I have a question about the circulate vs the fresh air switch on my 94 voyager. I had some work done on the ventailation and I believe when they put it back together they got the door stuck in recirculate position. I can move the switch, but I think nothing is happening. The repair place is insisting they did nothing wrong. How can I test whether it works or not without having them take the dash off again? (Big bucks if I’m wrong!) Thank you!
All I can come up with is: Question how can I verify the “air” in my car is being recirculated as opposed to new air being pulled in from outside. My idea: after heat load in vehicle has been removed and AC stabilized measure the outlet temp (keep all other variables the same) recirculated air should be colder than brand new outside air that needs its full load of heat reduced.Now I cant even guess at how much difference you should see.A very accurate therometer will be needed. I have a digital probe that plugs into my Fluke 87 but maybe you dont.I would say if there is no difference in outlet temp.between “recirculate” selected and not selected then you have some points to relate to the shop.But what is your exact complaint? recirculate is use for lowest outlet temp with AC on. Is air volume your complaint? AC compressor engaged when not selected? “Fresh air” to cold.Recirculate air low volume? not cold enough? What do you think should happen when you move “the switch”
Turn your system ON, and spray some canned “Smoke” into the louvers on the outside of the car at the base of the windshield. Where the “Smoke” comes out is where the fresh air is venting.
Running the AC when it is cool outside is a waste of gas. I just want to bring in the cool fresh air. But I seem to have no choice because I can’t seem bring in fresh air unless I roll down the window. I prefer not to do this at highway speeds or when it’s raining. I think this is also going to be a problem in the winter when recirculating the air causes condensation on the inside of the windshield.
Another reason I am suspicious is because when I originally got the car back, the door was stuck in the opposite position. It was stuck on fresh air. I would move the switch, but the door would not move. How I discovered this was I was driving at highway speeds and put it to recirculate because I was driving behind someone burning oil. The smell did not decease. I turned off the fan, left it at recirculate, and put my hand up to the vent. I felt air coming into the vehicle. I flipped it back and forth between fresh air and recirculate and felt the same draft of air at the vents no matter which position the switch was in. I took it back in to the shop and they supposedly fixed this. Now when I drive at highway speeds with the fan off I feel no draft at all whether the switch is set to fresh air or to recirculate. I flip the switch back and forth and there is no difference. The repair guy says this is normal, even though in all the years I have owned this vehicle, I could always feel a draft at the vent when it was set at fresh air and I was going fast enough.
I tend to agree with the mechanic. Of course you can spray something into the vent (I suggest Lysol spray as it will help kill any mold that might be forming there.) Even after the sun goes down your car retains a lot of heat for a long time.
That said, you indicate that you may have a vacuum problem. A cracked or loose vacuum hose could be the source of your problem.
So your problem is this: When my climate control is set to “fresh air” the outlet temp of the air is hotter than ambient and volume is low.Do I have it right?
Actually, when the vent is set to fresh air, there is no volume at all no matter how fast I am going (unless I turn the fan on). I used to feel a draft at high speeds and now I feel nothing. When I have it set to fresh air and turn the fan on I feel the temp of the moving air is the same as the temp inside the car, not outside the car. Same thing as when I set it to recirculate. I can’t feel any difference at all between recirculate and fresh air. The switch moves back and forth, but I can’t feel any difference at all in the air temp. (This is all with no AC and no heat on.)
That is a great idea, hellokit! I wonder if I can get something like that around here. (We live in a very small town.)
It think it is normal for the outlet air to be a few degrees warmer than outside air when set on fresh (notice I said “a few”) measure the outlet air temp compare it to outside air.Now why the volume has changed moving vrs not moving needs to be explored.The term “fresh air” means it is being sourced from the outside.In my Ford 150 2004 recirculate always involves the AC.I dont believe you have a choice where you get your “fresh air” it always comes from the outside.In my Ford I must select a fan speed to get volume when I have selected “fresh air” (it’s labeled “panel” in the Ford)If I dont select a fan speed I do no get any volume on the fresh air setting.The air will not be pushed into the truck by the movement of the vehicle as you seem to think should happen with your Plymouth.What does suprise me is that you can select recirculate without AC engagement.Recirculate is ment to be used with the AC at least in my experience.
According to my owner’s manual, recirculate can be used any time you don’t want to draw in outside air, such as when driving in pollution. Also, before the ventilation was worked on fresh air DID come in even with no fan. It was very little, but it did come in. I could feel it. That this has changed makes me think something is wrong, especially since the shop has worked on the ventilation twice and twice has gotten that fresh air vs recirculate door stuck when they put it back together.
FYI: It turns out that there IS supposed to be air flow into the van even with the blower off. The door was actually stuck in recirculate even thought the switch was moving just as I suspected. Another guy at the garage was much nicer than the first and agreed they needed to fix it. Happy end to saga!