Window buttons.
Window buttons.
Author
Discussion

wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
On the later cars, the window buttons seem to be made from alloy. And instead of two there seem to be four..
Does this mean one for up, one for down etc ?
Or am I not understanding the layout of the lower instrument panel ?

Any help would be appreciated..

Marc

Mark_G

195 posts

236 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
You're possibly talking about the Leven Technology alloy overlays - they are an easy fix over the top of the original black plastic ones. Have to say I'm not sure that Leven do these anymore - though a quick call to Jules will confirm that for you.

Hope this helps /Mark

RichB

56,281 posts

314 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
That, and when you see 4 x rocker buttons - two verical and two horizontal they are the window and heater controls.

wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
The ones i mean are the ones in this pic.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/largepic.asp?i=749097...

How do they function, ie do you turn one for hotter and another for colder ?


AntonyJ

5,254 posts

311 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
wargriff said:
The ones i mean are the ones in this pic.



How do they function, ie do you turn one for hotter and another for colder ?
The outer window buttons are just that, windows.

The dials control hot/cold , fan on/off+speed , recirc and flow direction up/down.

Green Meanie

484 posts

248 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
OH OH Marc Looks like another project brewing EH .

GJR

827 posts

310 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
The four round alloy buttons in the middle of that pic are the ventilation controls. They control the (1)fan on/off, fan speed, (2)hot/cold, (3)fresh air/closed circulation, and (4)windscreen/forward/feet air direction.

In the same pic you can just see a black switch to the left of the four alloy controls which is the passenger side window up/down. The is one for the driver side hidden by the gear stick of the other side of the panel.

As mentioned the window switches can sometimes look alloy too if they have the leven covers on them..




Edited by GJR on Tuesday 3rd March 21:03

AntonyJ

5,254 posts

311 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
Green Meanie said:
OH OH Marc Looks like another project brewing EH .
Possible but not easy, the motors on the heater controls have different feedback system, the heater control panel has a PCB built into and there is a heater control unit behind the dash.


wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
Green Meanie said:
OH OH Marc Looks like another project brewing EH .
Well i have to change the lower panel now biggrin

Not sure what route to go, the later cars and diff models have the stereo surround ones and they would look odd on the griff.

So im trying to find a manufacturer that has an alloy window button that would look ok on the panel..


wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
AntonyJ said:
Green Meanie said:
OH OH Marc Looks like another project brewing EH .
Possible but not easy, the motors on the heater controls have different feedback system, the heater control panel has a PCB built into and there is a heater control unit behind the dash.
I know a very good electrical engineer biggrin (Craig, I would try and solve myself this time)

would the easiest route be to change the whole system to the later models?
Mine does not do anything at all at present, so removing it would not be an issue, then just transplanting in a later one from a damaged car.
or is there a structural diff behind the dash that would negate this ?

Edited by wargriff on Tuesday 3rd March 21:18

AntonyJ

5,254 posts

311 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
wargriff said:
AntonyJ said:
Green Meanie said:
OH OH Marc Looks like another project brewing EH .
Possible but not easy, the motors on the heater controls have different feedback system, the heater control panel has a PCB built into and there is a heater control unit behind the dash.
I know a very good electrical engineer biggrin (Craig, I would try and solve myself this time)

would the easiest route be to change the whole system to the later models?
Mine does not do anything at all at present, so removing it would not be an issue, then just transplanting in a later one from a damaged car.
or is there a structural diff behind the dash that would negate this ?

Edited by wargriff on Tuesday 3rd March 21:18
Slight difference on the centre console where the control fits, but nothing unachievable.

Too be honest the biggest benefit I would say a precat owner could do is swap the heater box for a later one, the direction control flap is a much better design.

Wouldnt really say the other mods(fitted turn knobs,re-circ flap) would be any benefit,but the direction flap on the heater box would be.

Also fitting a pipe between the heater motor and inlet of the heater box helps with airflow, on fan speed 3 mine actually whistles now.!

Quite a nice tune too...

wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
The heater box is in the nearside arch area, just behind the light from memory. When in for respray I could see it.

It was not connected to anything though, and I could not see any tubes/piping. Are the heating hoses fitted closer to the cabin, leaving the cavity empty apart from the unit. Or should it have hoses attached to it ?

It works, as it makes a noise, but no hot/cold air reaches the dash area..(unless you count the warm door handles biggrin)


Barreti

6,689 posts

267 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
The heater on pre cats is a Ford blower mounted below the nearside light pod. There is a hole on my car below where the alarm is mounted (roughly the same place as the washer bottle but on the other inner wing) and it sucks air at the bottom and fires it upwards into the wheel arch void, pressurising it.
There is an 'apron' sealed around the blower and to the edges of the wheelarch void which is easiest to imagine if you think of it as one of the aprons a canoeist would wear, with him being the blower and his canoe your wheelarch void.

This apron separates the lower 'suck' part of the blower unit from the upper 'blow' part.

The theory then is that all the air being pushed into the upper part of the void pressurises it and the only way the air can escape is up through the heater matrix.

If you have no air coming through the matrix its possible either the hole that air is sucked in through has been blocked off, or that the apron has split or come away from the edges of the void and the motor is just recirculating the aid inside the void.

I hope all that makes sense. Yell if not.

Edited by Barreti on Tuesday 3rd March 22:56

HRG

72,863 posts

269 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
GJR said:
(3)fresh air/closed circulation, and (4)windscreen/forward/feet air direction.
rofl Most pointless dials. Ever. Mine operate but the design is so pants I just can't be bothered to turn them.

GJR

827 posts

310 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
HRG said:
rofl Most pointless dials. Ever.
You mean like clothes with fake pockets ?! biggrin For me it's just (2). Not so much hot/cold as very hot/warm. wink

They look nice though. smile

Edited by GJR on Wednesday 4th March 08:26

wargriff

Original Poster:

1,908 posts

232 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
Barreti said:
The heater on pre cats is a Ford blower mounted below the nearside light pod. There is a hole on my car below where the alarm is mounted (roughly the same place as the washer bottle but on the other inner wing) and it sucks air at the bottom and fires it upwards into the wheel arch void, pressurising it.
There is an 'apron' sealed around the blower and to the edges of the wheelarch void which is easiest to imagine if you think of it as one of the aprons a canoeist would wear, with him being the blower and his canoe your wheelarch void.

This apron separates the lower 'suck' part of the blower unit from the upper 'blow' part.

The theory then is that all the air being pushed into the upper part of the void pressurises it and the only way the air can escape is up through the heater matrix.

If you have no air coming through the matrix its possible either the hole that air is sucked in through has been blocked off, or that the apron has split or come away from the edges of the void and the motor is just recirculating the aid inside the void.

I hope all that makes sense. Yell if not.

Edited by Barreti on Tuesday 3rd March 22:56
That does make sense, I will have a look over the weekend and see whats blocking the flow.
Thanks for all contributions.

HRG

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
GJR said:
HRG said:
rofl Most pointless dials. Ever.
You mean like clothes with fake pockets ?! biggrin For me it's just (2). Not so much hot/cold as very hot/warm. wink

They look nice though. smile
(2) has been known to vary the temperature a little on occasion, but with the roof off it doesn't really matter biggrin I'd love (4) to do something but having looked at the design of the foam covered flaps it's kinda pointless trying to get it to work properly.