Re: Dashbrd Heater Ventillation Cable (very long) (archive)

My lever control for my dashboard heater ventillation will not stay in a "Open" position. Everytime I attempt to slide the lever to an open position, the lever returns to a closed position (on it's own as if it's spring loaded).
Any ideas?
Lubication of cable, if so hows this done?
Replacement of cable, same hows this done?

You are referring to the cable that closes off the flaps for the under-dash air flow (vents on lower right and left side of heater box)?

It sounds like your cable is binding or the cable housing is loose on one end or the other. In order for the cable to move properly, the cable housing must be clamped securely at the dashboard slide control and at the heater box.

You should be able to move the cable back and forth and feel the flaps opening and closing, or get down on the floor and shine a flashlight up through the vents on the bottom of the heater box to see if the flaps are moving at all.

If the flaps are not moving properly, then you are going to have to do some trouble shooting. You can first check at the lower left side of the heater box where the cable housing clamps to the heater box. Make sure the housing is tightly clamped to the box and that there is no movement in the housing when you move the control lever. However, your problem is more likely at the control unit end at the dash.

In order to inspect the control unit (the lever assembly) and cable/housing, you will need to remove the control unit from the dash. Remove the under-dash panel(s) below the area where the control panel is located. Remove the knobs on the control levers- they just pull off. Then take a flat blade screwdriver and gently pry under the right or left edge of the face plate. It will pop out toward you. You will now be able to see two philips-head screws on the right and left of the opening. Remove these screws; the control unit will now pull out from the rear. You can push the control unit back away from the dash while reaching up from below the dash to grab the back of the control unit and pull it away from the dash and down, so that you can have access to it under the dash.

When you have access to the control unit, move the lever back and forth and observe the cable movement. Odds are that the cable housing has come loose at the control unit. If it is loose, just loosen the clamp, reposition the housing and tighten the clamp down well.

If the cable housing appears to be well clamped down, but the cable is frozen or very difficult to move, you are going to have to pull your heater box to find out what is happening with the flap control mechanism. Note that you will have to pull the heater box anyway to lubricate or replace the cable. However, lack of lubrication or some other cable problem is unlikely with this cable, because it is not exposed to the elements to the same extent as the upper cables. I suppose it is possible that something has jammed up the flaps or the levers inside the heater box.

Chris B.
'73 ex-Malaga

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