Has anyone experienced cold air coming into the cabin from the passenger side of the car? As we were driving home from WI this past Saturday, coming thru IA, at one point, I noticed a distinct increase in cold air (definitely a signifianct draft). Had the heater on (it was about 15^F outside), and it seemed to be blowing fine. Do I have a bad heater box or something? I couldn't really test anything as I was driving and the car was FULL of all our stuff. After stopping for gas once, the cold air was significantly less when we got back on the highway...though not completely gone.
Does this sound like anything familiar to anyone?
Thanks!
check the grommet where the drain hole pokes through the firewall, have you had your heater box out before?
I have the same problem. It happened in my 88 before my heater core ped out, and in the 87 turbo coupe had the same problem before I sold it. I could never figure it out. My car does it typically around 50-60 and it continues until I slow down. I couldn't figure out it if was something in the door gasket of the firewall.
Is this an ATC car?
My old '88 T-Bird had ATC and after about half an hour, all heat would just go away, no matter how I messed with the settings. Pissed me off so I sold the car.
Manual control cars, I've not really seen that, although I do sense cold air after making a corner. I think that's more of an inertia issue though.
All I can say is...maybe check the coolant level and also check the adjustment of the cable at the heater core box. They can stretch over time, maybe you just need to adjust it.
See Figure 3 at the bottom of this document:
http://www.coolcats.net/media/docs/rotary_heater_panel.pdf
Mine is a manual control car. I did the heater control relocation/conversion mod a few years ago. I've never had the heater box out, nor have I replaced the heater core (though I probably need to). I will check for loose grommets, and have read the other thread about the heater control issue. Mine does move to all settings and blows pretty warm air even in our frigid temps.
I probably will not mess with it for a while until it warms up around here a bit. Our highs lately have been single digits (+) and lows single digits (-). That's cold to be working on a car in an unheated garage!