"Hot Foot Syndrome" - best solutions for foam seal 109103

[vps3922]

Hi all,

I read the forum entries about heat coming from the heater core lines entering the evaporator housing. I noticed this last weekend in my car and, although not chekced yet, am sure that this foam seal is missing or has desintegrated in my car as well as I noticed in hot blazing sun also a hot blazing right foot on my accelerator. :wink:

I see that the part is not available at DMCH, but I guess that many of you came up with a great alternative as it is simply a block of foam with some hole in it for the heater lines. Let me know what you did and I will try it on mine.

Thanks to all of you for your help!

[sdg3205]

Volker - even though you have no AC at the moment, putting the the selector on "MAX AC" will cut off coolant flow to the heater core and keep your feet a bit cooler if that is in fact the problem.

[vps3922]

Volker - even though you have no AC at the moment, putting the the selector on "MAX AC" will cut off coolant flow to the heater core and keep your feet a bit cooler if that is in fact the problem.

Yep, I read this, but this is only a patch and not a solution. I would like to get "something foamy" in place to seal these nasty heated pipes off and only let the warm breeze in if necessary. There must be solutions out there for it due to the fact that nobody wants a hot accelerator foot and that the part is not avialable anymore.
I want to be able to enjoy my recharged A/C in the future. :wink:

[sdg3205]

Yep, I read this, but this is only a patch and not a solution. I would like to get "something foamy" in place to seal these nasty heated pipes off and only let the warm breeze in if necessary. There must be solutions out there for it due to the fact that nobody wants a hot accelerator foot and that the part is not avialable anymore.
I want to be able to enjoy my recharged A/C in the future. :wink:

If someone has the dimensions you cut make a new one. The problem is accessibility. I'm not sure this can be reached properly without removing the heater box, which is HELL and must be done with the AC evacuated. I believe you can see the piping if your head is in the footwell, but can you fit your hands up behind it - i dont recall?

[David T]

If someone has the dimensions you cut make a new one. The problem is accessibility. I'm not sure this can be reached properly without removing the heater box, which is HELL and must be done with the AC evacuated. I believe you can see the piping if your head is in the footwell, but can you fit your hands up behind it - i dont recall?


Depends on how much effort and how nice you want it to look. You can stuff the hole with some foam or some insulation. To make it look nicer you can get a small plastic bag and shoot some expanding foam into it while stuffing it in the hole. Or you can just fill the plastic bag with some foam or even insulation. Nothing is going to help much short of getting the A/C going again.

[vps3922]

Hmm, this is it. Am I one of the only one experiencing this? I thought that I have more people with a disintegrated piece of insulation foam who fixed it more elegantly and without taking the whole HVAC box out.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? :biggrin:

[DMCMW Dave]

Hmm, this is it. Am I one of the only one experiencing this? I thought that I have more people with a disintegrated piece of insulation foam who fixed it more elegantly and without taking the whole HVAC box out.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? :biggrin:


It's not a new problem. Note the date:


http://www.dmcnews.com/Techsection/heatairleak.htm

[BladeBronson]

I returned home the other night after driving around with the mode switch on “vent” and the temp all the way on cool and couldn’t believe how hot it was in the footwell. The knee pads were hot and the pedal arms were insanely hot. I came across this thread and followed the DML instructions to tape the foam block in place. I just went for a long drive with the same HVAC settings and the footwell couldn’t be cooler.

Tips: Remove the driver’s seat and disconnect the brake light switch wiring. Once I figured out how to wiggle my hand back there, I soaked a rag with alcohol and wiped the box down. I used a couple strips of Gorilla tape, which seems to adhere much better than duct tape.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I returned home the other night after driving around with the mode switch on “vent” and the temp all the way on cool and couldn’t believe how hot it was in the footwell. The knee pads were hot and the pedal arms were insanely hot. I came across this thread and followed the DML instructions to tape the foam block in place. I just went for a long drive with the same HVAC settings and the footwell couldn’t be cooler.

Tips: Remove the driver’s seat and disconnect the brake light switch wiring. Once I figured out how to wiggle my hand back there, I soaked a rag with alcohol and wiped the box down. I used a couple strips of Gorilla tape, which seems to adhere much better than duct tape.

This leaking foam seal is common to virtually every car unless previously rebonded. For example I rebond the seal on almost every new customers car that comes through here and have been doing so for decades. That's a lot of cars. The problem however is a loose seal, not a decomposed one, and that's a big difference. There is no need to remove or replace the seal as it is located by the heater core pipes. The only problem is the factory adhesive was useless for sealing the foam pad agianst the box which is easily rectified. I don't bother removing the seat or wiring. I just reach past the accelerator pedal and around the brake light wires with a brush top from a can of rubber adhesive and, going by feel, smear the adhesive on the inner edges of the seal and around the heater box opening. Wait a few seconds and pat the seal onto the box opening and you're done. Doing a preliminary exploratory with the fan on will help you determine the scope of the problem and the easiest solution.
Rob

[BladeBronson]

I don't bother removing the seat or wiring.
Rob

I’m a giant. The only job I can do in the footwell without removing the seat is opening the hood. :)