Hot air in drivers footwell

[DEF-090]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this before or someone can point me in the right direction. The vehicle in question is a 3.5 v8 90.

Basically, as you are driving along hot air is being blown onto the drivers feet even when the heater is turned off.
You can feel it getting blown onto your shins harder as engine revs increase. BTW, no hot air is being blown from the top vents (windscreen height).

I have done a brief search on the forum and couldn't find anything. A broader search on google says it could be something to do with the heater core and to fix the issue you need to bypass the heater core???
I am not so keen on doing this as I thought the heater core acted as another radiator for the engine.

As it is coming in to summer, we were keen to sort this out before it really starts to heat up and makes driving in the heat a full workout.

Any help you can provide would be most appreciated.

Sam:D

[dromader driver]

In my high tech defender the actuating bowden cables sometimes do not fully close the flap in the heater box. A short push at the start of the warmer weather closes it until next winter. The lever is on the top of the heater box.

Some machine or engine oil down the actuating cable helps but never seems to fully close the flap.

[tam242]

My V8 county get extremely hot on the floor due to the exhaust passing close to the thin floor panels, I also find hot air on the back of my leg during summer from the hand brake hole.

[DEF-090]

Thanks for the suggestions dromader driver and tam242. Will give them a try in the morning, take it for a spin and report back.

Sam:D

[DEF-090]

Alright, update time....
Had a play with the actuator bowden cables before going for a drive. Tried to push them as far as I could.
Unfortunately, no luck, air still blowing out at my shins.

As I was driving, I thought I would try a few different things....

1. Temperature set to cool, fan direction set to the top, fan on 0:
Warm air blowing out the bottom vent, none at top. As engine revs and load on the engine increased, the force at which air was being blown out increased.

2. Temperature set to warm, fan direction set to top, fan on 0:
Hotter air blowing out the bottom vent, none at top. Same occured again, as engine revs and load increased, the force of the air increased just now hotter.

3. Temperature set to warm, fan direction set to bottom, fan on 2:
Hot air blowing out the bottom vent. Still evident but not quite so much was that the force of the air increased as engine revs increased.

I did the same test as number 3, except I set the temperature to cool and it made the air blowing out slightly cooler.

Any more ideas.....

Very grateful for the previous suggestions and am open to any more.
Am off to use the search button to see what I can find

Sam:)

[isuzutoo-eh]

My 110 just blows hot air through the firewall from the transmission tunnel next to the clutch. That wouldn't be the problem you have would it?

[Bundalene]

It is a bit of an effort but this works extremely well, it has made a huge difference. We travel up to the Northern Territory every year, in relatively comfort since insulating. The main area to insulate is around the tunnel and across the seat box base.


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/132615-reducing-heat-noise-levels.html


Or around this page in this build

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/115591-bundalenes-puma-project-9.html


Erich

[DEF-090]

Thanks for both of your responses guys.
Not quite Mark, the air is coming out the same place where the heater and cooler normally blows through. The difference is that the air is always blowing through and is varying with engine speed which leads me to believe that it is something more to do with the heater itself and a gate inside not shutting.

Bundalene, thanks for the links, I remember looking at your defender build up and being amazed by the attention to detail and a really schmick final product-well done! I also liked the 130 build up too. The insulation is certainly on the list of things to do for both 90s. Thankfully, this one isn't a daily driver so we can afford to pull it to pieces and have a play round with it.

Might be pulling the heater apart me thinks...
Any more suggestions are welcome
Thanks again
Sam:)

[jimr1]

I had a similar problem on my td5 , it was on the cable clamps on the control levers. Push out the pins on the control lever ends, take off right side plastic cover.The cables can move in the cable clamps, they are only light gauge metal, bend them so that they grip tighter and there is no slipping ,this should close the flaps. A drop of oil wont do any harm, good luck :)