If the video helped you out, please give it a share. Something I didn't mention in the video, the adhesive promotor is used to help the foam stick. This is what is used on double sided tape for body kits and things like that. We used it all the time on VW accessories.
Hey Charles, you can use binder clips to hold down the foam along the edges. The spring tension of the binder clips should make the foam adhere to the door better.
I appreciate your UA-cam channel immensely. I stepped out of my car comfort zone and bought my daughter a 2012 VW Tiguan with very low mileage.But still had no idea what mechanically to expect. I’m a jet aircraft mechanic. (Technician). And have always worked on my own family vehicles since I was 10. I love machines. Before buying the Tiguan I did a general search online for 2012 Tiguan issues and got a ton of hits. But like we all know when people have bad experiences they want to tell everyone. Not quite the same with good experiences. Your channel has helped me see that while I may need some new tools and I have plans to buy some walnut shell media and get my blaster gun set up for some carbon blasting. I do not need to worry about breaking the bank on this new vehicle. Actually looks like it is fairly easy to work on if I follow your advice on remove a few extra parts to allow ez of access and take my time. Having worked on Aircraft for over 26 years I’ve learned that taking 15 to 30 extra minutes to remove a part that is in your way to allow easer access can save so much aggravation. Thanks for the great videos.
It's perfect timing that this video came out when it did. My '03 Boxster is shooting foam at me through the vents and I'm going to have to do this repair sooner or later. I did this same repair several years ago on my first car, an '89 Jetta. Not that hard of a repair, just make sure you take your time.
This has been on my my to do list for a bit but clearly I filed it under “while you’re in there”. I appreciate the thoroughness you took in the video because I now know it’s going to take a Saturday to do it right. Cheers
I had the same issue with my Corrado. Cleaned and taped around all surfaces that required new foam to be applied. Instead of foam I used the Shammo water absorption material. Thought process that it would take the heat and cold without getting to stiff or soft. Used 3M Super 99 spray adhesive on both the metal and the Shammo. Sold the car 3 years later with no issues with heat, AC, or defrost. Ducts worked as VW intended.
Damn, you're thorough. Right up my alley. Did that job once some years back. Nothing better than knowing you're blowing crisp clean air out of the vents. Good job, man!
Just did this job on my 1993 90 Quattro. Michaels carries a sticky foam in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. Thinner than what you used, but it made the job pretty easy for the doors. Wish I've seen this video before doing the job because I did it the hard way by splitting the heater box in the car (leaving the evaporator/ blower part installed) and it's a nearly identical system.
Aaaahh!!!I really don't wanna do this but I reside in Buffalo!!!Heater core is good,no leaks,recently Ive made sure of that. Maybe I can squeeze in enough to just wrap what I can for now.Great vids as always though!!!Keep making them as I am lost without you!!🤞👍🌡⛄🚘
I have done this on my A4B5. You can remove just the blend box by itself, you need a mirror & screwdriver to remove the clips by the firewall. And remove the actuator motors to give you enough room to pull it out & turn it 90° & pull it right out. I used A4 sheet closed cell foam from a asian shop & ADOS superstrength spray glue. It helps to use cardboard to make a template for the foam first so you cover gaps at the flaps edges. Then trip it oversize & assemble partly to gauge it & trim again. Assemble & fit the actuators & test it by putting power to the 2 pins in the socket. The fanbox side probably wont need any work & you can remove just the fan + motor by itself. The vent tubing to the centre will need to be cut thru to remove the box, but its distorted anyway & you will have to fix its flange connection to the box. You will see where n why n how. Use nonacetic silicon sealent & or that silver tape.
So glad to hear how you did this blend door repair on the B5 A4 without dismantling the dashboard assembly. B5 owners typically dread this repair, as everyone says "remove the dashboard" Replacing the heater core for the A4 B5 is an experience. 😅
Wow, this is a bigger project than I was hoping. It looks pretty easy for my skill level, but I work for a living and I don't really have time for this.... SO, I guess I'm taking to a shop!
Enjoyed the video. I have done this job on two cars in the last 10 years. I have used headliner material to a good effect. No issues. Still driving one of the cars.
@@HumbleMechanic...you can also use 2mm thickness felt as well. It's quite similar to the headliner material, but much cheaper and easier to find. If anyone is worried about the passive airflow, the 2mm stuff allows some air movement through it. I'm about to have a go at my MK4 TDI, but without pulling the whole concoction out...the foamstorm is just starting to create a mess and the aircon/heater system isn't directing the airflow like it used to. I used the felt material on my Nissan Patrol a couple of years ago and it works fine.
Hi Charles thank you for a superb video illustration, I Own mk3 Jetta 2.0 . I think you may have just solved my problem my "heater problem" with this video. In my case the heater is not getting very hot inside the vehicle, yet hot coolant is circulating through the heater core. I think the cold air from outside is diluting the hot air due to the foam on the blending door that has perished away over time. So a video do this repair without removing the heater box would be greatly appreciated.
At the beginning I tought I was watching a ChrisFix video and was confused by the voice. ;-D Thanks for the good video and have a nice weekend, Charles!
My mk4 golf has been blowing foam for a while, I really need to take a look and fix it when its warm. TDI still makes great heat though. Looks like ill have to be messing with a B5.5 1.8t heater core soon though, pretty much the worst job from what I can tell. :) Thanks for the videos! Have learned lots.
I love the way you clean things up when you work on them to make them look as if they are new. I never could stand watching people work on cars that are filthy dirty yet without any sort of clean up they go ahead with replacing the new part and slap it all back together damn near as filthy from all the dirt from working with all the nasty shit. I don't know maybe it's just me being OCD but to me it just seems like such neglect and lack of care and it pride in workmanship... Again, I guess I'm just way to OCD to ever do it such a task. When I pull a part off it's getting clean, pained or whatever and your gonna know I replaced it and or maybe even think I did much more then what I did. "Probably not to good of a thing if I ran a repair shop given the fact time is money,lol!!! Great video thanks for all the info!
