For a quick summertime fix, remove the heater duct cover in front of the shifter and seal the duct directly. I use foam rubber blocks that fit inside the openings in the cover. When cooler temps arrive, I remove the heater duct cover and the foam blocks. I do the same thing to my defroster ducts on the dash.

The real fix is to pull the dash, remove the air distribution box and reseal it. As for the unheated defroster air, it sounds like one of the flaps isn't operating like its supposed to.

Good luck,

Tim

Jean-Woo Kim <jkim.phd@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
On my 87 Westy, I seem to have the 'hot foot syndome.' It seems
something is stuck open so the outside air is let in through the
footwell regardless of the levels' adjustment. I have replaced the
heater valve with much pain, but the problem persists. Symptoms are:

I can feel the draft on my foot always with the footwell vent closed
when the car is moving.
On hot days with the A/C on it is almost unbearably hot.
On cold days it blows cold even with the heater valve fully open. When
I open the heater valve It mixes with the hot air from the heater
gives me lukewarm heat.
When I am not moving I do not feel the draft so the hot air subsides
in the summer (unless the fan is in the crazy high speed mode with the
A/C on) and the cold air subsides and I can feel the fully heated air
in the winter.
No heated air ever comes out from the windshield defroster. (This may
be a critical clue). It is always ambient temperature.

I am fairly sure it is the seal deteriorating or some debris stuck in
the air-distribution box. My question is, will I have to remove the
dash to solve this problem or are there other remedies?

Thanks,

Jean-Woo Kim

TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge, FC-33
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FC_wanderlodge
FAVOR website:  http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon

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