Vent foam is flying everywhere

TrashtruckTDI

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Location
New Britain Ct
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
The center vent in 03 wagon has been producing black foam. Its been coming out in bits and pieces for about a year. Sometimes I'm able to get big chunks with tweezers before they break up. Will this ever end?
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
It will end when your blend doosr are entirely free of foam. Even before that you will need to pull the hvac box which contains the blend doors, heater core and fan and recover those blend doors. While you have the box out you may want to put in a new heater core. Just because they are old now.

Most people use some hvac tape to fix those doors but something with a little thickness to it seals better. Here is the diy link, to let you know what you’re up against.

 
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Sting

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
I bought a set of the plugs they sell to fill the holes.
Used some black silicone to help stick them in place and seal them up.
Which plugs are these? I haven't faced this job (yet 🤞). I've seen the tape solutions. I was thinking Gorilla Tape, whenever I have to do it, as its thicker than the foil tape and pretty robust.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I haven't looked at Gorilla Tape as most of their products are gratuitously expensive. But in this case, my choice is the foil tape for two reasons: 1) metal tape is thin, light, and seals better than anything except a solid metal door (which is not present), and 2) the adhesive is a permanent type made for a wide temperature range, and interestingly, designed for ducts which run airflow. This happens to be the exact application.

Cheers,

PH
 
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JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
I have done the 3d printed blend door plugs on 2 separate cars now, zero regrets. I believe they were DSP kits.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Mine seems to have blown all the grey foam out. Still heats fine. I feel lucky, big job to fix it right.
 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
Joined
Apr 27, 2003
Location
Stafford Virginia 22556
TDI
96 glx variant tdi
It isn't really a hard job. 90 minutes or so getting the dash out, 15 minutes cleaning up the left over foam, 30 minutes gluing the plugs into the doors, 2 hours putting the dash back in, maybe a few hours repairing broken plastic. Plenty of youtube videos showing the procedures, I like HumbleMechanic's.
 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
It isn't really a hard job. 90 minutes or so getting the dash out, 15 minutes cleaning up the left over foam, 30 minutes gluing the plugs into the doors, 2 hours putting the dash back in, maybe a few hours repairing broken plastic. Plenty of youtube videos showing the procedures, I like HumbleMechanic's.
I personally prefer pulling the radio/center stack and going in that way. MUCH easier than pulling the dash.
 

Rob Mayercik

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Location
NJ, U.S.A.
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS, Baltic Green/Beige
Mine seems to have blown all the grey foam out. Still heats fine. I feel lucky, big job to fix it right.
Don't bet on it - most of my foam's gone now after about 2 years, and with the cold snap in NJ right now I was getting very little heat. Had to switch on the recirc function to get warmer air out of the vents.

I've had a set of the plugs for a while now, but haven't gotten around to putting them in. After this, I'm going to have to find the time once we get into spring (including figuring out exactly how to get the 01M shift knob off without destroying it) and get on with the job.
 

red16vdub

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Location
(617) City of CHAMPIONS
TDI
03 JSW 5spd
O1M shift knob removal should be simple instead of pressing the selector button, pull the selector button outward, and the shift knob should slide up off the shaft.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,glutton for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB , added an 06 NB DSG
Ohhh definitely want to change the heater core with the HVAC box out……. You don’t want to do this job twice.
 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
The HVAC box does NOT need to be removed to install blend door plugs. The dash does NOT need to be removed either to install blend door plugs. Blend door plugs can be installed with center console, radio and center vents removed.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,glutton for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB , added an 06 NB DSG
This is true…..but if and I mean if pulling the HVAC box you should change the heater core……it’s only a matter of time , it’s not if it would leak but when.
 

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
This is true…..but if and I mean if pulling the HVAC box you should change the heater core……it’s only a matter of time , it’s not if it would leak but when.
I wouldn't pull the HVAC box unless I needed to change the heater core... I assume there's no way around that like there was on the MK3.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,glutton for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB , added an 06 NB DSG
On a golf or Jetta it can be done , I’ve done it , if it’s a beetle no dice ……you need to pull the box……just did it on my 2000NB.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2002 Golf 6MT; 2015 Sportwagen 6MT; 2016 A3 e-tron 6DSG
I was thinking Gorilla Tape, whenever I have to do it, as its thicker than the foil tape and pretty robust.
I had some Gorilla Tape holding together some dryer ducting, and after a decade, it'd all pretty much turned to dust. Yes - it's good and sticky, but the glue seems to eventually degrade, along with the "fabric". I'd stick with the 6mil or so aluminum tape - sticks, and if it did de-stick at some point, you'd still have big metal sheets wrapped around those doors, not bits of Gorilla glue and fabric flying at you.
And it's a job you most definitely do NOT want to do more than zero times on your car (but nonetheless sometimes are forced to)
 
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