Hey Mr. Humble. Awesome video...I.m doing this job as I wrote this. When I removed the red resistor pack, I noticed there was some sort of sealant holding it to the air handler housing. As I’m reusing the old resister pack, what’s a common method to seal it up to the housing? Double sided trim tape, a bit of caulk, nothing? I realize this is an old video...hope you’re still reading the comments from time to time. Thanks!!
FYI some of the dashvents gaskets (19:00 mark) some can still be bought at the dealer! for those who are a bit nit picky haha. but great video. gonna do mine soon :) best video handdown! (y) thanks man and ofc i shared the link on my fb!
It would be cool if you could do an instructional video on doing a heater core replacement, but without disassembling the whole dash, and just lifting the top part away to get access to the rear like you've shown yourself doing in a photo before. Preferably on a B5 Audi or VW :D
Good video. Is it possible to check the blend door without opening everything. Warm air coming from my vents even when I put the temp control knob to coolest setting and turn the fan on
I believe it's to insulate between the hot (heater core side and cold AC condenser side) air. Correct me if I'm wrong, as long as the thermostat is open, your car is circulating hot coolant through the heater core, whether you are using it or not. That's why I’m here, My heat is not so hot anymore, and my cold is not much cooler than fan only.
Yet another amazing diy video. I would love to do this to my mkiv but as it's my daily commuter I can't afford that downtime. I would love to see a video on the other method doesn't involve full removal of the box. I know the repair won't be as comprehensive as this method but as it's just a commuter to work it should be good enough.
I will be working on that. I think I may also got get a couple of boxes, fix them and sell them cheap so people don't have to have the car down so long.
It's not nearly as nice of a job as this has been but the mk4 blend doors have a door in front that reach the two biggest doors shown in this and that cover can be accessed behind the radio so if you take of the full center console and lower trim on the dash including the glovebox, radio, and cup holders, you can see a little black panel that has clips all the way around. Getting that off is the hardest part but once you do, if you have small enough hands you can use a vacuum and suck out most of the foam, clean up the doors with some adhesive remover (Goo Gone is great, isopropyl alcohol is ok), and put some tape on. It won't be 100% and will allow some air to continue to flow through vents even when fully closed BUT the whole process should take you between 2 and 4 hours depending on how quick you are and you never have to take the full dash apart. Plus, if you run out of time, you can always drive your car without some of that trim, it just won't look too pretty, you won't have the radio, and you won't have the cupholders but let's be honest, those are probably broken anyway 😂😂 haha. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you need any more guidance with this!
Marcos Herrera - thanks for the valuable insights! It's a project I plan to tackle once the weather warms up and the plastics aren't so brittle. This definitely gives me a good starting point.
Joel Ankeny, happy to help! I think there's a video floating around UA-cam somewhere where the gentleman shows how to do it the way I described. As mentioned, it's not nearly as nice of a job as what this is but for your needs, I think it will do. Like I said before, if you need any help tackling it once the time comes to do it, just reach out and I'd be happy to assist you. It's not a super comfortable job and prepare to scrape some knuckles but it's relatively quick, low-budget, and fixes it enough to have heat (which was my problem heading into this last winter with my recently-acquired mk4 Jetta).
Nice of you to share your video. How is the foam holding up? I've bought different types from hardware stores over the years and some of it has adhesive that softens with heat and allows the foam to come off whatever it's mounted to. Specifically which type/brand of foam do you recommend?
Craft foam. Joann's has large enough sheets that you could have made panels and gaskets as single, one piece cuts that would probably fit better and yield better results. Home Depot also sells a roll of half inch round foam cord that you could cut a slit in to run around the edges of the doors.
I don't know if you posted somewhere, but I am interested to see if this is holding on. I plan on doing this in my daily driver, I have another HVAC box which I would use. So, if you are reading comments on old posts, can you just tell how it's holding 4 years later :D
Ugh, our 2001 Eurovan is blowing chunks of foam out of the vents. Knew it was coming. Seen a couple of ways to fix it with out removing the dash. 177k on a 18year old plastic tanked heater core, might be a good time to do both.
I repaired my doors in our Eurovan with the tape like that without pulling any of the dash apart. just the floor vent part. I've done a couple of them that way now. Not the best way but you don't lose coolant or have to drain and refill ac.
@@eurovan03 no video. I just remove the lower part of the center dash and the foot distribution part of the plenum for the air. Then reach up in there and remove the old foam. Use a vacuum to duck out loose stuff. Then cut aluminum duct tape into two inch pieces and start placing over the holes. 6 years and running on ours and have done quite a few others
Great video Charles. Thank you. I need to rebuild the unit on my 2009 Vw trasporter (uk). Just one thing... You never explained WHY you covered the holes with the silver foil tape. Surely they are there for a reason???
Love your work... I've done this to my MK2 and it had a felt pad as well. For my recon I noticed that the flap covers were sectioned leaving a slit which I assume to allow a bleed in case the flow was blocked. PS: Yours looked a lot cleaner than mine :)
I deleted the blind doors, gutted the box, blanked off everything except the ports that go to the feet and the windshield. Way better and wont fail again.
Great video. By chance do you have a diagram of where the vacuum hoses lines connect? I have 2 that I can’t place for the life of me. Mk2 Jetta red line and yellow line. 😢
My grandmother had this happen to her 2003 Chrysler T&C van in 2009. The repair was estimated at over $1200, and to get some shadetree mechanic, it would still be about $1000. So when the transmission finally gave way, she bought a 2009 Chrysler T&C van. I was so angry.
Hey, could you tell me what are you using the thick foam for? I am currently repairing the air flap on my a3 8l, and I am thinking is it necessary to use the foam? Isn't the aluminium tape enough for the job?
Hi Eric awesome videos I need help I am doing my head gasket on my bmw e36 325i and I forgot to turn my crank pulley to tdc and so I put my head on where the valve touch the piston but I did not have my lock pin tool in do you think I am safe ? Please I need feed back
Awesome job brother, I love the PQ34 platform over the others. I used home hvac foam insulation tape for ductwork on my other cars. It seemed to work just fine. My newest gti is just now starting to blow foam confetti.
