Glove Box AC for A4?

[david_594]

Bump because I just installed this in my car. Just to point out you DON'T need the European glove box to do this. On the back of the old style glove box there is a template that it looks like you could push out. Its a little thick so taking a dremel to it is necessary. You will also need to position the vent housing thingy with the foam on it a little higher to accomodate the old style glove box. I was able to do the whole thing in just about 2 hours and working slow.

 

[david_594]

So if say you had a new airbox like this where do you think the proper OEM place would be to hook the glove box climate control line to?

I figure might as well do it right when I am in there.

 

[graeme86]

I have examined one of those climatronic units out of a Golf and there is not an actual mark anywhere on it to indicate the correct spot to place the hose. I was looking for some circular marks anywhere on top of the unit that would indicate where a hole was to be drilled- maybe someone with a Passat can chime in.

Logically, as the glovebox duct pipe has a right angle on the end, (and looking at the ETKA picture and also in ERWIN workshop manual), it should go in the top. As previously noted this would be virtually impossible to drill in situ, as there is only about 1" maximum clearance above the unit when it it installed in the car.

Also if it was mounted low down on the side, there may be an ingress of actual water into the pipe from condensation after the car sits for a while, for example (or the drain hole gets blocked!). Looking at that Audi site link though, it is fairly low on the side...I didn't really check the box around that location, so there may be something in that area...please check!

To only get cold air ducting, you would need to place the inlet after the evap coil but before the blending box from the heater core (as previously noted).

You can see that the evap core is mounted at an angle thru the box and the molding of the box on top shows its orientation pretty well. Where it slopes down to the heater blend box it would be clear under that.

While you have the unit out why not split it apart and check - and take some photos for us all. (especially looking straight down with the top off!)

I am keen to do this as well on my (right hand drive) Golf. I already have the hose and valve but struck a bit of a dead end with finding the correct location for the hose too.

 

[graeme86]

Hey I found a picture...possibly taken from another thread in this very forum (full credit as appropriate to the owner!)

 

[graeme86]

Back from the dead!

Here is a pic of how the air distributes thru the unit (right hand drive).

Flip it for you lefties.

The only way to get chilled air only is, of course, to put the outlet just after the evaporator core (shown in solid blue) before any of the mixing flaps.

Any other spots will always give you a blended regulated temp air feed.

 

[graeme86]

Installed mine today!

These things take time....

It is virtually impossible..well actually impossible to tap into the chilled air on top of a/c unit with the dash assembled.

I found out that on certain Skodas in Europe they also have a chilled glovebox and they are just tapped from the dash outlet.

When I looked at my passenger vent under the dash on the back there was a 20mm circle marked on the feedpipe...which is the exact size for the glovebox feed pipe...so it seems to be intended to feed from there anyway.

With the Climatronic the face air is always colder than the other vents when its in Auto mode so it should work quite well from the dash vent anyway.

Vent fitted in glovebox. This is the proper Mark IV Golf Vent which has a round inlet pipe to match the Golf hosepipe

Rear shot of glovebox (RHD) with vent fitted

Hole position in passenger vent

Pipe clipped into back of vent

Vent inside glovebox

 

[DucMike]

Hmmm... Do I or don't I? I'll be having my dash out in the very near future (.:R dash swap) and this would be the perfect time to lay it all in. Have to give this further thought...

 

[graeme86]

Stimpy voice..."Do eet!"

If you can get a Passat vent hose, then you need a Passat vent assembly due to the oval shaped end on the pipe.

If you can get a Golf pipe you then need the round end vent like mine. I'm not sure you can get a LHD Golf pipe anymore, but the RHD one is still available. I think the deflector flange on the intake side of the pipe (where it clips into the airbox) just faces the opposite way. It does seem to be the perfect length to run off the passenger vent.

The Golf vent is no longer available from VW either....however it is still available thru Skoda!

 

[Freeekonaleesh2]

I can see this for cold climate's keeping gloves warm, but down here in Texas what would someone use this mod for with A/C?

 

[graeme86]

It would keep inside the glovebox cold enough to stop a chocolate bar melting etc.

 

[mattcony]

Graeme, any chance you could post up the part numbers you used for your Golf for the AC glovebox mod ?

Cheers
Matt

 

[graeme86]

Air hose for RHD vehicles 1J2 816 311
Valve 1J0 816 355 N.L.A. from VW and not superseded - used by Skoda Fabia though and still available from them.

 

[blizzard60]

Dragging this thread back. Graeme, the part that I'm really wanting to know the number for is number 14 in the picture I have attached. Or am I missing what really happens with the proper MKIV parts? Are there only 2 parts for the MKIV? Is the "valve" and the "Vent" all one piece, and p/n 1J0 816 355 like you wrote above?

Thanks!
-Chris

 

[graeme86]

#14 does not exist if you use the vent I used .

The hose plugs straight onto the vent which is clipped through the glovebox skin, so no extra seal is required.

The Passats have a piece that looks like that.

If you can only buy a Passat hose then you will need the Passat end piece because the end of the Passat hose is flattened down to an oval shape.

The Passat end piece actually clips onto the climatronic box and is fixed in place, then when you put the glovebox in the back of it seals against the foam.

On the Golf the pipe comes out with the glovebox.

 

[nate379]

I'm just wondering, what benefit (if any) does putting A/C in the glovebox have?

I don't know about any of you guys, but the only thing I use my glovebox for on most all my vehicles is holding the registration and insurance paperwork and maybe a pistol if I'm walking into a place that I can't have it on me.

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

Air hose for RHD vehicles 1J2 816 311
Valve 1J0 816 355 N.L.A. from VW and not superseded - used by Skoda Fabia though and still available from them.

