Cascade Crew

[aaron_sK]

A few owners back, someone removed the A/C compressor, and all of the tubing up to the box itself from my Camaro ('87 IROC). I'm glad to have it out of the way, but the spare tube and big box looks a bit wierd, and it's somewhat in the way.

Also, there are two holes punched in the box. One is smaller, and on the upper section of the box, near where the tube originally entered from the A/C unit. The second hole is quite large, about 3x3 inches, dirrectly above the header. My assumption is that when the headers where installed, someone bashed the box in to get it out of the way. The problem is that with the engine running and the blower turned on full blast, I can feel air blowing out of the holes, especially the upper (smaller) one.

This is making me a bit nervous, because I'm worried that of air is blowing into the engine compartment from the fan being on, air could possibly be coming through the holes back into the passenger compartment with the fan off.

The problem is, I've never pulled a complete box before, just the motors, and so I have no idea how big of a job it is. To anyone who has done the delete, is it reasonably easy? Will I have to change the blower console, or will my wires plug into a non-A/C box? Will I need a new blower motor, or can I just swap the box? Where S10's and non-A/C Camaro's the only ones with a compatable box?

I thought about patching the old box with some wire mesh and RTV, but that is quite a bit of work itself, it will look even crappier than it does now, and my car will probably stink for days afterwards while the stuff fully cures.

Also, if anyone has any non-A/C box they want to sell nearby, that'd be cool.

Thanks -- Aaron

[Xophertony]

i would go with a non ac box. the only one of your questions i can answer is that NO, you can't re-use an AC fan in a non ac box. the blades are two big. you will need a fan out of a non ac setup.

i believe the non ac boxes are the same in birds and camaros. but no sure.

[iansane]

You can also use the stock AC blades and trim them down to fit inside the shallower non-ac housing. Quite a few guys have done that on TGO. I have yet to swap to the non-ac box. It's been sitting in the back of my car for the past few weeks.

It's fairly simple to take off. 10 mm bolts from the engine bay side (I think 8 of them?) and two coming from the passanger compartment side.

You can also make a spacer to fit the AC-fan/hampster cage fan thing as well.

[Xophertony]

how do you get to the ones from the passanger compartment? i tried removing my non-ac box on my V6 to tighten the header bolts once, could not do it. you have to pull the dash out a little bit don't you? i hate doing that. had to do a heater core on my sisters 89 (sold ages ago).

also once you get the ones out from the passanger compartment woult it be possable to switch them to the engine bay? so you can remove it easyer in the future?

[iansane]

They're real simple to get. The are on the bottom of the box. (The ones you'd have a real pain getting at from the engine bay side). Just pull back the carpet a tad and look at the top of the black rubber padding and there should be two 10mm bolts there.

[Xophertony]

on a 2.8 they are easy to get at from the engine bay side mostly anything is, except the header bolts GRRRR

thanks ian. i never thought to actualy check. (realy, never did)

[iansane]

[aaron_sK]

Alright guys, I'm thinking this would be a good way to go, but I still have a question about the console. Do the connectors from the A/C-style control panel/fan switch plug into the non-A/C box, or should I grab the panel and wiring while I'm at the junkyard?

[iansane]

Keep your stock resistor (the thing that mounts into the box that looks like a big curly cue thingie on the inside) and that will allow you to have all four speeds.

[Quasi-Traction]

take the whole wiring setup, along with the box, faceplate and controls. If you try to use the AC's wiring harness on the Non-AC heater box You'll only have low and High for fan speeds.

[Xophertony]

good one ian!
yeah, most people say that the non AC fans don't go as fast, it's just the resisitor that makes the difference.


YOU KNOW WHAT I FOUND OUT! the vents on the sides of the dash that are blocked of on non-ac cars pump out heat too! not just when the AC is on. i loooove my GTA. it keeps my hands warm i always assumed they were ONLY for AC. i was planning onblocking them off. no way i am doing it now. heat is cool.

[Twilightoptics]

Non A/C boxes are sweet. Easy to install. Taking out your old one, there are 2 10mm bolts on the inside where the passengers feet would go. Actually, on your old a/c box there might be 3. Then just take out the 10mm bolts from the engine bay. Dismantle the box, take your time and it's cake.

Finished product:



Pardon the nesticle of wiring.

[Nathan J]

ya non ac boxs are easy to take out takes about 5 to 10mins at most, but i take alot of them out lol at the junk yards, i also work at a junk yard so ya i get used to pulling crap like that everyday lol.
Nathan

[Xophertony]

i pulled one the other day, took 15 minutes, but i was carful not to screw anything else up in the car. i have a question. there is a little round thing that goes on the end of the non-ac fan. it's round and one opening is smaller then the other. the smaller and points toward the passanger cabin right?

[aaron_sK]

Swapped in the 'new' box today. Works great, and blows plenty of air, but no matter what position I select on the controls, AC, vent, defrost, anything, air only comes out at the windshield (defrost).

I don't know if this was a problem before, since I never tested it, but could my swapping the new box in have cause this, or was it probably a pre-existing problem that I didn't know about?

[rjmcgee]

The vacume line is broke or disconnected that goes to your HVAC controls. It defaults to defrost.

[aaron_sK]

Is that under the dash, or on the firewall somewhere?

[rjmcgee]

Beings how you just did the heater box maybe you unhooked it in the engine bay.