Hey my man so I actually have a different issue with my A/C... I just got a 2005 4runner and the A/C blows out the passenger side but not the Driver side... The driver side stays hot no matter what I do... So I took it into a mechanic to see what the problem was and get him to fix it... He knows I work on my own cars so he sent me home with a diagram and told me to replace the Blend door actuator on the driver side... I ordered the part and pulled of the plastic covering it to find it completely missing... Then I found out that my truck does not have Dual Climate Control (my mechanic obviously did not know this thinking of getting a new mechanic now). Now I think most likely that the bar that is supposed to control the door's to allow heat or a/c in is broken (because I found a video on a 05 4runner where that was the problem on the driver side in a model that does not have dual climate control... So I do have a question for your sir... is it ok for me to just duct tape up the air vents on the driver side of my truck? I closed the vents in the dash and had the a/c set on the dash mode not the feet or the defrost area and I was able to cool the whole thing but there was a super loud noise the entire time like a squeel .... so I am worried that maybe imma break something if I run the A/C with something broken the way it is... ugh... this sux
Let us know how hard it is to change the air blend and level when the fan is blowing at diff speeds, especially when on high...appreciate the explanations...still contemplating doing this on my mk4 while it's still in the car while center console is out
Thanks for posting, my Beetle has started blowing foam out the heater outlets so I see this job in my future. If you're doing this, does it make sense to go ahead and replace the heater core "while you're in there", whether it's failed or not? Seems that this job requires a lot of labor as far as dash disassembly and that's something you don't want to do twice.
I'm doing this on my 02 Jetta to fix the bleed doors. Heater core is fine. What is the best way to cover these doors without removing the box? I already have the seats and full dash out. Haven't loosened the bar. I didn't want to have to deal with loosing coolant or refrigerant. I'm having trouble just reaching in with just my hands so not sure how I'll be able to seal these up. Can the doors be remove from the box without removing and splitting the whole box?
Thanks for the video. I have this problem on my 911 and was looking for a fix. Is it possible that sealing the round cut-outs in the metal doors and/or using a different type of foam to OEM could disrupt the door’s normal operation somehow, or lead to another issue (such as jamming shut)?
Yes, dont use too thick foam and test operation before fitting everything together. A little foam is better than no foam and actually some air is meant to pass through. Like in my TT, flaps should be electric in the 911
Did you remove the A/C Connection? If yes, how did you catch the gas or was your system already empty? I need to do this on my mk3 1996 1.9tdi with A/C
By the way, unbelievably great, detailed video! I'm about to tackle this job on my stepson's 2001 Jetta. If the black foam was all that was initially covering the holes on the blend door(s), why is it necessary to compliment the aluminum tape with the felt pad covering?
I wondered that also.... But I guess the foam covering the holes , instead of alu foil , doesn't completely seal of the closed duct so a little air still comes through . Meaning if you switch to front window only..... the windows of the doors still get some air blown by so will also be de-fogged. Otherwise you keep switching from front window to doors....to heating up your feet etc...
Hello So nice Video Question so I found a Brass Heater core and A Copper Aluminum Fin evaporator would the Copper Evaporator be a bit colder due to it being made of copper. Or is a Thin Wall Aluminum design be better for it. By Design I understand The Evaporator actual Absorbs heat its why it feels cold. Thank you for your thoughts
I have to take out the whole dash on my TT for this, thinking im just going to take out just the center part and glove box then try to stick my hand in there to just tape it 😅love my MK1 TT but at 292k miles I've done everything to this car and frankly getting tired OOHH WELL time to take it completely parts since I'm also having radio issues with false contacts
Hi, In my Audi A3 8L I have a problem, that after a while of driving (approx. 2h) the air not coming out thru any outputs, while fan blower is still running, even I increase power of blowing-I can hear that fan running full power, however they vent outputs the air amount is nearly zero. Only one my idea was, that servomotor V71 is guilty when will stuck in middle position, that flaps for air from outside and inside are closed. Motor replaced, but problem remain. To ensure myself, I removed one of the smaller flap near by V71 motor. Now possibly is for taking air either from car cabin either from outside. Problem still exist. Now I suspect motor flap V68. It looks like somehow happening, that hot air and cold air channels are closed. On your movie looks like it is one flap bended, but I have seen somewhere this flap from 2 elements. Maybe it is possible, that they are shifted against themself and sometimes both channels are closed? I really don't want to disassemble dashboard, it is a huge job and not pleasant to do it outside in November. Maybe you have any advises or better idea, how this air flow its blocked? My car I have 5 years and since beginning it was happening, but not always. Of course after night or after long rest it is working good, but after passing about 200km distance, become this issue appearing. Best Regards, Kamil
I'm not looking forward to doing my 2000 Beetle, but it should get me ready to do my wife's 06 Audi TT....the Audi started spitting foam last summer.....
What is the reason behind using the foam for the extra pieces (heater core, exit to the dash) and the gasket between the heater box and the pollen filter (where it connects to the body)? I just looked into the parts catalog but I see quite those gaskets are still availble from VW and only go for like $5-$10 per piece
Great video ! But i’ll be more than happy to see a tutorial about doing the same without taking eeeverything out , i wanna seal them back while on the car, thanks ! If u could it would be awesome
I found this great video tutorial when trying to access the HVAC control panel. My 2005 Jetta went suddenly from the HVAC controls working perfectly to then having heat on full with no response to the heat control knob. I figured most likely one end or the other of the control cable had slipped off, but after a day and a half of digging down to the heat controls, I saw that the cable moves the blend door crank when I turn the heat control knob. So it's not the cable. What then? There has been no foam coming out of the air vents, and this was a sudden change. Turning the heat knob has no effect on the hot temperature of the air coming out. Could something have broken off or snapped inside the HVAC box? I'm hoping I can avoid the heavy lifting job of pulling the dash and steering pod, dealing with refrigerant and coolant. I've worked on my VWs for about 50 years. Someone said this job would take 12 shop hours at a repair shop. My local shop charges $185 per hour, which works out to $2220 for 12 hours!
