking up a vacuum hose, and turning the fan on high. Won?t solve your heat problem, but helps get rid of some of the loose foam.

At least your in FL!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

great tip! i'll do that sooner rather than later.last time i had the fan on high it felt like driving through a swarm of mosquitoes with no windshield... spitting all the way!

[Meir]

Originally Posted by grc0456

I hear you! That stuff gets everywhere.

Why they put holes in the mixer door is anyone's guess. You also might try closing off all vents, opening one at a time, hooking up a vacuum hose, and turning the fan on high. Won?t solve your heat problem, but helps get rid of some of the loose foam.

At least your in FL!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

the reason for the hols is (my guess) to reduce the wight of the flap.
best way to clean the flakes, is to remove the AC air ducts on the driver side, and vacuum the air box.
best results if you remove the heater core as well (not to big of a project) and clean the box on that side as well.
however, the heater will be effective again only after reforming the flaps.
i'm on the fence right now if to repeat that project on my 996. with the Boxster it was a no brainier as the evaporator was leaking, and the AC didn't work.
not sure if i want to go thru all that trouble just to fix the heater for the 2 weeks of cold weather we have each year.

[grc0456]

Originally Posted by Meir

the reason for the hols is (my guess) to reduce the wight of the flap.
best way to clean the flakes, is to remove the AC air ducts on the driver side, and vacuum the air box.
best results if you remove the heater core as well (not to big of a project) and clean the box on that side as well.
however, the heater will be effective again only after reforming the flaps.
i'm on the fence right now if to repeat that project on my 996. with the Boxster it was a no brainier as the evaporator was leaking, and the AC didn't work.
not sure if i want to go thru all that trouble just to fix the heater for the 2 weeks of cold weather we have each year.

Meir knows best!

Hey, how's it going with that 996? Miss the wind in you hair???



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[Meir]

[QUOTE=grc0456;479165]Meir knows best!

Hey, how's it going with that 996? Miss the wind in you hair???



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

loving it.
if to be honest i was never a convertible guy , but i can still drive the boxster whenever i want.
my frind who i sold the car to, is hardly using it
but lets behave and not hijack this thread.

[Retroman1969]

Originally Posted by grc0456

Have you noticed any bits of foam blowing out of the vents? This is a common issue on older cars - especially those in the South, I'm told. The mixer flap in your car may have old foam that is deteriorated, leaving open holes that don't separate the hot from cold air - hence the "luke warm' feeling.

This happened to my car that was bought in FL - see this thread:

Interior vent debris

THIS!

I had that exact issue last winter and that's what it was. The hot and cold air were mixing because the foam insulation that covered the holes in the blend-door-box was shot (gone).
Even more sure of that theory since you are getting blasted with projectile foam.

[CrisZenithBlue]

thanks for the great answers guys! i will read up and give it a shot, i'll clean it up and replace the foam.