Ventilation problem

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shaker
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Ventilation problem

Post by shaker »

Hi guys, just moved on from a very early (93) Xantia 2.0 SX which I'd grown to love and hate in equal amounts over the years, to a late (99) Xantia 2.0 Exclusive with aircon and all the toys. No more sinking to the ground on switch-off!

Starting to find the little problems you don't notice until you've driven it a bit. The disadvantage of having more toys is there's more to go wrong!
Most I can sort, but there's a problem with the ventilation /heater system. I get heat (matrix ok) and the blower works ok, but no matter which position I move the ventilation slider to I can't get air through the screen vents or into the footwells. I only get heat out of the face level vents, which means I've got no demist and cold feet as well. Any ideas?
Is the ventilation slider a mechanical linkage or is it servos? If it's electrical could it be affected by the dreaded ignition switch failure?
Anyone else had this? Any help would be appreciated, although I'm already mentally resigning myself to having to take the dash out.
nurkov
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Post by nurkov »

it is purely mechanical.
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shaker
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Post by shaker »

Eventually got round to checking the linkages. Took out the radio and was able to get at the back of the ventilation slider. Cables are ok, they are still attached to the slider mechanism and I was able to squeeze my hand in to trace the cables and confirm that they are still attached at the other end. Operated slider and both cables move their respective plastic levers at the other end. All appears to operate as it should, but still no air to screen or feet. Can only think it must be an internal blockage in the air distribution box. Checked the pollen filter whilst I was at it and it was absolutely filthy, but the fact that it was in place (even though it was full of crap) should mean that nothing was able to get through it to block the ventilation pipes? Looking more and more like a dash-out job to fix now.
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Re: Ventilation problem

Post by f00lzz »

shaker wrote:If it's electrical could it be affected by the dreaded ignition switch failure?

A Xantia of 99 era has the modifed/better ign switch
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Post by xantia_v6 »

I have got a heater assembly from a Xantia sitting beside me now, and looking at the various flaps and things, I think that I can see what your problem must be.

There are 3 mechanical cables from the control panel, one is the recirc control, which we will ignore. One of the others goes to a grey pastic arm on the heater box, and operates a flap that divides air between the screen and footwell outlets.

The last cable goes to a blue pastic arm, and controls a flap that divides the air between the facia outlets and the flap mentioned above. If this flap is stuck closed, there will be no air to footwell or screen.

To complicate things slightly, the arm that this last cable is connected to is not directly connected to the shaft of the flap, but is pivoted about 20mm from the axle of the flap, with plastic gear teeth connecting the arm to the flap axle.

So if this arm is not moving, or the gear teeth are damaged, then the flap will not move, and no air gets past the flap.

I don't know if you can see the blue arm and grey gear with the heater controls and radio removed. if so, you may be abloe to see why the flap is not moving.
shaker
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Post by shaker »

Thanks for that xantia_v6, I can see the blue plastic arm and the cable moves it when the slider is operated. Didn't know it wasn't directly connected to the shaft on the flap though, as you rightly say if the gear wheel is damaged the flap won't move even if the arm does. I'll check it in the morning and see if I can see the gear wheel and I'll let you know if it's that. Thanks again for your help.
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Post by Peter.N. »

There's a nice job for you! :twisted:
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Post by shaker »

Cost me some skinned knuckles but thanks to xantia_v6 I've now got air to the screen and to my feet!

Couldn't see the gear wheel but could see that the blue plastic arm had a pin on it that looked like it should locate in a slot on a white plastic cam that I could also see, which is presumably connected to the gear wheel. Trouble was, the pin looked to be about half an inch above the slot so when the blue arm moved, the pin couldn't move the white cam because it wasn't located in the slot. Reached in and eventually managed to move the white cam towards the blue arm so that the pin located. Switched the heating on and tried moving the slider and hey presto! hot air to the screen!

I've operated the slider back and forth plenty of times and touch wood everything now works as it should. Don't know whether the white cam will eventually move away from the pin again but it seems ok for now.
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Post by wrinklet1 »

Hi all,
I have the same problem with the ventilation on my mkII Xantia. No air at all coming from any vent.
I have tried what V6 has suggested. The cables are all connected and the blue lever moves the 'cog' part too. I can hear what sounds like parts moving within the ventilation system.
Any ideas please because it is really getting me down now and it is really freezing too
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Post by DickieG »

Blocked pollen filter?
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Post by wrinklet1 »

Pollen filter removed already!
I replaced the fan motor and everything was working ok until i did that. Now, the fan runs ok but no air at all blows through any vent :(
All connections are ok and cables are connected at both ends.....
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Post by DickieG »

In that case I wonder whether you have disturbed the fan blades on the motor so that the shaft spins but the blade doesn't.
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Post by AndersDK »

Long shot :
Is it possible that the fan motor is/can be running "backwards" ?
(i.e. wrong polarity on cabling)
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wrinklet1
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Post by wrinklet1 »

Hi Anders,
No, the polarity is ok.
It must be a vent flap thats stuck.
That must mean a dash strip down unless i can drill a hole in the casing somewhere and poke a straight metal bar in to release the flap?????
Ideas please... PLEASE

Paul
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Post by Clogzz »

I can hear what sounds like parts moving within the ventilation system.
The air-conditioned cars have a motorised flap at the bottom front of the centre console, and the drive cog breaks:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=21859

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