My problem was caused by a broken blend door pin or bushing that had dropped out of the bottom of the blend box and was no longer contacting the blend door. That explains the sudden problem with heat on that couldn't be turned off. I learned that the original VW part (1H0 819 136) has been discontinued by VAG, but there are many sources of aftermarket copies that i found on eBay. In the comments to a video about replacing the part I read that someone found a wrench socket wedged under the part to hold it up in place. That gave me the idea of cutting a piece of plastic pipe to the right length to do the job. Using 1/2" PVC electrical conduit I did trial and error to find the best fit, which was about 3/4". With all the underdash parts, the glove box,, the radio and cage, center console, ashtray and HVAC control panel out already, it was pretty easy to slip the piece of pipe under the blend box lever. It's on the bottom of the blend box toward the front of the car connected by a white control cable to the heat control knob on the dash. It works fine and I think it will stay in place, so problem solved to my satisfaction.
Awesome video thanks! Can you use the same camper foam strip or the Rubber Foam Weatherstrip you mention, on the heater core insulation itself? Or will that melt it and you should use something else? Thanks!
I would like to see vid on doing it inside car, gotta repair mine on audi 80, dash already out, dont wanna pull whole thing again, core been replaced last year
I think what I will do is get the car back together enough to show it in the car. You can't do the heater core or anything like that, but if you just need to fix the doors, then it can totally be done in the car.
This is SUCH a helpful video!!! Thanks for the nice video and audio quality. Would not have been able to complete the job without this video. Thanks again! Also do you know if in the 2002 model they changed the face air flap from straight to an L shape?
Great video. Gives me the confidence to fix mine. Quick question, Can this whole unit be installed in a mk 1 rabbit that only has no ac just the blower motor? If yes, What would i need to do to install it without any issues? thank you
My new beetle do that, foam comes out of the air vents, bad odors that stink all over the cloth after being using the a/c for long periods, what would you recommend me.
i replaced my heater core in my 89 gmc s15 jimmy 4.3l and iam glad it wasnt as hard as this was but my enviremental setting dont work its stuck on defrost i just wish i had a place that i could use to work on my truck cause it needs some work
I have seen videos (on a skoda octavia) and entries on the forums where the heater core has been removed by taking out the glove box, blower motor and left side kickboard below the gearstick. Any experience taking the core out with this method?
That fastener you cut at @1:15, how did you fix it back on afterwards? I want to add some extra noise insulation to the bottom foam cover that sits under the box - it is fixed to the box with that strap
Thank you for this video. I wanted to ask you about a mk4 tdi 110cv moteur Alh. I wanted to delete vanne egr. Is this possible and does not affect the engine? Thank you
If the video helped you out, please give it a share.
Something I didn't mention in the video, the adhesive promotor is used to help the foam stick. This is what is used on double sided tape for body kits and things like that. We used it all the time on VW accessories.
Hey Charles, you can use binder clips to hold down the foam along the edges. The spring tension of the binder clips should make the foam adhere to the door better.
@humblemechanic. What type of foam did you use? Frost King?
That is a good idea
It's foam for a camper shell. I linked to it in the description
HumbleMechanic Thanks Charles. I’ll be doing this to my R32 along with a new heater core.
I appreciate your UA-cam channel immensely. I stepped out of my car comfort zone and bought my daughter a 2012 VW Tiguan with very low mileage.But still had no idea what mechanically to expect. I’m a jet aircraft mechanic. (Technician). And have always worked on my own family vehicles since I was 10. I love machines. Before buying the Tiguan I did a general search online for 2012 Tiguan issues and got a ton of hits. But like we all know when people have bad experiences they want to tell everyone. Not quite the same with good experiences. Your channel has helped me see that while I may need some new tools and I have plans to buy some walnut shell media and get my blaster gun set up for some carbon blasting. I do not need to worry about breaking the bank on this new vehicle. Actually looks like it is fairly easy to work on if I follow your advice on remove a few extra parts to allow ez of access and take my time. Having worked on Aircraft for over 26 years I’ve learned that taking 15 to 30 extra minutes to remove a part that is in your way to allow easer access can save so much aggravation. Thanks for the great videos.
Thanks do the kind words
It's perfect timing that this video came out when it did. My '03 Boxster is shooting foam at me through the vents and I'm going to have to do this repair sooner or later. I did this same repair several years ago on my first car, an '89 Jetta. Not that hard of a repair, just make sure you take your time.
This has been on my my to do list for a bit but clearly I filed it under “while you’re in there”. I appreciate the thoroughness you took in the video because I now know it’s going to take a Saturday to do it right. Cheers
Badass video man. This is really a gift from you to the community
Thanks so much :)
I had the same issue with my Corrado. Cleaned and taped around all surfaces that required new foam to be applied. Instead of foam I used the Shammo water absorption material. Thought process that it would take the heat and cold without getting to stiff or soft. Used 3M Super 99 spray adhesive on both the metal and the Shammo. Sold the car 3 years later with no issues with heat, AC, or defrost. Ducts worked as VW intended.
Damn, you're thorough. Right up my alley. Did that job once some years back. Nothing better than knowing you're blowing crisp clean air out of the vents. Good job, man!
Rebuilding the HVAC box in my b4 was probably the worst job i've have to do on it; but probably the most satisfying when it was done.
Just did this job on my 1993 90 Quattro. Michaels carries a sticky foam in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. Thinner than what you used, but it made the job pretty easy for the doors. Wish I've seen this video before doing the job because I did it the hard way by splitting the heater box in the car (leaving the evaporator/ blower part installed) and it's a nearly identical system.
