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Re: HVAC questions and wheel sizes



5kcstq wrote:
>     Was wondering why the heater in my 87 5kcstq would take a couple of
> minutes to start blowing any air?  

It's actually designed that way: it won't blow heat until the engine is
warm. No air is better than cold air, right? But it will blow
defrost--and if you go back to one of the other modes after being in
defrost, it _will_ blow "heat" before the engine is warm. An
undocumented (and unintended, I imagine) feature.

> Also,  anyone know why it would blow
> all the air out of the defrost and floor vents?  It seems to be the same
> in either "econo" or "auto" mode.  What are the symptoms of a bad AC
> Programmer?  I am not really sure how the system is intended to work.

Defrost-only (with a little coming out at the floor) indicates that
something's wrong in the vacuum system that controls the flaps. There's
your symptom--but not necessarily of a bad programmer. Check that all
the vacuum lines are connected and not leaking. A hand vacuum pump helps
for that. Leaky solenoid valves on the programmer are a common failure,
but they weren't bad on my car. A Bentley service manual is also
extremely helpful here, since it tells you what the programmer should be
doing in every mode and temp.

- Wallace
  '87 5kcstq 151k

> Also,  anyone know what the largest size tire you could put on 16" wheel
> and still fit in the stock wheel wells of my 5k without rubbing?  I am
> desperately in need of some bigger meats under the thing.  Any ideas
> will be much appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Tim Sexton