Mondial air conditioning/heater improvements.

The Mondial a/c is very powerful, but the ventilation system seems to have a couple of easy maintenence items concerning air leakage that will improve its efficiency. The goal is to get the cool/hot air from the front box to the cabin as effectively and quickly as possible with minumum loss. The air conditioner/heater puts out a good deal of cool and warm air, but the ducting system can hinder its delivery.

1. The foam seal of the heater/a/c box to the front dash vent deteriorates after time, allowing cool air to leak into the back of the dash and not making it to the cabin. I am planning to renew this foam gasket with a new tight seal so no cool/hot air is lost. If you have not checked this foam seal, you can feel it by reaching up under the dash to the central vent. When I did, the foam disintegrated and I could feel air leaks around the entire joint.

2. I am also going to a more efficient Mondial specific central airvent with 50% increased flow and better up-aiming capability. For non-Mondial owners, turning the vanes upward also closes off the vent. This specifically designed black anodized aluminum central vent is available from STCorsa.com and fits all Mondials replacing the plastic center vent without modification.

3. Further loss of flow pressure and teperature differential comes from features that are simply not effective, seldom used, and do not really work well anyway. At least for me, I never use the rear seat a/c vents, which are fed by a long hose from the front. I plan to cap the duct off at the heater box to keep maximum flow to the dash vents without the losses to the long hose and vent. Similarly, I cannot see where the little vents that are supposed to defrost the side windows to see the mirrors do anything. They do however, act to draw pressure and heating /cooling air from the main cabin and add inefficiency. These are easy to close off and re-open later if needed for originality.This will direct all of the airflow to the front center and side dash vents, or the footwell vents (YES, THERE ARE MANUALLY OPERATED FOOTWELL HEATING VENTS - look underneath and see what many Mondial owners never know)

All suggestions, experience and ideas welcome!

 

Defrosters are a big deal to me as well, and fortunately my defroster has always had excellent performance. I am finding so far that leaks/heat sinks are the problem; the system has enough output, but it's lost at the connections (kind of like the electrical system ). It may also be the vacuum operated flap valve on the air plenum box.

I'll be posting some pictures soon as I start.

All advice/experience welcome

 

Yes - I have spoken with STCorsa on the phone and they politely replied to 2 emails sent from the website.. I dropped a check to them last week. I removed the plastic vent last weekend just to look at it - it pulls out easily and does look pretty cheap once you look at it closely.

Here is the Email:

The only downside I might can see would be that to most effectively use the footwell heater vents you might close the dash vents to redirect air pressure and flow. It does not look like these can be closed, but not sure. Well, most Mondial owners do not even know about the manual footwell vents much less use them. I don't. OBTW - found an air leak around where the footwell vent tube that was fixed by popping the piece back in place.

Shark - the cabs are different than the coupes, I believe. I really think the problem is not the condensor or fan as much as it is leaks in the cool air ducting system, especially the foam gaskets. Heck, your footwell vents may be opened stealing all the pressure and flow of cool air redirecting it to your feet.

Once my grill gets here, I am going to go through the system and post a couple of photos.

Hank - many thanks as always. I am the definitive Mondial 'End-user'. She gets only the best of everything.

best to all
rt
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Dave

A good idea - that sounds very do-able based on what little I have seen. It reminds me of a house rectangular floor vent that slips in. Mine also has a broken vane, so that is another motivating factor. I am also currently away from the car, but will try it next week and report back. Only small drawback I can think of off the cuff is that at the ends of travel of the direction vanes, the stock vent does throttle and cut back the flow a bit. The stock unit does work great straight ahead, though.
great point - thanks!

rt

 

Hank and everyone
Mine came today as well - wow - as Hank can attest this is one nice piece of kit. A brilliant piece of design and hefty constuction - perfectly crafted. Will install mine this weekend as well and try for a couple of photos.

 

Here is a side by side of the ST Corsa billet anodized Al vent piece with the stock plastic vent. The vents you can see are a little bit bigger, and do have a lot more up/down aiming range. You can see in the side view of the new unit how it was designed to poke out a little to give more up angle. Very subtle and well thought out.

Will install this weekend and post some more photos.
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The ST Corsa piece fit beautifully. Using A/C 1.5 " installation foam strips from the local hardware store (seemingly thicker and better grade than the stock), the air plenum was re-foamed. After the body of the vent was installed, black plastic tape was used to further seal the vent to the plenum per the ST Corsa installation instructions. A 1.25" PVC pipe endpiece was used with a foam weatherstrip to seal off the vent hose to the rear seat vents to prevent a sink effect. The front vents were then installed.
Seems to be flowing more air subjectively, and can definitely feel it on my face for the first time ever with the improved up-aiming capability.
While it was expensive, I do think that the flow and looks are improved.
ymmv.
best to all
rt
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yes - dash center vents