I really like the idea of a whole sheet. I’m sure there maybe a better solution out there. Lol
Aaaahh!!!I really don't wanna do this but I reside in Buffalo!!!Heater core is good,no leaks,recently Ive made sure of that. Maybe I can squeeze in enough to just wrap what I can for now.Great vids as always though!!!Keep making them as I am lost without you!!🤞👍🌡⛄🚘
GOLF 3 ! The old car! I was repair yesterday without dissasembling the doors!! . Also change the radiator of the HEATing ! Mission completed 100% .. !
I have done this on my A4B5. You can remove just the blend box by itself, you need a mirror & screwdriver to remove the clips by the firewall. And remove the actuator motors to give you enough room to pull it out & turn it 90° & pull it right out.
I used A4 sheet closed cell foam from a asian shop & ADOS superstrength spray glue.
It helps to use cardboard to make a template for the foam first so you cover gaps at the flaps edges. Then trip it oversize & assemble partly to gauge it & trim again.
Assemble & fit the actuators & test it by putting power to the 2 pins in the socket.
The fanbox side probably wont need any work & you can remove just the fan + motor by itself.
The vent tubing to the centre will need to be cut thru to remove the box, but its distorted anyway & you will have to fix its flange connection to the box. You will see where n why n how. Use nonacetic silicon sealent & or that silver tape.
You cant get rid of the leaves and other garbage in the evaporator if you dont take the entire thing out to wash it out.
So glad to hear how you did this blend door repair on the B5 A4 without dismantling the dashboard assembly. B5 owners typically dread this repair, as everyone says "remove the dashboard" Replacing the heater core for the A4 B5 is an experience. 😅
Wow, this is a bigger project than I was hoping. It looks pretty easy for my skill level, but I work for a living and I don't really have time for this.... SO, I guess I'm taking to a shop!
Enjoyed the video. I have done this job on two cars in the last 10 years. I have used headliner material to a good effect. No issues. Still driving one of the cars.
I’ve heard that’s a great option too
@@HumbleMechanic...you can also use 2mm thickness felt as well. It's quite similar to the headliner material, but much cheaper and easier to find. If anyone is worried about the passive airflow, the 2mm stuff allows some air movement through it. I'm about to have a go at my MK4 TDI, but without pulling the whole concoction out...the foamstorm is just starting to create a mess and the aircon/heater system isn't directing the airflow like it used to. I used the felt material on my Nissan Patrol a couple of years ago and it works fine.
I think I’ll just dress warmer in the Winter, way too many things that could possibly break! Thanks, Dave. Excellent vid!
This is like best video from you. What a job. Perfect. I dont have words for this. Pure satisfaction.
Thank you
Hi Charles thank you for a superb video illustration, I Own mk3 Jetta 2.0 . I think you may have just solved my problem my "heater problem" with this video. In my case the heater is not getting very hot inside the vehicle, yet hot coolant is circulating through the heater core. I think the cold air from outside is diluting the hot air due to the foam on the blending door that has perished away over time. So a video do this repair without removing the heater box would be greatly appreciated.
At the beginning I tought I was watching a ChrisFix video and was confused by the voice. ;-D
Thanks for the good video and have a nice weekend, Charles!
HAHA "Hey Guys" Hope you have a rad weekend!
This is a common problem and if you could show how to do it without removing everything it would be GREATLY appreciated.
I get to do this on my truck when it gets warm and quits raining. Really looking forward to it.
My mk4 golf has been blowing foam for a while, I really need to take a look and fix it when its warm. TDI still makes great heat though. Looks like ill have to be messing with a B5.5 1.8t heater core soon though, pretty much the worst job from what I can tell. :)
Thanks for the videos! Have learned lots.
Thanks for helping the two out of the 50 people that said they will do this job.😄
I found it was helpful to glue the edges of the foam down onto the foil to prevent it from peeling up. I used E6000 glue.
I love the way you clean things up when you work on them to make them look as if they are new. I never could stand watching people work on cars that are filthy dirty yet without any sort of clean up they go ahead with replacing the new part and slap it all back together damn near as filthy from all the dirt from working with all the nasty shit. I don't know maybe it's just me being OCD but to me it just seems like such neglect and lack of care and it pride in workmanship... Again, I guess I'm just way to OCD to ever do it such a task. When I pull a part off it's getting clean, pained or whatever and your gonna know I replaced it and or maybe even think I did much more then what I did. "Probably not to good of a thing if I ran a repair shop given the fact time is money,lol!!! Great video thanks for all the info!
Thank you. It's a commitment to work that way. I wish the industry would value it. But people(management and customers) want it cheap and fast.
Thanx for the video. Is it supposed to seal the holes? Doesn't the original foam allow the air to mix?
Great instructional video. One of your best. This info can be used on any make/model vehicle.
Thank you!
WD-40 works wonders for taking adhesive off. Used it for years.
That 3M cleaner is awesome, I've used that for years as well.
Hey Mr. Humble. Awesome video...I.m doing this job as I wrote this. When I removed the red resistor pack, I noticed there was some sort of sealant holding it to the air handler housing. As I’m reusing the old resister pack, what’s a common method to seal it up to the housing? Double sided trim tape, a bit of caulk, nothing?
I realize this is an old video...hope you’re still reading the comments from time to time.
Thanks!!
FYI some of the dashvents gaskets (19:00 mark) some can still be bought at the dealer! for those who are a bit nit picky haha. but great video. gonna do mine soon :) best video handdown! (y) thanks man
and ofc i shared the link on my fb!
It would be cool if you could do an instructional video on doing a heater core replacement, but without disassembling the whole dash, and just lifting the top part away to get access to the rear like you've shown yourself doing in a photo before. Preferably on a B5 Audi or VW :D
Good video. Is it possible to check the blend door without opening everything. Warm air coming from my vents even when I put the temp control knob to coolest setting and turn the fan on
Hi, great video!! The only question I have is why adding the foam also in the middle of the big main flap? Have I missed something... Thanks 👍🏻
I believe it's to insulate between the hot (heater core side and cold AC condenser side) air. Correct me if I'm wrong, as long as the thermostat is open, your car is circulating hot coolant through the heater core, whether you are using it or not. That's why I’m here, My heat is not so hot anymore, and my cold is not much cooler than fan only.
