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climate control "hissing" sound

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Old Feb 11, 2012 | 07:02 PM
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climate control "hissing" sound

not sure where to post this. my climate control has a hissing or air leak type sound that gets louder the farther you move it to the right. i also don't think i am getting enough air blowing from the lower vents when on the heat setting, or even on vent setting. the blower motor is working and it's noise level increases appropriately as you turn the level ****. is there a vacuum line behind the climate control? any other ideas? car is a 91.
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Old Feb 11, 2012 | 07:28 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by lawdog49
my climate control has a hissing or air leak type sound
So you have a vac leak somewhere.

Originally Posted by lawdog49
don't think i am getting enough air blowing from the lower vents
is there a vacuum line behind the climate control? .
Vent positions are changed by vac operated actuators operated by the programmer which is
controlled by the headunit

Vette system shown but F-Body vac lines would be similar



Last edited by vetteoz; Feb 11, 2012 at 07:37 PM.
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Old Feb 12, 2012 | 09:16 AM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

so does someone know if those actuators are behind the climate control panel or exactly where they are located?
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Old Feb 12, 2012 | 09:36 AM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by lawdog49
so does someone know if those actuators are behind the climate control panel or exactly where they are located?
Stick your ear to the pass side of the HAVC. If the leak is there (and very often it is), you'll know. Here's what the vac lines look like:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...duct010707.jpg

JamesC
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Old Feb 12, 2012 | 05:30 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by lawdog49
so does someone know if those actuators are behind the climate control panel or exactly where they are located?
Put your head under there and you can find them
Like shown in the sample Vette diagram, the actuators are mounted in various positions on the A/c ducting
under the dash where the vent doors are
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Old Jan 16, 2017 | 04:26 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

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Old Jan 16, 2017 | 05:05 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by lawdog49
so does someone know if those actuators are behind the climate control panel or exactly where they are located?
The controls are on the HVAC control panel. Pull it away from the dash and you will see all the vacuum hoses.

The actuators (diaphragms) are only visible from the driver side if you stuff your head down by the foot petals. Two are on the end of the HVAC box, and one is behind it. There is another in upper right corner of the firewall that is the fresh air mix. Pictures of the actuators are in this post of my build thread,

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...ml#post5965742
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Old Jan 16, 2017 | 06:51 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Pull the control head unit. The hissing you hear is a leak where all the vac lines connect to the head unit. There is a plastic keeper that holds the vac lines to the adjustment part. The plastic keeper is in the center of the adjustment part. Replace this part and your hissing with be eliminated
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Old Jun 26, 2018 | 10:27 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by tealman92
Pull the control head unit. The hissing you hear is a leak where all the vac lines connect to the head unit. There is a plastic keeper that holds the vac lines to the adjustment part. The plastic keeper is in the center of the adjustment part. Replace this part and your hissing with be eliminated
Whats this plastic piece officially called?
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Old Jun 26, 2018 | 11:12 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

I call it the "heater thingy."

Here's how you fix it for a couple bucks:

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Old Jun 27, 2018 | 04:35 PM
  #11  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Did that repair on mine about two years ago. That was the end of my problem.
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Old Aug 16, 2018 | 09:24 AM
  #12  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

I did the repair after ordering the new selector. The repair stopped working so replaced the old one with the new one. Now, it's stopped working. So, going to try this repair on the new one. If that doesn't get it, not sure what to do. Sucks that I finally got the AC working but can't get it to come out the proper vents.

EDIT: took the new one and the old one and made one. this time, used the nut/bolt method above. used the old rubber piece because it looked to be in better condition than the "new" one, which was basically a refurbished one, i think. anyhoo, also, soaked the rubber part in brake fluid for 20 mins, give or take. tightened the bolt/nut fairly snug so that the mechanism worked fairly tight, but still slid. put it all back together and it works like a champ, no hissing and the air moves from defrost to vent to floor quickly.

fix worked. i think the first time i did it i was afraid of tightening the nut/bolt too tight which is why it didn't work. hopefully, this time it'll keep working. if not, i'll pull it, soak it in brake fluid and again and tighten it down some more.

