Technical Fiat 500 Heater Air Valve

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Technical Fiat 500 Heater Air Valve

gordinir8

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Somebody is going to hit me here with all those questions but ill take my chances. My heater on off flap doesn't isolate air by 100%, while this is not a problem at winder, summer here is really hot and i have to fix it somehow. I saw this flap somewhere on the net and i was wondering if there is a spare part available and how can i remove mine in order to replace (if i dont find a new part) the rubber seal.
Plan B for hot Greek summer is to remove the heater rubber duct and just block the heater metal duct.:eek:
 

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I just drilled out the rivets and cut a new rubber gasket from a sheet of reinforced rubber, then reassembled using small nuts and bolts. The sheet can be trimmed for a best fit. Pretty easy solution.....
 
And how did you remove the flap? Is it easy to do through the cabin or under the car (inlet)
 
Through the cabin by pulling the handle up into the cabin (I can't remember how it is fixed now) then removing the flap. It wasn't difficult to remove or reinstate
 
The handle is crimped on its lower end so you have to secure it again somehow maybe with a small drill and a cotter pin. Ok I will give it a try
 
Thomas gordinir8, did you repair this?
I took mine out because there wasn't enough friction to keep it open. Maybe I lost a washer underneath but it pulled out easily once I unscrewed the retainer inside. .
What thckness of rubber did you use? I am not sure if mine is worn or if the rubber is thinned-out at the edges. ; the rubber is torn so I have drilled out the rivets ready to replace it.
 
Hi Peter, no i haven't done mine yet since i completely deactivate the heating system, but i will do it. If possible post some pictures of what you done. I ques an old piece of wheel inner tube will do the job.:confused:
 
Thomas gordinir8
I took mine out because there wasn't enough friction to keep it open. Maybe I lost a washer underneath but it pulled out easily once I unscrewed the retainer inside.
What retainer did you unscrewed? Is this thing has a screw?
 
Too dark now to take a photo. I thought of inner tube but I don't have one and i think it's a bit thicker. I think the thickness and dimensions are quite important. The rubber tapers thinner at the edges but I am not sure if that is wear or made like that. I thought it was closer to the quality of a car mat but you need such a tiny piece.
To remove it​, take off the triangular cover and I had a simple metal clip with one small screw. This presses on a spring between two flat washers. All I had to do was to wiggle the pivot spindle and pull hard. This has a squared shaft to lock it to the metal flap. This is two pieces spot-welded together trapping the rubber.
I will get the pieces photographed tomorrow.
 
I reconditioned mine using a piece of reinforced rubber sheeting. Drilled out the rivets and reassembled it with something like 8 BA bolts, it has been reassembled in the housing without any problems but not tested yet as the car is still up on blocks. The replacement rubber was of equivalent thickness to the original so I am not expecting any problems.
 
I've found a piece of EPDM rubber from a chimney cowl which seems the right thickness etc.
These are the pieces; note that the rubber is only a half of it. It was split but I think originally in one piece.
MAL_3876 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
MAL_3878 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
The securing mechanism is simple and self-explanatory. The pivot shaft was a tight fit in the flap but I suspect it is meant to be a smooth, sliding fit to allow it to centralise when you shut it.
MAL_3895 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
 
Peter thank you for the photos, mine doesn't have the clip and the screw at the top. Shaft is hammered on its lower end. Anyway i will remove it no problem. i will have to find a good rubber.
 
. i will have to find a good rubber.

I decided that the type and thickness of the rubber was important to the seal and possibly to provide a wedging action when the flap is shut or partly open. So I bought a little square of 2mm neoprene; (the original is minutely thicker than that but probably swollen with age). It was proportionately ridiculously expensive but felt just right.
I used the original as a template and guessed that it would have been in one piece although since fallen apart; excuse the rough cutting...it won't be seen again for forty years. :D
MAL_4300 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
I also judged how it was meant to be fitted around the spindle.
MAL_4299 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
I don't have a rivet-gun anymore so 4mm nuts and bolts did the trick.
I had to work out which way round to fit the flap to get the stop in the right place and getting it into the tunnel was a bit tricky.
MAL_4301 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
But it fits well and seals and stays in place better than before.
It will get a bit more use than Thomas' Greek one but also it's nice to be able to reduce the noise properly when it's shut, :)
 
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