I just fixed my Cabrio a few weeks back without removing the entire heater box. I would love to see how you do it, and compare.
Please, wise master, share your wisdom! I'd rather not have to take apart half the car to fix some foam.
Yet another amazing diy video. I would love to do this to my mkiv but as it's my daily commuter I can't afford that downtime. I would love to see a video on the other method doesn't involve full removal of the box. I know the repair won't be as comprehensive as this method but as it's just a commuter to work it should be good enough.
I will be working on that. I think I may also got get a couple of boxes, fix them and sell them cheap so people don't have to have the car down so long.
It's not nearly as nice of a job as this has been but the mk4 blend doors have a door in front that reach the two biggest doors shown in this and that cover can be accessed behind the radio so if you take of the full center console and lower trim on the dash including the glovebox, radio, and cup holders, you can see a little black panel that has clips all the way around. Getting that off is the hardest part but once you do, if you have small enough hands you can use a vacuum and suck out most of the foam, clean up the doors with some adhesive remover (Goo Gone is great, isopropyl alcohol is ok), and put some tape on. It won't be 100% and will allow some air to continue to flow through vents even when fully closed BUT the whole process should take you between 2 and 4 hours depending on how quick you are and you never have to take the full dash apart. Plus, if you run out of time, you can always drive your car without some of that trim, it just won't look too pretty, you won't have the radio, and you won't have the cupholders but let's be honest, those are probably broken anyway 😂😂 haha. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you need any more guidance with this!
Marcos Herrera - thanks for the valuable insights! It's a project I plan to tackle once the weather warms up and the plastics aren't so brittle. This definitely gives me a good starting point.
Joel Ankeny, happy to help! I think there's a video floating around UA-cam somewhere where the gentleman shows how to do it the way I described. As mentioned, it's not nearly as nice of a job as what this is but for your needs, I think it will do. Like I said before, if you need any help tackling it once the time comes to do it, just reach out and I'd be happy to assist you. It's not a super comfortable job and prepare to scrape some knuckles but it's relatively quick, low-budget, and fixes it enough to have heat (which was my problem heading into this last winter with my recently-acquired mk4 Jetta).
@@deadlycucumberplants Ever find that video?
Hi, did you ever do a video on taping the blend doors with out pulling the whole dash out? Thanks, kate
I tried. I didn't find a way I liked enough to get a proper job done. From what I understand, MK4 is a little easier than MK3
Love the channel! If you made a short video with box in car, im not seeing it. Ty for all the help the channel gives us!
I never did. :(
Nice of you to share your video. How is the foam holding up? I've bought different types from hardware stores over the years and some of it has adhesive that softens with heat and allows the foam to come off whatever it's mounted to. Specifically which type/brand of foam do you recommend?
Thanks Charles I needed that video very much .I have no idea how to restore my golf's heater core .but now I know.Thanks
Craft foam. Joann's has large enough sheets that you could have made panels and gaskets as single, one piece cuts that would probably fit better and yield better results. Home Depot also sells a roll of half inch round foam cord that you could cut a slit in to run around the edges of the doors.
Yep. There are tons of ways to do it.
I don't know if you posted somewhere, but I am interested to see if this is holding on. I plan on doing this in my daily driver, I have another HVAC box which I would use. So, if you are reading comments on old posts, can you just tell how it's holding 4 years later :D
I sold the car last year. :(
@@HumbleMechanic oh okay, thank you for reply, I'll do this and hope it'll last :P
Great video - thanks a bunch...about to tackle the dash on my '97 Eurovan to do these repairs!
Nice work. Adhesive promoter is a great idea. The foam I think would work the best has the weakest adhesive on it. Thanks for all the info and advice.
Ugh, our 2001 Eurovan is blowing chunks of foam out of the vents. Knew it was coming. Seen a couple of ways to fix it with out removing the dash. 177k on a 18year old plastic tanked heater core, might be a good time to do both.
I repaired my doors in our Eurovan with the tape like that without pulling any of the dash apart. just the floor vent part. I've done a couple of them that way now. Not the best way but you don't lose coolant or have to drain and refill ac.
Do you have videos on how you did it
@@eurovan03 no video. I just remove the lower part of the center dash and the foot distribution part of the plenum for the air. Then reach up in there and remove the old foam. Use a vacuum to duck out loose stuff. Then cut aluminum duct tape into two inch pieces and start placing over the holes. 6 years and running on ours and have done quite a few others
Great video man. I've been stuck watching n learning on how much work I have on to do my mk3 Jetta.
Yup! Fixed my 97 with 99c craft store glue back felt and high temp spray adhesive for reassurance.
“Hits you in the face”. Yes it does!! I’ve thought a bug was flying at me, nope just foam!
Very similar to the anatomy of a Mk2 setup. I’ve replaced the foam on those doors several times and it was such a pain in the ass to do.
Great video Charles. Thank you. I need to rebuild the unit on my 2009 Vw trasporter (uk).
Just one thing... You never explained WHY you covered the holes with the silver foil tape. Surely they are there for a reason???
My guess is the holes are to lighten the door. And it may also add some rigidity to it
Love your work... I've done this to my MK2 and it had a felt pad as well. For my recon I noticed that the flap covers were sectioned leaving a slit which I assume to allow a bleed in case the flow was blocked. PS: Yours looked a lot cleaner than mine :)
Thank you sir! If mine was cleaner I would hate to see dirty. AHHA
I deleted the blind doors, gutted the box, blanked off everything except the ports that go to the feet and the windshield. Way better and wont fail again.
You are awesome I was about to spend $400+ on new doors!!!!!!
Nice video. What do you use for powering and testing if it's working and not using car battery?
I am wondered, are you powering your car devices or like the HVAC fan just by power probe?
