BLKMGK Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 Okay, what's the trick to removing a 240 Heater panel? How do you get all those cables off - I can barely see them much less get a screwdriver back there! Previous owner hacked my panel up a good bit and I've managed to get a decent one off of E-Bay so... I wish to swap the sucker but boy is it tight in there! While I'm at it - is this the time to be replacing the three guages up top? I can somewhat reach them but I really don't see any better time or easier way to get at them - yes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2000 Share Posted September 21, 2000 Ah memories of scraped knuckles.I've done this several times please bear in mind my car is right hand drive (we're upside down). There are four cables you have to undo.1 goes to the heater tap and is to the right of the panel under the dash towards the firewall.2 is slightly above the heater tap and operates the vent flap. 3 is on the left of the panel and operates the floor heater flap,it's back near the firewall also, and 4 is on the left side going to fresh air flap in the corner under the dash, in our case it's under the glovebox you may find yours is on the right hand side.When you've undone these four cables,mine have all been single strand cable and fairly stiff,gently pull the panel towards you and you will see the two wires going to the dash light in the top of the panel,just unplug these the connectors are easy to see.Then continue to pull the panel out towards you and withdrawing the radio as well and guide the cables out at the same time and disconnect the wires to the radio and aerial control switch.Be careful when you pull all this out as the ventilation flaps and ducts have a foam gasket around them which rots and crumbles and has a nasty habit of sticking to cloth seat inserts and clothes and generally spreading itself around.It will also be very dusty and grimy behind there.Once you have the panel out, access to the dash instruments will be much easier,another trick I've used is to remove the glovebox and gain access that way.When I originally did this it took a couple of hours and lots of cursing, I've now got it down to about half an hour and not nearly as much cursing.I hope this info helps and remember some of your controls may be the reverse to what I've described,if you need anything clarified please post or email.Regards Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted September 21, 2000 Share Posted September 21, 2000 I'll be so bold as to state that all of the controls are in the same positions, RHD/LHD. Each cable ends at a control lever. They are all pretty easy to trace. There are 4. You just follow the cable to it's terminus lever and then get a phillips in there to loosen the screw that clamps the cable to the lever. There's also the screw that secures the clamp for the cable sheath though. For at least one of these, the sort of angled bar phillips tool (comes with most Craftsman sets) is required as there is no room to get a proper screwdriver in place. Personally, I have converted over to a 280 vacuum operated system. I bought the whole enchilada from a pick and pull as part of my A/C upgrade. Does it work? Hell no. All kinds of vacuum lines and I dunno what or where they're supposed to connect to. The old cable system was a way huge pain in the ass muscle - the levers were all real sticky and requred huge effort to operate. BUT, they did, in fact, operate. I'm sure that if I ever get this current system working, I will be able to select temp/distribution, etc. with a flick of a finger. I gots me some hopes. I had considered replacing the vacuum actuators with electric - then I added up the cost (cough). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2000 Share Posted September 21, 2000 As J states, the cables can become quite stiff but I found this was mainly due to kinks in the cables and lack of lubrication after 30 years.My solution was to remove each cable from its sheath, once removed from the car and then straighten them with a pair of pliers as best as I could,I then sprayed WD40 or similar down the sheath and reinserted the cable and gave the actual control levers a clean and regrease and they work as good as gold.It will also pay to check each individual control i.e.the heater tap and make sure they are not frozen or gummed up as this will directly affect the control lever stiffness.A good afternoon job whilst sittin' on the porch.Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 22, 2000 Author Share Posted September 22, 2000 Thanks guys! Looks liek this project is on hold until my Phantom guages show up - yeah I'm going with the Phantoms! Sounds liek I need to disconnect the cables at the far ends and then pull th eunit out with cable attached - then unhook those - yes? How hard is it to mix up cables? Should I be labelling as I go? Don't expect to be using the vent controls much but whiel it's apart I'll be sure to oil and grease everything! P.S. Will I need to do this for tach and speedo or can those be removed from underneath that portion of the dash? From what I'm seeing that looks to be the case but I want to be sure so I don't do this twice. I've not ordered th etach and won't order the speedo until the revise them with the LCD displays this Fall... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 You are correct with pulling the unit out with cables attached. They are quite stiff(the cables that is, your back will be on completion!)and therefore pretty hard to mix up.The speedo and tacho can be accessed by lying on your back in the drivers footwell(easy if your are vertically challenged, I'm 6'3" but)and reaching around the steering column;this enables you to undo the wires and connections on the back of the instruments.My memory is a bit vague on this but I think they both pull out from the front of the dash,if this doesn't work, push them in.As far as the vent controls are concerned, I use it to try and block fumes when driving behind diesel dinosaurs that is until I can pass them.Good luck, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted September 23, 2000 Share Posted September 23, 2000 Ok guys, can anyone tell me if there is any way that it would be possible to move the heater contol panel OUT (away from firewall) by about an inch or so? The reason I am asking is that I have a custom center console in mind that would move the heater control, radio etc outwards slightly. (and put them angled slightly towards the driver, as well as angled "out" at the base) I might have to go with a vacuum system too... Hmmm.. I wonder what would happen under boost? ------------------ "THE STREETS WILL FLOW WITH THE OIL OF THE NON-BELIEVERS" Drax240z 1973 240z - L28TURBO transplant on the way! http://members.xoom.com/r_lewis/datsun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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