Hot vent

It's true they are all like that but it's not because of the air coming in near the engine compartment. It's because of the basic design of the system. The heater core is sitting in the middle of the ductwork where it cooks everything around it. Even though you have the temp knob on full cold the air still has to go past the area that's getting cooked by the heater core. The only time you get true outside temp air is the first few minutes after you start the car from dead cold. As soon as it starts warming up it will raise the temp at least 5 degrees over ambient. I have the same problem in my explorer and I put a valve in it to shunt the hot water around the heater core in the summer to avoid this problem when I need the AC because it also makes the AC air the same 5 degrees warmer. 5 Degrees is a LOT when you are trying to cool down the inside of an explorer that's been parked outside..

Thanks a bunch. Any tips on how, where to shunt the system?

MG

Yes. Rather than trying to fight it and ruining your system by jimmy rigging it, why not just turn on the AC only not full cold. That's how I deal with it when it is getting a little warm.

Kate

: >>OK so it was hot the other day (like a regular summer day) and I got into : >>my : >>'04 stang and started down the road. Fearing a passing t-storm I left the : >>top up opened the windows and opened the vents. Having the heat dial : >>turned : >>to cold I expected air to come out the same temperature as the outside : >>air. : >>No! It came in hotter - not hot, just hotter. I tried this again on a : >>cool : >>morn' and same thing; the air coming thought he vent was hotter (warmer) : >>than the outside air. So, I called the Ford dealer nearby and told them I : >>wanted this checked out and fixed. The service writer said: "oh! that's : >>just they way Fords are. My truck does that too." : >>

: >>I made an appointment to have it checked out next week anyway. : >>

: >>What is your experience with this? Is this the way Fords are? Why? The : >>vent air is supposed to come to the passenger compartment from the little : >>slots by where the wipers are - right? The service writer said they are : >>[like that] because the vent air comes from the engine compartment - Hu? : >>What about the smell of gas and oil? : >>

: >>MG : >>

: >>

: >

: >

: > It's true they are all like that but it's not because of the air : > coming in near the engine compartment. It's because of the basic : > design of the system. The heater core is sitting in the middle of the : > ductwork where it cooks everything around it. Even though you have : > the temp knob on full cold the air still has to go past the area : > that's getting cooked by the heater core. The only time you get true : > outside temp air is the first few minutes after you start the car from : > dead cold. As soon as it starts warming up it will raise the temp at : > least 5 degrees over ambient. I have the same problem in my explorer : > and I put a valve in it to shunt the hot water around the heater core : > in the summer to avoid this problem when I need the AC because it also : > makes the AC air the same 5 degrees warmer. 5 Degrees is a LOT when : > you are trying to cool down the inside of an explorer that's been : > parked outside.. : :

Because it would be more efficient to shunt the heater core.

Thanks Kate,

That is what I've been doing for now but, the A/C robs HP from the motor and drives up the fuel consumption too.

It is a good thought though.

MG

Will it not be a HUGE undertaking to redesign it? Not as though I am not curious, because it bugs me too.

K

: > Yes. : > Rather than trying to fight it and ruining your system by jimmy rigging : > it, : > why not just turn on the AC only not full cold. : > That's how I deal with it when it is getting a little warm. : >

: > Kate : >

: >

: > : >>OK so it was hot the other day (like a regular summer day) and I got : > into : > : >>my : > : >>'04 stang and started down the road. Fearing a passing t-storm I left : > the : > : >>top up opened the windows and opened the vents. Having the heat dial : > : >>turned : > : >>to cold I expected air to come out the same temperature as the outside : > : >>air. : > : >>No! It came in hotter - not hot, just hotter. I tried this again on a : > : >>cool : > : >>morn' and same thing; the air coming thought he vent was hotter : > (warmer) : > : >>than the outside air. So, I called the Ford dealer nearby and told : > them : > I : > : >>wanted this checked out and fixed. The service writer said: "oh! : > that's : > : >>just they way Fords are. My truck does that too." : > : >>

: > : >>I made an appointment to have it checked out next week anyway. : > : >>

: > : >>What is your experience with this? Is this the way Fords are? Why? : > The : > : >>vent air is supposed to come to the passenger compartment from the : > little : > : >>slots by where the wipers are - right? The service writer said they : > are : > : >>[like that] because the vent air comes from the engine compartment - : > Hu? : > : >>What about the smell of gas and oil? : > : >>

: > : >>MG : > : >>

: > : >>

: > : >

: > : >

: > : > It's true they are all like that but it's not because of the air : > : > coming in near the engine compartment. It's because of the basic : > : > design of the system. The heater core is sitting in the middle of the : > : > ductwork where it cooks everything around it. Even though you have : > : > the temp knob on full cold the air still has to go past the area : > : > that's getting cooked by the heater core. The only time you get true : > : > outside temp air is the first few minutes after you start the car from : > : > dead cold. As soon as it starts warming up it will raise the temp at : > : > least 5 degrees over ambient. I have the same problem in my explorer : > : > and I put a valve in it to shunt the hot water around the heater core : > : > in the summer to avoid this problem when I need the AC because it also : > : > makes the AC air the same 5 degrees warmer. 5 Degrees is a LOT when : > : > you are trying to cool down the inside of an explorer that's been : > : > parked outside.. : > : : > : : >

: >

: :

It's quite easy. Assuming the heater hoses are the same size as the explorer hoses you can just get a heater water control valve for an explorer and use it. It's not an on-off valve but is a shunt valve so that when it's "off" its the same as running a loop as if you just had one long heater hose instead of running the water thru the heater core. It's vacuum controlled and if you want you can hook it with a vacuum tee to the vacuum motor hose that operates the "max" door. SO when you turn the AC to MAX it will shunt the water around the core instead of thru it. I didn't bother hooking it up but just move the valve manually and turn it ON in the winter and off in the summer. That's better anyway because it prevents the heat from getting inside no mater what AC setting you use, not just on max setting, so it also allows the vent air to be cooler.

It's quite easy. Assuming the heater hoses are the same size as the explorer hoses you can just get a heater water control valve for an explorer and use it. There's a picture of one here...

It's not an on-off valve but is a shunt valve so that when it's "off" its the same as running a loop as if you just had one long heater hose instead of running the water thru the heater core. It's vacuum controlled and if you want you can hook it with a vacuum tee to the vacuum motor hose that operates the "max" door. SO when you turn the AC to MAX it will shunt the water around the core instead of thru it. I didn't bother hooking it up but just move the valve manually and turn it ON in the winter and off in the summer. That's better anyway because it prevents the heat from getting inside no mater what AC setting you use, not just on max setting, so it also allows the vent air to be cooler.

PS, there's a pic of one here...

THANKS