Great video. By chance do you have a diagram of where the vacuum hoses lines connect? I have 2 that I can’t place for the life of me. Mk2 Jetta red line and yellow line. 😢
My grandmother had this happen to her 2003 Chrysler T&C van in 2009. The repair was estimated at over $1200, and to get some shadetree mechanic, it would still be about $1000.
So when the transmission finally gave way, she bought a 2009 Chrysler T&C van. I was so angry.
Hey, could you tell me what are you using the thick foam for? I am currently repairing the air flap on my a3 8l, and I am thinking is it necessary to use the foam? Isn't the aluminium tape enough for the job?
Hi Eric awesome videos I need help I am doing my head gasket on my bmw e36 325i and I forgot to turn my crank pulley to tdc and so I put my head on where the valve touch the piston but I did not have my lock pin tool in do you think I am safe ? Please I need feed back
Awesome job brother, I love the PQ34 platform over the others. I used home hvac foam insulation tape for ductwork on my other cars. It seemed to work just fine. My newest gti is just now starting to blow foam confetti.
Thanks! I have to do my MK4 next LOL
@@HumbleMechanic hey do you know if Paul is still looking for another guy at DAP ?
Hey my man so I actually have a different issue with my A/C... I just got a 2005 4runner and the A/C blows out the passenger side but not the Driver side... The driver side stays hot no matter what I do... So I took it into a mechanic to see what the problem was and get him to fix it... He knows I work on my own cars so he sent me home with a diagram and told me to replace the Blend door actuator on the driver side... I ordered the part and pulled of the plastic covering it to find it completely missing... Then I found out that my truck does not have Dual Climate Control (my mechanic obviously did not know this thinking of getting a new mechanic now). Now I think most likely that the bar that is supposed to control the door's to allow heat or a/c in is broken (because I found a video on a 05 4runner where that was the problem on the driver side in a model that does not have dual climate control... So I do have a question for your sir... is it ok for me to just duct tape up the air vents on the driver side of my truck? I closed the vents in the dash and had the a/c set on the dash mode not the feet or the defrost area and I was able to cool the whole thing but there was a super loud noise the entire time like a squeel .... so I am worried that maybe imma break something if I run the A/C with something broken the way it is... ugh... this sux
Let us know how hard it is to change the air blend and level when the fan is blowing at diff speeds, especially when on high...appreciate the explanations...still contemplating doing this on my mk4 while it's still in the car while center console is out
That is a lot of work. Whewwww
Thanks for posting, my Beetle has started blowing foam out the heater outlets so I see this job in my future.
If you're doing this, does it make sense to go ahead and replace the heater core "while you're in there", whether it's failed or not? Seems that this job requires a lot of labor as far as dash disassembly and that's something you don't want to do twice.
I would replace it.
Step one: remove entire dashboard.
Or Trade car for newer one LOL
My Eurovan has been blowing chunks for a few years now but still seems to work okay.
Garth Goldberg just wear safety glasses when you kick on the fan 😬
Step two: give up and part car out via facebook
Hahahaha.
I'm doing this on my 02 Jetta to fix the bleed doors. Heater core is fine. What is the best way to cover these doors without removing the box? I already have the seats and full dash out. Haven't loosened the bar. I didn't want to have to deal with loosing coolant or refrigerant. I'm having trouble just reaching in with just my hands so not sure how I'll be able to seal these up. Can the doors be remove from the box without removing and splitting the whole box?
Thanks for the video. I have this problem on my 911 and was looking for a fix.
Is it possible that sealing the round cut-outs in the metal doors and/or using a different type of foam to OEM could disrupt the door’s normal operation somehow, or lead to another issue (such as jamming shut)?
Yes, dont use too thick foam and test operation before fitting everything together. A little foam is better than no foam and actually some air is meant to pass through. Like in my TT, flaps should be electric in the 911
Did you remove the A/C Connection? If yes, how did you catch the gas or was your system already empty?
I need to do this on my mk3 1996 1.9tdi with A/C
Good job, I wish I could fix my AC issue. I get no power to one the servos/motors that controls one of the doors, any suggestions +humblemechanic?
By the way, unbelievably great, detailed video! I'm about to tackle this job on my stepson's 2001 Jetta. If the black foam was all that was initially covering the holes on the blend door(s), why is it necessary to compliment the aluminum tape with the felt pad covering?
I wondered that also.... But I guess the foam covering the holes , instead of alu foil , doesn't completely seal of the closed duct so a little air still comes through . Meaning if you switch to front window only..... the windows of the doors still get some air blown by so will also be de-fogged. Otherwise you keep switching from front window to doors....to heating up your feet etc...
Any chance you did the video replacing blend doors without taking out the hvac
A lot of work Congratulations on perseverance! 😵👍
Thanks! This is exactly what I needed to see!
Hello So nice Video Question so I found a Brass Heater core and A Copper Aluminum Fin evaporator would the Copper Evaporator be a bit colder due to it being made of copper. Or is a Thin Wall Aluminum design be better for it. By Design I understand The Evaporator actual Absorbs heat its why it feels cold. Thank you for your thoughts
I have to take out the whole dash on my TT for this, thinking im just going to take out just the center part and glove box then try to stick my hand in there to just tape it 😅love my MK1 TT but at 292k miles I've done everything to this car and frankly getting tired OOHH WELL time to take it completely parts since I'm also having radio issues with false contacts
Hi,
In my Audi A3 8L I have a problem, that after a while of driving (approx. 2h) the air not coming out thru any outputs, while fan blower is still running, even I increase power of blowing-I can hear that fan running full power, however they vent outputs the air amount is nearly zero. Only one my idea was, that servomotor V71 is guilty when will stuck in middle position, that flaps for air from outside and inside are closed. Motor replaced, but problem remain. To ensure myself, I removed one of the smaller flap near by V71 motor. Now possibly is for taking air either from car cabin either from outside. Problem still exist.
