P38A Heater box binding the flaps with pictures

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Mukiwa

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I have a spare heater box and decided to look at why after managing to get all but the top 2 flaps out, sanded back and now smoothly running, that after reassembly it jammed up again.

I sanded back all the ends of the shafts (plastic) with wet and dry and took my time. They are all now freely moving and little finger turnable - except those top 2, which turn but have some drag. I still can't work out how to remove them. Does anyone know how? It isn't the rubber trim that binds them it's the flap interference fit that is too tight to start with on all of them.

If you do the same it really isn't that complicated but take pictures and mark your cogs with datum points and mark those top flaps as well as your cog datum points - or you will have fun afterwards on reassembly (have a guess how I know that).

Now your mileage may vary but this is my spare box which I'm preparing to fit in very soon.
Excuse my kitchen!

1. These are the flaps I can't get out without damaging something. They move with some drag but nothing too hard when the box is in pieces. Cog with driving rod shown, it goes through both flaps so they turn together at the same rate (demisters I think), this is the one that gets pinched and jams the flaps.
upload_2019-1-12_12-42-40.png


2. This is the view from inside the car if you remove the dash. This is the bugger that causes the problems as you will see. I have marked where I have inserted self tapping screws (ST's) on the pic. Top one circled, the bottom one is out of view but the arrow points to it.

There are 6 screws holding this cover on, 2 top, 2 middle and 2 bottom. It fits in a channel with some pressure required to seat it. Enough force that it clamps the top flaps.
upload_2019-1-12_12-43-24.png


3. I realised that after reassembly the top flaps were almost jamming and I was baffled. So time to reverse the steps, at what point did it go tight? So after some head scratching and tea drinking it was after this last panel was fitted.

Ok lets undo the screws on one side and see what happens. Well, this happens...
upload_2019-1-12_12-43-54.png


That gap is quite a few mm. So what to do?

Plan A was just cut it in half, so I had a look inside - can't cut it down the centre as there is a baffle to separate driver and passenger climate control.
Plan B - cut to one side, I chose the left hand side for no particular reason. The white tape was where I was going to cut.

upload_2019-1-12_12-48-11.png


4. Five minutes later after using the trusty jigsaw and this is the result after putting the cover back on.

This is how much the box was being clamped by that cover and it directly jams the 2 top flaps, it doesn't affect any of the other flaps on my heater box, again YMMV.
7.5mm at the top
4.5mm at the bottom
upload_2019-1-12_12-44-29.png


I have sealed the gap with some harry black masking tape (HBM to some of us ;-). I'd like to fill the gap with either putty, filler or a sliver of plastic before I fit it properly as I'm sure the heat whilst in the car might be a bit much as I've felt how hot the space behind the radio gets!


The top blend flaps move without much drag now, but I would like to be able to remove them and finish the job properly.

I do have more pictures but didn't want to overwhelm the server.

I hope that helps others as I did change out my blend motors and the matrix o-ring 4 years ago and I'm really not looking forwards to removing the dash all over again. It has to be done though or I'll never get that bloody book off my HEVAC and I finally want to get the A/C working. But as they say in Hammy Hamster and the tale's from the river bank, that's another story.....
 
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You have made a right royal bollocks of that. The two top flaps are connected by a hexigon metal bar that slides in from the left hand side and clips into the gear when it is in position. The gear cannot be removed until the bar has been pulled out from the other end.
 
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Anyone with an issue with their flaps should be in the Gaylander section. 7 mm is pretty much flush by Green Oval standards.

Top of the dash gets all the sunlight on it and has the full weight pulling on it when those fixing screws each side get loose. Probably deformed over time.
 
Valeo must have made two versions of the heater box. All the flaps on mine have a 10-15mm wide rubber strip around the outer edge of each flap, so they cannot possibly foul on the housing. Didn't stop the shafts binding, which was what I needed to fix !!
 
Anyone with an issue with their flaps should be in the Gaylander section. 7 mm is pretty much flush by Green Oval standards.

Top of the dash gets all the sunlight on it and has the full weight pulling on it when those fixing screws each side get loose. Probably deformed over time.
I agree on that one... luckily personal flaps are ok hahahaha
 
Valeo must have made two versions of the heater box. All the flaps on mine have a 10-15mm wide rubber strip around the outer edge of each flap, so they cannot possibly foul on the housing. Didn't stop the shafts binding, which was what I needed to fix !!
Same as mine, it's not the rubber it's the shafts that needed sanding down. Did you manage to get those top 2 flaps out and if so how? :D
 
Same as mine, it's not the rubber it's the shafts that needed sanding down. Did you manage to get those top 2 flaps out and if so how? :D

Had mine out a few years ago i think the heater box splits down the middle to become two separate halves. Think if you scrape off the foam you will find clips that hold it together. Can't really remember.
 
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Yes there's a load of clips all round the centre seam. They ping off all over the place, so be careful you don't lose them. Once these are off the entire box separates. I don't remember having any issues with any flaps !!
 
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