1984 P30 Chassis - Cab Heat/Def operation
With the cold weather settling in, I have a stupid question about the heat and defroster operation on my '84 Allegro. It does NOT have cab air, so I just have 2 levers:
- One is hot/cold and operates a valve that controls the circulation of coolant through the heater core
- One slides with no detents between "OFF", "HEAT" and "defroster" (it's actually the standard defroster icon)
The Heat/def cable had seized in the middle. I finally freed it up this morning so I can hear the door in the heater box operating. I was surprised to find that no matter where I put the lever, I had air out the defrosters and the passenger side heater (aimed at the floor). Again, I can hear the door moving and slamming shut at the end of each direction it travels.
I couldn't find any heat for the driver's feet. I finally found the duct rolled up under the dash. I routed it to where I figure it should reside by the gas pedal. This is the only duct that is affected by the movement of the heat/def slider. Ironically, when set on "heat", no heat comes out of it. When set on "def", heat comes out of it. Again, at all times air comes out the defrosters and passenger footwell heat.
I don't know if it was plumbed wrong from the factory or if someone messed with it in the past. There are 4 ducts coming off the heater box:
- One goes to the driver's side heat. It's on the side of the box and is affected by the heat/def door
- The other ducts 3 go to the defrosters. There are 4 defrosters. The left ones have a single feed with a "Y" to feed them both. One of the right defrosters gets a direct feed from the heater box. The farthest, right side defroster is fed directly from the box as well, but it "Y"s into the passenger side foot well heat. that passenger side heat would never shut off the way it's plumbed. I'm thinking it should be "Y"d from the heat duct that runs to the driver's side, not the defroster.
I dunno, maybe I'm over thinking it but it does not seem to be plumbed properly. Just wondering how others with P30 chassis operate.
- One is hot/cold and operates a valve that controls the circulation of coolant through the heater core
- One slides with no detents between "OFF", "HEAT" and "defroster" (it's actually the standard defroster icon)
The Heat/def cable had seized in the middle. I finally freed it up this morning so I can hear the door in the heater box operating. I was surprised to find that no matter where I put the lever, I had air out the defrosters and the passenger side heater (aimed at the floor). Again, I can hear the door moving and slamming shut at the end of each direction it travels.
I couldn't find any heat for the driver's feet. I finally found the duct rolled up under the dash. I routed it to where I figure it should reside by the gas pedal. This is the only duct that is affected by the movement of the heat/def slider. Ironically, when set on "heat", no heat comes out of it. When set on "def", heat comes out of it. Again, at all times air comes out the defrosters and passenger footwell heat.
I don't know if it was plumbed wrong from the factory or if someone messed with it in the past. There are 4 ducts coming off the heater box:
- One goes to the driver's side heat. It's on the side of the box and is affected by the heat/def door
- The other ducts 3 go to the defrosters. There are 4 defrosters. The left ones have a single feed with a "Y" to feed them both. One of the right defrosters gets a direct feed from the heater box. The farthest, right side defroster is fed directly from the box as well, but it "Y"s into the passenger side foot well heat. that passenger side heat would never shut off the way it's plumbed. I'm thinking it should be "Y"d from the heat duct that runs to the driver's side, not the defroster.
I dunno, maybe I'm over thinking it but it does not seem to be plumbed properly. Just wondering how others with P30 chassis operate.
