I've got an some stupid questions about the operation of the A/C and heater on my '81 XJ6. No owners manual to consult so-

I seem to remember hearing someplace that turning the temp control down all the way will put the A/C in recirculate mode- true or false?

What is the slide lever under the radio supposed to do, Red arrow pionted up on one side, blue arrow on the other. I'm guessing air temp to the dash vents, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Last question, the vent control knobs under the dash by the kickpanel. Again, these don't really seem to be doing anything. Where should the air from these vents be coming out?

Thanks for the help

 

Yes. Seleting the coldest setting on the temp knob (65 I think?) will force the system to max cooling and the fresh air flaps close...giving "recirculate" mode






Right. It adjusts the dash vent temps higher or lower relative to the footwell temp so you can have your face a bit warmer or a bit cooler than your feet.

It's "trim" adjustment. You won't feel a difference unless the cabin temp and the system has fully stabilized and even then it's a subtle thing.





Very odd that you have both the manual kickpanel vents AND the upper/lower slide lever adjustment as the manual vents were (at least theorectically) discontinued when the slide lever feature was introduced.

Anyhow.....

The kickpanel vents get air from ducting that goes all the way forward to the little air intake grilles above the headlights. On the cars built *without* the manual vent feature the ducting was left in place and the outlets in the kick panels simply blocked off. Trim panels without the open/close capability were installed.

Your car is either a build configuration oddball or someone has installed earlier kick panel parts....perhaps without un-blocking the ducting to make them properly operational

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks for the answers. So the only question that leaves is what's going on with those vent knobs. There are no air outlets on the kick panels, but it does have the controls. When I get some time I'll have to pull a kickpanel off and see what's behind it.