News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

59 Heater Vent....Vents?

Started by Coupe Deville, March 08, 2014, 07:29:44 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Coupe Deville

Hello everyone. Today I installed my new heater core and valve. It works perfectly now and doesn't leak. My problem is with the vents. The A/C vents are straight foawrd but I don't understand the heater vent. I turned the heat on after the instalation of the heater box. There has been this black curved tubed vent under the carpet common out of te bottom of the box ever since we had the car. It has been connected to the heater box but under the carpet. That is where the heat comes out of. I'm confused because the box has been tucked under the carpe for years and that's we're the heat comes from. I pulled it out above the carpet and it blows the air fine but I feel I'm missing something still. Is there more vents for the heater? Is this the only one and I'm missing some cover or something. A blan metal tube seems out of place in a Cadillac.
Any thoughts are appriciated.

Thanks

-Gavin
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

Jeff Wilk

Gavin, that metal duct going under the carpet should be connected to a longer Y-Shaped metal flat duct also under the carpet that brings the heat to two outlets under the front seat so heat gets to the rear passengers.  The Heat box is also integrated into the black/brown plastic long duct that runs under the dash which has the slender chrome vents that rotate up and down under the dash.  These also provide the heat.

"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

Coupe Deville

Thank you very much for the quick response and the picture helped very much. Now I now my fathers car is missing a few pieces. How does the long bottom plastic duct connect to the heater box? On mine the long black duct just bolts in front of the heater box but doesn't not actually hook up to it with any duct work.

Thanks

-Gavin
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

Jeff Wilk

It gets it's air flow from the right hand cowl from the flow from the pass side compartment under the fender.  The connection point is up under the pass front kick panel.
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

Coupe Deville

Jeff, I think I know what your talking about. The black duct that connects to the passenger side kick panned where the A/C evaporator outlet is. I know that area but for some reason on my car the heater box and its outlets don't come into contact with the black duct.
Sorry for all the questions but I don't quite understand.
Thank you for your paitence.

-Gavin
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

Coupe Deville

I received the shop manual last week and have looked through the heater section. I also had the opportunity too look at another 59 last week and I looked under the dash at the heater box and duct. It was the same as my fathers 59. The only place the long black duct connects on my fathers 59 is the outlet for the A/C evaporator. And then the two hoses that go to the vents on ether side. But the vent in the center is still only for the A/C. If the heat is supposed to come out of it does it go through the evaporator tube? On my car thats the only way it could go through. Am I missing a duct that goes straight to the center vent for heat? I have looked at other pictures of 59 heater ducts and heater boxes and they are the same as mine. I am really at a mis here.......

-Gavin 
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

quadfins

#6
No, the vent in the center is only for AC air, or outside vent air on AC cars. The heat only comes out of the other box, which is actually behind (closer to the firewall) the long black box with the chromed central vent. The heater box has a number of perforations or slits in it above where the passengers toes would be, and a good sized opening that would tend to blow onto the drivers right foot toes. And it has the connector to the Y tube for the rear seats.

Short version - when your heater is on, there will be no air flow through that central chromed vent. There will be air flow when you have AC or vent on. Heated air and AC air go through separate boxes and vents.

Jim
Jim Eccleston
1961 Coupe de Ville
BATILAC
Senior Crown
DeCou Driving Award x 4

Jeff Wilk

Excellent description Jim. There is also a boot that connects to the steel Y ducting that runs under the carpet for rear seat heat (at least in the 4dr 60 Special)
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

curly

Quote from: Jeff Wilk on March 22, 2014, 04:56:02 PM
Excellent description Jim. There is also a boot that connects to the steel Y ducting that runs under the carpet for rear seat heat (at least in the 4dr 60 Special)
Jeff,
Interesting, I don't think I have that, or it has been missing since I got the car. Is that part visible in the Photo  you posted?

T Lewis

Jeff Wilk

Curly, i was not clear/accurate in the post as it is not a rubber boot but rather a steel sleeve/elbow that acts like a boot to connect the heater box to the red flat steel under carpet ducting you see in my pictures posted beleo
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

brian faull clc#25881

If its missing let me know. i should have one. Brian. 412 952 6027.
brian faull clc#25881

Coupe Deville

Quote from: quadfins on March 22, 2014, 04:28:03 PM
The heater box has a number of perforations or slits in it above where the passengers toes would be, and a good sized opening that would tend to blow onto the drivers right foot toes. And it has the connector to the Y tube for the rear seats.

Hello again. I know that this post has been standing for a while but I would like to get some input. I was in my father 59 convertible tonight and was thinking about this. My blower motor works just fine, and I can feel air coming out of the slits and the opening in the heater box and the y pipe that runs under the seat but...well, the car interior gets warm with the top and all of the windows up, but you can't feel air being blown on you because the air flow is so low to the ground. I kinda find it hard to believe that these would be the only vents for hot air. Just holes in the heater box below the dash. It seems rather "non" Cadillac to me. Anyone els feel the same way or is this just something I will have to live with because that is just the way they did it?   

-Gavin
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

quadfins

That's just the way it is.

The only other option is to move the defrost lever, thus redirecting some of the warmed air to come out of the defrost vents, at the upper "breathing" level. Even on AC '61 & '62s, the dash-level vents can only provide outside vent air, or chilled AC air - not warm air. I think '59 is the same.

Jim
Jim Eccleston
1961 Coupe de Ville
BATILAC
Senior Crown
DeCou Driving Award x 4

59-in-pieces

Gavin,
Here are a couple more thoughts.
When you removed the heater & A/C plenums, did you test the internal doors within them.  They control the flow of air to the A/C and heater functions by cables and vacuum valves from the dash controls on each side of the steering column as well as vacuum operated actuators, which are visible from the engine compartment - P side.
The cables manually control the doors as do the vacuum activators - single and double ports.
It is possible they are not allowing the air to flow within the plenums through the heater outlets and the A/C outlets.
If one door does not open entirely or the other does not close entirely, the air flow will be impeded.

I have attached other photos which show the ducts that are under the carpet directing heat to the rear compartment.  There is a metal piece - red, with a rubber seal - that hooks to the heater box, another hooks to it that is pointed - "V" - at one end, and 2 pieces that hook to the "V" piece forming the "Y" for each side of the car.  Also note that there are small diverters at the ends of the floor ducts to further direct heat under the front bench seat.

This post is getting too long so I will follow up with the rubber ducting to carry the air flow through the plenums.
Have fun,
Steve B.

S. Butcher

59-in-pieces

Gavin,
Round 2.
Along with what I have posted, you should make sure all vacuum lines to these assemblies have been replaced as well as the vacuum acuaters, first see if they have enough throw on the ss wires to actuate their anchor points.
Also check the vacuum switches on the control assemblies - replace if needed.
You should seal the edges of the floor ducts to the floor with "black" duct tape to avoid leaks.
I have attached a photo of one of the doors within the plenum.  You will see the green (forgive the color - not OEM) felt gasket - I replaced the old then rigid black felt - to assure the seal when the door moved from one position to the other - opening and closing, redirecting air flow.
See the locations of the 3 vacuum acuaters on the plenum in the engine compartment - vacuum hoses not installed yet.

There are 2 rubber ducts which carry air through the system - one in the engine compartment and the other from the P kick panel.  See photos.
Have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

59-in-pieces

Gavin,
Round 3.
Forgot the photo of second rubber boot.
Have fun,
Steve
S. Butcher