[DPDISXR4Ti]

I wonder how difficult this would be to retrofit to a USA car?

eBay Motors: Alfa 164 operating sector for heating and ventilation (item 120180501167 end time Nov-10-07 15:24:23 PST)

For someone who's ditched A/C, I suppose it might be an option, but you'd need to figure out the whole "supporting cast" of hardware that makes it work. The upside would be no more stepper motors, fewer buttons to fail, and no solid state controller to fail.

 

[Alfissimo Int.]

I wonder how difficult this would be to retrofit to a USA car?

eBay Motors: Alfa 164 operating sector for heating and ventilation (item 120180501167 end time Nov-10-07 15:24:23 PST)

For someone who's ditched A/C, I suppose it might be an option, but you'd need to figure out the whole "supporting cast" of hardware that makes it work. The upside would be no more stepper motors, fewer buttons to fail, and no solid state controller to fail.

Well if it is anything like the Old cars there are a lot of pulleys, strings, rods, cables and contraptions that make it work. But Maybe it could be an easy reto jobbie but knowing this car no way
Might be as difficult as 94 Cluster in a 91 car.

Jason

 

[AlfaTango1]

It would be nice, but if you've seen both back sides of the two HVAC systems you would know that they are way different.

 

[AlexGS]

It would be nice, but if you've seen both back sides of the two HVAC systems you would know that they are way different.

OK, I think I can offer a little insight, although I don't have pictures to hand.

It's safe to assume that this three-knob setup matches that on the FIAT Croma or Lancia Thema (when not fitted with the 'Automatic Heating' or 'Automatic Climate Control' equipment, former standard on V6 models, latter optional on all models).

The fan speed control knob is a switch, wired to an oval resistor pack that lives in the fan shroud.

The air distribution control knob turns a plastic shaft about 5" long that has a universal joint at each end. There is a white plastic bevel gear-pair that clips into the air distribution drum and mounts where the stepper motor for the drum does. I'm certain that the gears/driveshaft would be interchangeable with the drum stepper motor.

The temperature control knob pushes/pulls a cable that operates the air blending door, in exactly the same way that the temperature control stepper motor does. The door components are the same.

The 164 version of this panel also has those function buttons along the bottom that would be part of a small control computer for such things as the 20-minute heated rear window timer. You would have to wire that computer to the terminals that previously went to the A/C control panel.

Is it worth it?
I don't think so.

The only problem I had to fix with my last 164 was that the air distribution drum seals had failed (air came out of anywhere), and that would be still a problem even if the drum were turned by a manual knob. I realise that people will be fighting with broken stepper gears etc. but surely that should be a fix-once scenario, especially with the metal gears from Alfapro in Australia.

-Alex