How does my vent control work?

Looked for explanation and couldn't find it and don't have owner's manual.

Non-A/C 1981 model. Three controls which move left to right. Defrost on top, cool in middle, hot on bottom.

If I only want cool air what do I do?

It's non-intuitive for me....

Henway said:

Looked for explanation and couldn't find it and don't have owner's manual.

Non-A/C 1981 model. Three controls which move left to right. Defrost on top, cool in middle, hot on bottom.

If I only want cool air what do I do?

It's non-intuitive for me....

Click to expand...

3 cables control the non ac type heater box:

The defrost cable is actually the lower heater door cable - it allows air to flow out at the bottom of the heater box. If you set it for defrost then the lower door shuts and you will get more air thru the defroster (and two center vents as well once they are individually open).

The "cool" cable is the upper fresh air vent cable. It opens the flap on top of the heater box so outside air from the cowl can enter. This flap is often rusted shut and can be reached by taking off the outside plastic vent grille at the winshield base and spraying WD40 at the hinge area while manually grabbing the flap and working it open and closed. A light motor oil dabbed on the flap along the length of the hinge rod will help keep it working free.

The "hot" cable is the heater valve control. This opens and closes the hot water flow to the heater core.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, that helps with which is what.

So for cold air which direction should I have them--heater to the right and cool to the left?

Still non-intuitive.

Thats a tough one for me to answer since my Xxies are 1300 style with the cables in the console mounted up and down.
On those models for max cool air you want all three levers down. For everything off it's first two levers up and heater lever down.

More info

Here is a picture of the controls set for cool air:


Top lever is defrost or vent. Move lever left towards the "Def" label if you want to defrost the windshield. Move right to direct air at you.

Middle lever is controls the heater valve. Think of the red triangle on the left as a volume indicator of sorts. The further you move the control lever toward the red triangle the more heat you get.

Bottom lever is fresh air. Again, like a volume indicator. The further left you move the control lever the more "fresh air" you will get from the flap under the cowl that Zonk described.

Caveats:

1. The air temp of the "fresh air" will depend on the setting of the middle lever. If you have it all the way left you will still get hot air because the heater valve is open.

2. If you work the middle lever left and right and still get hot air no matter the position.... well you heater cable is probably detached or the lever itself is broken. If that's the case, put your head in the passenger foot well and look up towards the console. The valve is up there and you can try the lever by hand. It could be stuck open and wont move, which is why the cable is detached or the lever broken. Someone tried too hard to work the lever without investigating the reason for the stiffness.

From a '79 manual...



This shows a slightly different labeling but the controls work the same. Next to the lever slots you see "on" and "off", so to the left is "on" and to the right is "off".

The triangle/wedge symbol is meant to convey the same information, to the left the wedge is thicker meaning more, to the right the wedge is thinner meaning less.

JimD said:

Here is a picture of the controls set for cool air:

Top lever is defrost or vent. Move lever left towards the "Def" label if you want to defrost the windshield. Move right to direct air at you.

Click to expand...

Since the top lever opens the lower flap, won't you get more upper vent air if you have the cable set for defrost?
To me It stands to reason that if the path of least resistance (lower floor flap) is closed then more air will redirect to the upper registers.

So on a later X the best/most cold air then is top left, middle right, then bottom left?

Just Like a Modern Car

It's just like this:


The top lever is the "mode" control represented by the right most modern dial. The trick is that the lever does not accomplish all of the functions like the rotary dial does....you have to manually open or close the center console vents to achieve certain modes.

The middle lever is the hot and cold dial.

The bottom lever is the button for recirc[ulated] or fresh air.

And of course the fan speeds are the fan speeds.

My fresh air flap won't stay open, lol!!!

I have to jamb a folded business card in the lever slot to get a constant flow of fresh air!

Ha!! Oh the joys of owning an X1/9

Greg's drawing CONFIRMS what Jimmy D. said...

and don't forget the two MIDDLE vents as well as the two SIDE vents...

I'm afraid to open any of these for the leaves and dust that have probably collected over many years... It would probably take a month to clean everything up again! HA!

Black-Tooth said:

and don't forget the two MIDDLE vents as well as the two SIDE vents...

I'm afraid to open any of these for the leaves and dust that have probably collected over many years... It would probably take a month to clean everything up again! HA!

Click to expand...

Ha is right - when I opened the outer dash vents for the first time on my '74, I was immediately reminded the car spent a lot of time with it's PO under a tree.

You are probably right if you have tested it

Hi Zonk,

You are probably right if you have tested it. I really don't mess around with the controls unless I want heat. I only drive the Xs on nice days with the roof off.

JimD said:

Hi Zonk,

You are probably right if you have tested it. I really don't mess around with the controls unless I want heat. I only drive the Xs on nice days with the roof off.

Click to expand...

I get it - I usually turn the vents shut too since the coldest air they put out is still not as cold as either the window down or the outside vents open.

Thank you everyone!!!