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HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE CAN SHED A LITTLE LIGHT ON MY PROBLEM!! I HAVE A 1980 COUPE, WHEN I TURN THE A/C ON IT WILL ONLY COME OUT OF THE FLOOR VENTS AND NOT THE DASH VENTS. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE VACCUM VALVE IN THE DASH, PUT ANOTHER ONE IN STILL DOING THE SAME THING. ON THAT VALVE IF YOU PULL THE ARM DOWN AND HOLD IT THE AIR WILL TRANSFER OUT OF THE VENTS, AS SOON AS YOU LET THE ARM GO THE VACCUM PULLS THE ARM BACK IN AND THE AIR JUST BLOWS OUT THE FLOOR VENT AGAIN, :smash: ANY SUGGESTIONS? VETTESALESMAN
When you talk about the valve, I'm assuming you are talking about the actuator on the left side of what I call the air distributor. Do you have vacuum coming to this on at least one of the positions of the selector in the center console. If not, you need to trace back and find out where the vacuum ends. If you have no vacuum you won't get movement.
I had the same problem but had vacuum coming into the multi port vacuum connector on the back of the slider (I don't remember which of the vacuum hoses back there was the supply). I replaced the whole unit and my problem went away.
You have a vacuum leak somewhere in the system. Mine was in the main line that goes to the control valve. I used a vac pump to test all of the actuators and I could get it to blow out the dash vents like that and it didn't leak off, so I knew the actuators were good. It took some chasing but I discovered there is a vacuum line that runs parallel to the wipers and is in the engine compartment and that is the main line (on my 79). The hose had come loose somehow. I reattached it and used a zip tie to keep it tight and don't have the problem anymore.
My '80 was doing the same thing. If you move the lever over to the "vent" position, is air coming out of the a/c vents? Mine did this & after it started coming out of the top vents, I could move the lever to the a/c position & the air would continue to blow -- only now it would be cold. After doing this for several days, I found that it started working normal. I guess something was stuck or gummed up & just needed to be operated a few times to loosen it up...Hope this helps.
Thanks for the input Slim, I've tried this, and it just isn't working. I'm probrably going to have to put everthing back together in the dash and start taking apart the console, it might be the control unit itself. Back to the drawing board, as much as I've had this car apart I should be able to troubleshoot this thing in my sleep. :crazy:
I know exactly what hose you are talking about, because 2 years ago when I refreshed the engine and tranny I also replaced all of the vaccum hoses with the color keyed kit. Thanks for the reply :)
I know exactly what hose you are talking about, because 2 years ago when I refreshed the engine and tranny I also replaced all of the vaccum hoses with the color keyed kit. Thanks for the reply :)
If you don't have a vacuum pump, you can pick one up fairly cheap and any chain auto store. Hook the pump up to that hose (since it's the main vac line to the switch), plug the other part of the line, start the car, turn on the A/C and then use the pump to induce vacuum. If the A/C starts blowing out the vents instead of to the floor, then you know the leak is before the switch. If you induce a vacuum and the pump leaks off, then the next step is to induce the vacuum farther down the line. The half-split method is great for these types of problems. Start at one point, then if you don't solve the problem go halfway between that point and the end. Eventually you'll solve the problem without having to test every single component from start to finish.
I'm not sure if the 77 is the same but the problem was just as yours. It was the small vac hose from the rubber gromet that goes from out of the firewall behind the distributor towards the pass side. It had a split in the small ridgid white plastic piece that the black vac hose slip on to. It was dangling on just enough to hold the vac line but letting alll the air escape. I cut what was left of it and slid the hose over and presto the top vents kicked in. I hope its that simple for you although it took me some time to locate it. Good luck. BTW I order a hot rod air kit for my car which I hope will be coming soon. It will be a whole new sanden system.