It appears that the valve is still available in the VW database through Impex and ECS.

If there a different air hose for left hand drive vehicles?

Graeme, you and your website are costing me a lot of money.

 

[blizzard60]

I believe the new polo uses that valve, so it should be available from Europe. The hose for lhd vehicles is: 1J1 816 311 but appears to be obsolete...

 

[graeme86]

The RHD hose would work okay in this case.

The only difference should be the small deflector piece molded on the end that clips into the passenger vent.

It just extends into the airflow in the passenger vent.

The way it sits on RHD is that it shelters the pipe entrance against the direct flow, so on LHD it would sort of catch extra air instead (like a scoop).

The extension piece is only about 1/2" long anyway so it should work fine either way.

You can see the extension piece sticking out on the left hand end of this Passat pipe:

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

When I looked at my passenger vent under the dash on the back there was a 20mm circle marked on the feedpipe...which is the exact size for the glovebox feed pipe...so it seems to be intended to feed from there anyway.

Pipe clipped into back of vent

I am having a hard time picturing where this is, but I assume there was no plug and the hole had to be drilled.

I believe the new polo uses that valve, so it should be available from Europe. The hose for lhd vehicles is: 1J1 816 311 but appears to be obsolete...

ECS shows it's available, Impex states low availability, and 1stVWparts shows it is well.

The RHD hose would work okay in this case.

The only difference should be the small deflector piece molded on the end that clips into the passenger vent.

It just extends into the airflow in the passenger vent.

The way it sits on RHD is that it shelters the pipe entrance against the direct flow, so on LHD it would sort of catch extra air instead (like a scoop).

The extension piece is only about 1/2" long anyway so it should work fine either way.

You can see the extension piece sticking out on the left hand end of this Passat pipe:

Now that it appears that I can get the LHD hose (it's even $4 cheaper!), where exactly does it tap into on the non-glovebox end of the tube? I would assume the same place, but am still unclear on where that is.

I saw mention of installing it after the evaporator core, but before the air is mixed so the air is always cool. Some also said it should be tapped into the mixed air. Mixed air would make more sense for those in colder climates like me to keep things warm in winter as well. Based on the symbols on the knob it looks like it was intended to be cool air only. Which is correct?

 

[graeme86]

I am having a hard time picturing where this is, but I assume there was no plug and the hole had to be drilled.

Once you take out the glovebox, you look up under the dashpad and you will see an air duct cast into the bottom of it that feeds the passenger vent assembly.

There is a round circle molded onto the plastic. The hole has to be cut out.

The mark is exactly the correct size for the pipe, so there appears to be some sort of planned intent to mount it there.

I saw mention of installing it after the evaporator core, but before the air is mixed so the air is always cool. Some also said it should be tapped into the mixed air. Mixed air would make more sense for those in colder climates like me to keep things warm in winter as well. Based on the symbols on the knob it looks like it was intended to be cool air only. Which is correct?

On some cars like the Skoda Fabia it is actually attached to the passenger vent, so you get mixed air.

Then on the Passat it is attached after the evap core, so it is only chilled.

So it appears that the factory use both points depending on how they want it to function.

Without removing the entire dashboard assembly to get to the top of the a/c box, you are sort of stuck with "mixed" air to add this modification without major work.

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

Thank you so much for the help!

The vent is ordered and I'll be ordering the tube shortly.

 

[graeme86]

Just to clarify my previous posted pictures.

I have a RHD car (so just reverse the pics ) and also have the larger "euro" glovebox.

I believe there are some differences in the size compared to some US gloveboxes.

 

[blizzard60]

ECS shows it's available, Impex states low availability, and 1stVWparts shows it is well.

Be that as it may, the part is obsolete and not a single north american VW/Audi distribution center nor any dealers have it in stock. ECS and Impex, etc are just listing it as available because they haven't bothered to actually verify stock. At least impex knows it is obsolete as says as much...

It is certainly possible that one of the bigger retailers have one kicking around, but good luck to ya!! If you happen to find one please let me know, as I am looking also!

 

[david_594]

If you happen to find one please let me know, as I am looking also!

This mod was so 7 years ago.

I cant even remember now what north american VW's had this stock if any? Passat W8 maybe? Might have a better shot at pulling one from a junkyard.

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

Be that as it may, the part is obsolete and not a single north american VW/Audi distribution center nor any dealers have it in stock. ECS and Impex, etc are just listing it as available because they haven't bothered to actually verify stock. At least impex knows it is obsolete as says as much...

It is certainly possible that one of the bigger retailers have one kicking around, but good luck to ya!! If you happen to find one please let me know, as I am looking also!

I was definitely unable to get the LHD hose from Impex, 1stVWParts, or ECS.

Instead of waiting for the RHD hose to ship from Europe I went to the hardware store to try and find something that would work. I found that a 3/4" vinyl or rubber hose will fit over the glovebox valve perfectly, but would kink if there was a sharp bend in the line. I ended up with a 6' long bilge pump hose that is corrugated like the SAI hose and very flexible. For the air duct end I bought a 1" grommet and a 90 degree elbow that fit in the hose. Both the elbow and hose fit snuggly in the grommet, so I should be able to push the hose or elbow in and the grommet will make a good seal. If not, I can always add a little bit of sealant around the opening. Threading a 3/4" fitting into the box crossed my mind as well.

I haven't tried this yet, but I hope to give it a shot in the next few days. The parts were ~$7 at the hardware store.

 

[blizzard60]

^ Excellent!! Good to know and you can't beat $7!! Please keep us posted how you make out!