Foam bits from AC vents

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/technical-q-sponsored-algar-ferrari/206960-328-air-condition-condensation-foam.html

 

NP

I ran into the same foam confetti in mine and had previously looked it up.

 

Hello from Germany,

I wonder, whether the foam is actually necessary. I began rebuilding my A/C system some months ago - had to interrupt the project - but also had the evaporator out of the car. The only foam I found, was the sealing one around the evaporator.
I cannot remember having any problems neither with sprinkling condensation nor with foam bits, when my A/C still worked. Therefore I think, that there was never any foam on my car. It's a carb 308 GTB.
I followed the hints of this thread and it seems, that Sean didn't replace the foam as well.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/344660-diy-ferrari-308-ac-system%3B-everything-you-wanted-know.html

Since my rebuild project isn't finished yet, I would have the opportunity to remove the evaporator once more, if the foam is mandatory.
But I also fear, that the foam adds to the poor A/C performance.

Best Regards
Martin

 

When mine blew foam, it turned out to be the radiator surrounds, that were coming apart and getting ingested by the intake fans to the A/C system.

It was not coming from the A/C itself.

Check the foam on each sides, the bottom, and the two top strips that are actually mounted on the underside of the hood?

 

Actually, having just reread Sean's thread, he is using more modern weatherstripping, of closed cell foam, in the case, and I use Armaflex cut to size for the radiator and hood seals.

This material is a tough, skinned closed cell foam, used to insulate AC equipment, in these modern times!

 

I had foam coming in from the heater boxes.

when you search, don't limit it to 328. 308s suffer from it too.

 

I think the filter in those boxes WAS the foam, so that is indeed another source, thanks for the reminder!

 

Thanks. Yes I used a closed cell foam too for sealing around the evaporator inside its housing. But you cannot use closed cell foam for a screen filter, since you would block any flow.
I still wonder, that some talk about sprinkling water from the A/C vents, while I didn't find any foam except the surrounding seal in my evaporator housing and never experienced water from the A/C vents.
Just my passenger experienced wet feet from time to time, but this was a crack in the evaporator housing, which let the water out, before it could reach the drain hose.

BTW; not only because of disintegrated foam it's advisable to check the foam in the heater boxes from time to time. When I checked mine, they were full of dust and small insects. After cleaning there was much better flow.


Best Regards
Martin

 

Sorry, yes, of course, I misunderstood the location.

Find some of the roll stock of HVAC filtration, it's blue on one side and white on the other, and cut that to fit.

I use it for my shop vac, too!

 

I'm not sure, whether this is the best stuff to choose for such an application.
I fear creating mildew and a nasty environment full of germs with it.
I decide to proceed like Mike and Sean. I will leave out the foam. Moreover, since otherwise I would have to remove and dismantle the evaporator housing once more.

BTW. Just a thought. Is it possible, that those folks, who have problems with sprinkling water out of the A/C vents, have a clogged drain hose?

Best Regards
Martin

 

Thanks. Keep us updated about what happens on more humid conditions. Did you get some water under the car out of the drain hose?

Best Regards
Martin

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes the foam coming out of the vents is because mice have set up home in your AC. I KNOW this since I found a mouse nest in my AC evaporator, in one of my 328's. It also can get into the drain hose, causing water to spurt out of the vents. The tube coming into the central vents is where I found a mouse nest in my car. The nest was full of chewed up foam.

I don't know how many cars I've worked on in the past that mice have nested in either the heater or AC. One car had a tremendous vibration in the heater fan caused by dog food getting lodged in the blades.

 

I had to pull apart and clean/replace my entire HVAC system, because the Numpty DPO had "stored" the car in his farm shed and the mice got in under the bonnet and boot, but thankfully not the cabin. It took years of sporadic effort - mummified mouse carcasses, corn cobs, droppings, and lots of straw. And they ate out the air ducting which you can't buy. Anyway, I pulled out and split the evaporator housing for cleaning. I sealed around the evaporator with closed cell foam, but left out the filter foam. After a while, on high, I got a cold water shock on my left foot where the hose to the under radio vents goes - a price I'm willing to pay