Delta Sierra

Hi from DC,
Lately my 2001 4Runner has been emitting warm air from the vents when the A/C is OFF and the fan is also off. I switched the selector to recirculation instead of fresh air and it has stopped for now.

Also, I'm considering mounting an external (or internal) Garmin GPS antenna in my truck. Anyone have any experience with mounting these.

Dave N.

snap-on

ummm on my 94 truck there is still quite a bit of noticalbe air flow through the "vent" when the blower is off and the setting is "outside air" so it being summer time warm air would be correct... in the winter... it will be cold...

whats to mount with the antena. most ive seen are magmount kind. stick the stucker on the roof and be done with it.

surf4runner

i also notice the warm air when the temp control is set for heat

i usually set it on 'defrost' so the air comes up the windshield

KyleT

its air blowing through the exterior vent into the cabin. normal and every car i have driven does it when not on recirc.

IIRC garmin makes an antenna that is small and resembles a sat radio antenna and can be mounted the same. ill look and repost if i find it. i think it is yellow however.

JGM

I think if you mount the antenna the warm air will stop.

midiwall

PLEASE create another thread for each of these questions. It can be REALLY hard to find info when people do this...

Also, "worldwide" doesn't help us help YOU in questions like the first part. If you're asking this question from a cold part of the country, the answer will be more critical than if you're in a warm climate.

That said...

Fresh air is brought into the system from vents just behind the hood (I think that's where they are on your truck). If the truck is sitting in the hot Texas sun, then that area is gonna get warm and tend to warm the incoming air. The fan being "off" just means that there's nothing forcing air through the duct - you can still get airflow.

In fact, normal thermal convection will tend to _create_ air movement because of the temperature differential.

Now, if you're seeing "warm" air come from the vents when the truck is parked in Alaska, in the dark, then there's something else going on.


GPS antenna wise... what are you looking to accomplish? Do you have a handheld and you want better reception in the rig, or do you have a stationary and are looking to get a maximum sat fix?

If you have a handheld, then check into a "reradiator antenna". This is a device that will re-broadcast the GPS signal within the truck so that the reciever doesn't have to be up near the glass.

http://www.prairie.mb.ca/tri_m.htm
(page down)

Delta Sierra

Even though many of the concerns posted above could have easily be passed via IM, I'm happy to address them.

1) Sorry about the double question it won't happen again.

2) I move at least once per year. In the last 16 months, I've been in DC, South Asia and the Middle East (hence worldwide). The car will likely be somewhere warm.

Thanks for making it so easy for us newbies.

DS

Jimmeh

I know with the rigs I have driven, if I have the outside air coming in with the temperature slider up to hot, I get hot air, and vice versa with it down to cold. Maybe it is just because I am wierd...

midiwall

You're welcome! And if you didn't notice, I _did_ answer your questions.

Rick F.

Regarding the flow with the fan off, this is normal on most vehicles since the cabin is at negative pressure and outside air can freeflow into the cab. Setting the vents to recirc mode closes off this path.