Now I suspect motor flap V68. It looks like somehow happening, that hot air and cold air channels are closed. On your movie looks like it is one flap bended, but I have seen somewhere this flap from 2 elements. Maybe it is possible, that they are shifted against themself and sometimes both channels are closed?
I really don't want to disassemble dashboard, it is a huge job and not pleasant to do it outside in November. Maybe you have any advises or better idea, how this air flow its blocked? My car I have 5 years and since beginning it was happening, but not always. Of course after night or after long rest it is working good, but after passing about 200km distance, become this issue appearing.
Best Regards,
Kamil
I'm not looking forward to doing my 2000 Beetle, but it should get me ready to do my wife's 06 Audi TT....the Audi started spitting foam last summer.....
Wow nicely done bro I love you're EXPLAINING the ENTIRE point thanks very MUCH for EVERYTHING you do to help me out
Great job tackling a big job. The steps were explained, thanks.
What is the reason behind using the foam for the extra pieces (heater core, exit to the dash) and the gasket between the heater box and the pollen filter (where it connects to the body)? I just looked into the parts catalog but I see quite those gaskets are still availble from VW and only go for like $5-$10 per piece
Great video ! But i’ll be more than happy to see a tutorial about doing the same without taking eeeverything out , i wanna seal them back while on the car, thanks ! If u could it would be awesome
I tried. I never found a way I was happy with abs that actually did a good job.
the holes in the flaps are there to let air through the foam rubber, without the flaps can hardly be adjusted while driving or with the fan on.
I found this great video tutorial when trying to access the HVAC control panel. My 2005 Jetta went suddenly from the HVAC controls working perfectly to then having heat on full with no response to the heat control knob. I figured most likely one end or the other of the control cable had slipped off, but after a day and a half of digging down to the heat controls, I saw that the cable moves the blend door crank when I turn the heat control knob. So it's not the cable. What then? There has been no foam coming out of the air vents, and this was a sudden change. Turning the heat knob has no effect on the hot temperature of the air coming out. Could something have broken off or snapped inside the HVAC box? I'm hoping I can avoid the heavy lifting job of pulling the dash and steering pod, dealing with refrigerant and coolant. I've worked on my VWs for about 50 years. Someone said this job would take 12 shop hours at a repair shop. My local shop charges $185 per hour, which works out to $2220 for 12 hours!
My problem was caused by a broken blend door pin or bushing that had dropped out of the bottom of the blend box and was no longer contacting the blend door. That explains the sudden problem with heat on that couldn't be turned off. I learned that the original VW part (1H0 819 136) has been discontinued by VAG, but there are many sources of aftermarket copies that i found on eBay. In the comments to a video about replacing the part I read that someone found a wrench socket wedged under the part to hold it up in place. That gave me the idea of cutting a piece of plastic pipe to the right length to do the job. Using 1/2" PVC electrical conduit I did trial and error to find the best fit, which was about 3/4". With all the underdash parts, the glove box,, the radio and cage, center console, ashtray and HVAC control panel out already, it was pretty easy to slip the piece of pipe under the blend box lever. It's on the bottom of the blend box toward the front of the car connected by a white control cable to the heat control knob on the dash. It works fine and I think it will stay in place, so problem solved to my satisfaction.
Nice, what would that pay at the dealer to replace the doors or would you just replace the whole box?
Foam costs $5, labour is $1000-$1500
Awesome video thanks! Can you use the same camper foam strip or the Rubber Foam Weatherstrip you mention, on the heater core insulation itself? Or will that melt it and you should use something else?
Thanks!
I would like to see vid on doing it inside car, gotta repair mine on audi 80, dash already out, dont wanna pull whole thing again, core been replaced last year
I think what I will do is get the car back together enough to show it in the car. You can't do the heater core or anything like that, but if you just need to fix the doors, then it can totally be done in the car.
Love the content. Did you manage to do a video with out removing the hole thing if so could you send me over the link please 👍🏻👍🏻
This is SUCH a helpful video!!! Thanks for the nice video and audio quality. Would not have been able to complete the job without this video. Thanks again! Also do you know if in the 2002 model they changed the face air flap from straight to an L shape?
Excellent job Charles
My 99 NB defrost door has recessed like channels, spikes and a rubber edge that doesn't really seal. Have you ever foamed that type?
This is really helpful. Need to do this in my MK 4 GLI
Hey I have 2004 vw Beatle that is blowing out trash I live in East Tn where are you at ? and what would you charge to fix it like you did in the video
Great video. Gives me the confidence to fix mine. Quick question, Can this whole unit be installed in a mk 1 rabbit that only has no ac just the blower motor? If yes, What would i need to do to install it without any issues? thank you
That I don’t know. Probably better to install a mk1 box with AC
@@HumbleMechanic Thank you
My new beetle do that, foam comes out of the air vents, bad odors that stink all over the cloth after being using the a/c for long periods, what would you recommend me.
on sealing the heater core flange i always used dum dum sealant from the P1 passat pollen filter housing recall.... worked great. or butle cord.
“Dum dum” “P1 Passat recall” man your speaking my language.
i replaced my heater core in my 89 gmc s15 jimmy 4.3l and iam glad it wasnt as hard as this was but my enviremental setting dont work its stuck on defrost i just wish i had a place that i could use to work on my truck cause it needs some work
Local VW dealer called us and asked where they could buy a new heater box. (2002 EuroVan) I sent them the link to this video.
I have seen videos (on a skoda octavia) and entries on the forums where the heater core has been removed by taking out the glove box, blower motor and left side kickboard below the gearstick. Any experience taking the core out with this method?
That fastener you cut at @1:15, how did you fix it back on afterwards? I want to add some extra noise insulation to the bottom foam cover that sits under the box - it is fixed to the box with that strap
Thank you for this video. I wanted to ask you about a mk4 tdi 110cv moteur Alh. I wanted to delete vanne egr. Is this possible and does not affect the engine? Thank you
I have a mkiv Jetta and have the same issue. Please do the shorter version where you don't pull it all out. Thanks!