No hot air in front but ok in back??

[MaxBasher]

Hi All

I've been searching through the old threads for the answer to this but no luck (probably searching for the wrong thing!).

Basically my Gen 2 3.0TD Surf is not blowing any hot air from the front but it's ok on the rear heaters. I stil lget air coming out the front, it just doesn't get hot which could prove a problem with the cold weather on it's way

I think I noticed a burnt out smell just before I noticed the front heating not working but not sure if this is associated to it.

Anyone know what's broken? How easy is it to replace and will I do any damage to the car if I keep running it?

sorry for the basic questions - mechanics are not my strong point

Cheers
Dan

[Albannach]

Is the fan working?

Are all the flaps working?

Is the valve on the bulkhead working?

[MaxBasher]

Is the fan working?

Are all the flaps working?

Is the valve on the bulkhead working?

Thanks for the quick reply, do you mean the main fan in the engine?

If you mean the fan to blow the air out into the truck, then yes these work, it just blows coldish air out instead of hot.

And flaps? do you mean the flaps on the air vents in the car? Probably not but I don't know of any other flaps (in my truck anyway!) Told yah I was good at this mechanic stuff.

My logic, which is probably flawed, suggested there was a thermostat for the heating and this was knackered, although that's assuming there would be a seperate thermostat for the rear heating, as this still works.

[Wolfracer]

Flaps in the blower... they alter the passage of air depending on what button is pressed.
Does the H&C slider feel ok? you could have broke a cable?

The rear blower is a completely seperate item. bit like another radiator in your house...

No thermostats that I know of. it's purely fanned air through a rad.

[MaxBasher]

Yep flaps in the blower work, the air is still channelled to the right places, ie feet, windscreen etc.

The H&C slider feels ok although I have noticed what look like steel cable hanging down from behind the glove box, I've been meaning to work out what that did!

To be fair the whole heat control unit has been a bit tempramental for quite a while, the power of the fans kind of jumps from nothing to full power with nothing inbetween and this can turn itself on/off if I go over a bump.

I've been a bit slack looking after my Surf recently as I'm saving up for a Mazda bongo! But it's been so great for the last 5 years that I feel guilty letting it detoriate now!

[shokenore]

I would suggest that your fan speed switch is fubar.

Mine went the same way wiggle the switch to get it to work.

[Albannach]

Is the valve on the bulkhead working?

Answer this question please.

[IanB2]

The H&C slider feels ok although I have noticed what look like steel cable hanging down from behind the glove box, I've been meaning to work out what that did!

That cable could very well be your temp control, look into this.

[MaxBasher]

Answer this question please.

Sorry, not sure what you are referring to - how would I check / what is that?

I would suggest that your fan speed switch is fubar.

Mine went the same way wiggle the switch to get it to work.

For the power of the fans, yeah it certainly works better with a wiggle! I can live with varying power, would be good to get heat again though

Couldn't see where the dangling wire came from after a quick look, will have the get the glove box/front of dash off at the weekend. Fortunately I've had that off before to do the stereo a while ago so am familiar with that.

Problem is I don't understand how hot air gets in the car so not sure what stages of the process could possibly go wrong.

[Wolfracer]

Engine makes heat. Coolant takes heat away. Coolant enters heater matrix (mini radiator) fan blows normal air over matrix and makes air warm, air channelled to the vents in your car.

[NiftyNev]

If that cable is hanging down near the transmission tunnel then that's the cable that controls the main vent. The connection is under the housing above left side of transmission tunnel. Main vent either directs air through the heater or around it kind of like a Y junction. Grab the cable and then slide the control from cold to hot to see if the cable moves. The slide control for hot and cold controls both this and the valve through separate cables.

Nev

[MaxBasher]

If that cable is hanging down near the transmission tunnel then that's the cable that controls the main vent. The connection is under the housing above left side of transmission tunnel. Main vent either directs air through the heater or around it kind of like a Y junction. Grab the cable and then slide the control from cold to hot to see if the cable moves. The slide control for hot and cold controls both this and the valve through separate cables.Nev

Had to go and try that! You're spot on, the wire cable moves back and forward if I move the temp control from hot to cold

It's got an eyelet on the end of it, so assume that screws or pushes onto the connection which you say is "under the housing above left side of transmission tunnel" Guess the dash will defiantly be coming off, anyone know of a picture online so I know what I'm looking for?

Thanks for all the info and Wolfracer, loved the explanation, Simples is good!

[Wolfracer]

Glovebox out is all you'll need I reckon from memory...
and yes, its simple!

[NiftyNev]

No need to remove anything. Just stand on your head and look under the housing for a white plastic lever attached to the end or the shaft for the main vent. The housing has a slot for the cable and a clip to retain it. The cable just slips over the plastic stud on the lever. Other end of lever should have a return spring attached to it and housing.

Have a look at the pics here.

http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/v...=serated+shaft

Look closely and you will see this shaft in some of them at centre bottom of housing. Housing shows views from passenger side so look at other side.

Nev

[NiftyNev]

BTW the default setting for the main vent is cold air only, if the cable is disconnected and the plastic lever and spring are attached.

Nev