Converson to non-climate control? -- '78 Seville

[david.randall]

All et al,

I love my Caddy, but I've always disliked climate control in any car. Since the Seville is a fancy Nova, can a Nova's heating controls be put in the Seville instead?

Thanks,


David

[Stuart CLC#19301]

Sorry the only part on a Seville that is on a Nova is the front floor pan, thats about it.  So as you see the Seville is no Nova!

[TJ Hopland]

What aspect of it dont you like?   Im asking because depending on what you dont like there may be a fairly easy way to sort of make it more manual.

[david.randall]

What annoys me about climate control is that I would like a selecton with low fan speed that only goes to the feet. Low should do this, but I always get too much air upwards and it dries my eyes.

Thanks,


David

[EAM 17806]

DAVID:  I have a 76 Coupe de Ville and the climate control works perfectly without any unnecessary heat blowing out the upper vents.  Are you sure your air hoses and valves are set the way they are suppose to be.  I would check the whole system out before I would convert to a manual system. You shouldn't be having that problem with heat coming out of the upper vents. When using the air-condition I think it is normal for the cool air to come out the upper vents but not when the heater is on. I just looked into my 76's service manual and I'll print exactly what it states.  "HEATER OUTLET: The heater outlet is attached to the bottom surface of the heater case at centerline of car.  It distributes air to the left-hand and right-hand sides of the front floor and also directs two heavy streams of air under the front seat to heat the rear compartment." Dave, I cannot imagine your set up being any different then what is in the 76 climate control set-up.  It is a good system if it is working the way it is intended to.  GOOD LUCK!  EAM

[TJ Hopland]

I get what he is saying and it sounds normal to me.    If I get a chance I will look at the books and see if there may be an easy way to modify the system.

[david.randall]

Now, my system may not be working properly. The car sat for many years before I got it recently (the only time it got was driven was when I drove it once a year to the Fort Rodd Hill Cadillac show in Victoria while the octogenarian owner drove his '56 Sedan Deville), and the system was always set to off and cold. Since I bought the car the climate control has been a little confused and wandering as I use all the settings and temperatures. Sometimes I'll be getting cold to my feet and hot out of the A/C vents (the R12 leaked out of the system years ago). Also, when I turn the system to cold it'll take ten to fifteen minutes to get cold, and then get hot again by itself. When I put the selection lever to the various settings, it seems to be changing the way it should, but thinking about reading this, it's the leaking out of the AC vents I have a problem with.

I have checked to see that all the of the vacuum lines are still on the controller, but I've not gone further. I have the '76 Main and Seville manuals, becuase that's what the owner had -- he had Sevilles from '75 - '79.

Thanks everyone.


David

[TJ Hopland]

I dont think there should be any normal way you should be getting heat out of the dash vents unless its just ambient air due to lack of AC function. 

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

David,
All you have to do in order to have a "non Air Conditioned" car is disconnect the leads at the compressor clutch. Your system is a Hybrid of electrical, electronic and vacuum components.  If the car had been sitting for an extended period of time it is quite likely that some of the actuators or devices they control are stuck. If that is the case it is likely that just freeing them up will solve your control of air outlet problems.  You are going to hear this from others, but a factory shop manual will show you all the components and have a diagnosis matrix to trouble shoot.
It can be a lot of work, but a fully functional climate control is unbeatable.
Greg

[david.randall]

Excellent, thanks for the advice. I do have the factory manuals for '76, and I assume the system is the same or at least similar. I intend to get the air conditioning converted to R134A, but until then I'll unplug the compressor.

I'll report when I"ve done more work to the system.

[Roger H]

which vent is picked, either upper a/c vent or lower floor vent is determined by  set point and ambient  temp inside the car.
if you  pick a temp below  ambient the air will come out the upper ac vent ( you pick 60 F and it is 70 F inside the car),   and if you pick a temp above ambient it will come out the lower floor vent ( you pick 70 F and it is 50 F inside the car),   If you pick a temp real close to ambient it may come out both at the same time. 
Fan speed is determined by the temperature difference between ambient and set point. Large difference means higher fan speed.

So, if you have air coming out the a/c vent either,  you have picked a setting below ambient, or your setting has become close to ambient, or you have a defective system
before you start to fix it I would first run some tests.  Most local librarys have good Mitchell Manuals, they  have a good diagnosis chart.

Roger