SC Heating issues

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

I am a newbie on this site as have just purchased a 1982 SC coupe. Awesome. Hope to educate myself about the workings of the new toy, but start with little useful knowledge!

Am loving it all so far, but am having issues with the heating, which the independent specialist from whom i bought it (porschetech) says that it works fine. However, although the fresh air blower is powerful, hot air only seems to come through when fan is turned off, and the hot air only trickles through, barely noticable. It kind of heats up the car, but it is warm outside, and i suspect at this rate it would be useless on a cold day, which kind of ruins my idea of using it as an everyday car.

Is this normal for the heating, or could it be improved. I am told the fans all work, and the heat exchamgers are ok and the wiring is fine too. The heating control panel is a bit sticky and clicks when you slide the sliders, maybe this needs to be sorted.

I'd be keen to have any advice at all !!

Many thanks to all the great feeds on here, i think i got a good buy (we'll see), as car meets all criteria laid down by you lot, that seem to be essential for one of these beauties, allowing, of course, for it being 23 yrs old.

cheers

simon

 

[dugsud]

ORIGINAL: simon kelley


However, although the fresh air blower is powerful, hot air only seems to come through when fan is turned off, and the hot air only trickles through, barely noticeable. It kind of heats up the car, but it is warm outside, and I suspect at this rate it would be useless on a cold day, which kind of ruins my idea of using it as an everyday car.

Simon

Sounds like a perfect description of my SC heating !!

SC heaters (warmers perhaps!) were pretty poor when these cars were new so what chance have they got now 20+ years later!

Check for:
1) Seized flapper valves.
2) Holes in ducting pipes or loose ends.
3) Broken cables from the control unit between the seats (or possibly the ball joints inside have popped off)
4) Dead engine blower fan (or perhaps a fuse)
And finally......the expensive bits!
5) Rusty heat exchangers.

That lot should keep you busy for a while!

Oh and one other thing Simon........buy a £500 hack (which will have a far better heater than any air cooled 911) for every day & you'll look forward to every minute you spend in your 911 rather than dreading the dark frosty mornings!!

 

[Guest]

Doug and Marlies

Thanks for the tips, thanks for sorting my paranoia about being duped!

As it happens i bought autotrader today looking for a £500 hack as i already can't bear the thought of ruining my shiny new (old) steed going to work.

Cheers for the advice

simon

 

[bones]

Welcome to the forum Simon, you definitely have a problem with your heating, a 911 gets blistringly hot inside the cabin with the heat on full if it's working correctly. first thing to check is , with the engine off , ignition fully on, do you hear a whirring sound coming from the motor of the heater control mounted between the seats when turned to max? If so we'll asume that is working ok. Next open the engine lid and listen for the heater/blower motor running (this pushes air over the heat exchangers at idle, supposed to be for those cold morning []) If you can't hear it runing you should still get hot air once on the move but it needs investigating, either the fuse / relay has blown, the fan is toast or it isn't being switched on inside the heater control box between the seats. If all checks out next get the car up in the air or crawl under there and check the heater flapper valves are opening and shutting correctly. If they check out too then look for holes in the HEs and broken or disconnected hoses. Your problem lies somewhere amongst all those components, fun isn't it?
I too run a banger for carrying car bits and other stuff, also you don't want salty mush deposited on every component in sight all winter long, get an old estate they are brilliant, like mattresses on wheels!

 

[Guest]

Hi Simon,
It looks like you are following in my footsteps, my heater didn't work either when I bought my SC 3 years ago.
I found that the two cables which actuate the control valves under the car were seized and the servo control arm which actuated the cables via a lever had come off. To access the these parts I removed the seats and removed the cover over the heater control unit. I replaced the control arm rod ends which are a ball and socket end ( centre distance between the ball ends should be 124mm +/- 0.2mm), these are plastic components. To free up the cables I just worked it back and forth and lubricated the cables.
In my case the blower moter was also knackered but after replacing the blower motor we had heat and plenty of it.
I always use the heater for a while when driving just to keep the components freed up.
Also don't forget Xmas is comming up so if anybody asks you what you want say the Bentley workshop manual for 911 SC it can be bought from the Club shop.
This is a must for the DIYer its fantastic, its not cheep but worth every penny.

That's it Simon let us all know how you get on.
Cheers
John

 

[Guest]

right, that's it then. I'll get to work.

cheers for the info guys. Sounds like the bloke from the garage didn't want to (or cant') sort it out!

i'll let you know when its toasty inside.

cheers

simon

 

[jerry911sc]

Welcome to the forum[] and SC ownership[][]

I don't want to add to the excellent advice but by way of commiseration my SC had no heat at first. In my case a new set of flapper boxes and cables did the trick. ON cold days it is the best heating in any car I've owned - seriously hot air very quickly! Thaws you out a treat so all in all it is well worth fixing it. []

 

[Guest]

I bought and picked up my first Porche ,an 1979 911sc targa the other day after reading up on the pro's and con's of Porsche ownership from this very website and I have to say that the wife and I where nearly roasted alive . Being a new owner ,I didnt fully understand the heater controls and either our feet where on fire or our heads where burning. There is definitely nothing wrong with heater system. Hope everything else works as well.

 

[Bazgillie]

911 heater controls are a thing of great mystery but do work. There should be a label inside the glove box telling you which way to put the levers.
Baz