Last edited by QuentsIROC; Aug 17, 2018 at 07:13 AM.
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Old Aug 17, 2018 | 09:14 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Rather than soaking it in brake fluid, which deteriorates the rubber even though it softens it up in the short term, I'd suggest using dielectric grease on it when you put it together.
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Old Nov 18, 2018 | 08:17 PM
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by W.E.G.
I call it the "heater thingy."

Here's how you fix it for a couple bucks:

https://youtu.be/Mv782CIJDks
thats awesome and worked amazing! after i did this fix there was an amazing rush of air where i wanted it to go.. however the wooosh sound still persisted.. i pulled the heater control out and found the noise coming from the other side .. but this part just sits on the tubes with no bracket or any kind of pressure.. when i push on it the noise goes almost completly away but then let up and it all comes back .. any fix for that lol

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Old Nov 18, 2018 | 09:14 PM
  #15  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Two small push-on clips hold it in place.

JamesC


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Old Nov 18, 2018 | 09:19 PM
  #16  
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From: San Antonio Texas
Car: 1992 firebird
Engine: 305
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

those i have.. but on the other side there is another rubber fitting that doesn’t seem to have any kind of clip
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Old Nov 18, 2018 | 09:24 PM
  #17  
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Axle/Gears: Limited Slip 3.23's
Re: climate control "hissing" sound

I was editing when I noted your response. I don't recognize that piece offhand. It's not on the extra HVAC head that I have lying around, but perhaps it's missing a part.

JamesC

Last edited by JamesC; Nov 18, 2018 at 09:29 PM. Reason: Additional info
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Old Nov 18, 2018 | 09:34 PM
  #18  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

maybe! i’ll try and find a schematic somewhere
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Old Oct 24, 2019 | 07:22 AM
  #19  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Seems like 99% of the problems are with the vent selector. Mine wasn't, mine was the smaller one on the left side that I would say goes to the valve for cars that have the heater hose bypass under the hood on the passenger side valve cover. After doing a simple fix I realized what it actually did. I've LS swapped my car and don't have the bypass anymore so I could do away with that selector. But for those that still have the bypass valve here's what I did to fix it.



I put a felt type washer/seal and it still lets it breath but took away the hissing.

The notch moved to atmosphere when you slide the heater **** to hot. Releasing the vacuum on the heater hose valve.



Its supposed ti "leak" by disgen.

Hope this helps someone in the future.
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Old Jul 11, 2020 | 01:31 PM
  #20  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

I realize this is an old thread, but I'm hoping someone will help me out with either a part number or a parts source. My vacuum selector valve was leaking as discussed in above posts. when I tried to remove it to do the repair shown in the video the little star shaped spring fell out and into the abyss under my console. can't find the spring. willing to buy a whole new one if I could find one. Mine is a 5 port. No amount of "Googling has turned up the right one yet.Please help if you can. Thanks.
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Old Jul 11, 2020 | 02:21 PM
  #21  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

It's not in the abyss, it's the floor of your car. Take the console out and go after it.
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Old Oct 23, 2024 | 11:38 AM
  #22  
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Re: climate control "hissing" sound

Originally Posted by funina91ss
Seems like 99% of the problems are with the vent selector. Mine wasn't, mine was the smaller one on the left side that I would say goes to the valve for cars that have the heater hose bypass under the hood on the passenger side valve cover. After doing a simple fix I realized what it actually did. I've LS swapped my car and don't have the bypass anymore so I could do away with that selector. But for those that still have the bypass valve here's what I did to fix it.



I put a felt type washer/seal and it still lets it breath but took away the hissing.

The notch moved to atmosphere when you slide the heater **** to hot. Releasing the vacuum on the heater hose valve.



Its supposed ti "leak" by disgen.

Hope this helps someone in the future.
It Helped me out today! Thanks very much @funina91ss ! I fixed the one side, and it was still hissing on hot.
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