280-Z heater

I have a 76 280-Z and the heater has just quit (yes, another Chicago Winter
is approaching).  The problem is not just the heater, but I seem to get
no air to come out of any of the vents except for the main dash panel.
I get no defrost, etc.  Is this a matter of a vaccuum leak somewhere ?
Any ideas, Z-fans ???   Thanks in advance.

                                –Horus

2 Responses to “280-Z heater”

  1. admin says:

     > Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
     >
     > I have a 76 280-Z and the heater has just quit (yes, another
     > Chicago Winter
     > is approaching).  The problem is not just the heater, but
     > I seem to get
     > no air to come out of any of the vents except for the main
     > dash panel.
     > I get no defrost, etc.  Is this a matter of a vaccuum leak
     > somewhere ?
     > Any ideas, Z-fans ???   Thanks in advance.
     >
    check the entire vent vaccuum system starting with the opaque vaccuum
    resevoir in the engine compartment on the right inside of the fender.
     work from there…check the origional vaccuum, source at the intake

    manifold also-this can be a bitch or it can  be quite easy…
    good luck-hope it is easy on your car.

    –  

            Steve Kaess, Steve.Ka…@p0.f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org
            via The Black Cat’s Shack’s FidoNet<->Usenet Gateway
                blkcat.fidonet.org   and   Fidonet 1:109/401

  2. admin says:

    ho…@wystan.bsd.uchicago.edu writes:
    >I have a 76 280-Z and the heater has just quit (yes, another Chicago Winter
    >is approaching).  The problem is not just the heater, but I seem to get
    >no air to come out of any of the vents except for the main dash panel.
    >I get no defrost, etc.  Is this a matter of a vaccuum leak somewhere ?
    >Any ideas, Z-fans ???   Thanks in advance.

    Yep.  A common failure point in that vintage car is where the little
    vacuum hoses attach to the vacuum resevoir (the big white container
    that looks kinda like a weenie on the right side of the car.)  Typically
    these hoses will split (always on the bottom where you can’t see ‘em)
    and will allow enough vacuum to leak to make the heater inop.  Since
    the system fails to air conditioning, that is what you get.  For minor
    leaks, you’ll only notice the problem when accelerating or going up
    hills.  (cold going up, hot comming down :-)  Another common place is
    where the vacuum is tapped from the intake manifold.

    One reason the vacuum resevoir is such a common failure point is that
    you almost always hit it with your arms while changing plugs or the
    oil filter.  I’ll bet you just changed your oil, right?

    IF you don’t find any problems in the above places, then inspect the whole
    vacuum piping system for splits.  Especially check around the solonoids that
    are mounted near the vacuum resevoir.  Also look under the dash on the
    passenger side.  There is a damper and its associated hose within easy
    reach of a passenger’s feet.

    John


    John De Armond, WD4OQC  | "The truly ignorant in our society are those people
    Radiation Systems, Inc. | who would throw away the parts of the Constitution
    Atlanta, Ga             | they find inconvienent."  -me   Defend the 2nd
    {emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd| with the same fervor as you do the 1st.

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