I searched for threads on this to no avail - Masters of Skylarkia: the temperature control lever on my non-A/C 1965 Buick Skylark Coupe is sluggish and will not travel the entire length of the slider track. The other lever which you use to go to defrost is completely rigid. Heat level rises and falls with the actuation of the sluggish lever. I'm looking for how to get that assembly out of the dash (guessing reach up under the dash and push it out from the rear?), and any other insight on such a situation. Guessing 'needs pulled, cleaned, lubed, reinstalled'. Although the rigid lever certainly might indicate something's broke in there. Thanks in advance for any assistance, Jeff
1.Remove dash pad... don't forget the nuts behind the glove box 2.Remove the plastic dash surround 3.Remove heater control bezel 4.Remove radio side of dash cluster You will now have access to the cables behind the dash to see what's happening. Jeff ~
---------- Post added at 12:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 PM ---------- Have you tryed pulling the cables off at the heater box to check if you have full travel and maybe free up the lever? The problem might be in the heater box not the levers. Just something easy to check before you pull the dash apart.
Have not - is the heater box where the two dash levers go, I presume? Get at it from behind, by reaching up? Researching threads I've learned: That heater will come out from under the dash. If you remove the front seat it makes it much easier to work on. There are several gaskets that are involved. 67 Skylark: The non A/C box has the 5 studs then pulls out from the inside.
All this is correct, and the 65 is same as the 67. Heater hoses will need to be disconnected. Be careful of the small push nuts which prevent the cables from coming off the heater box diverter door stems they are a weird 9/32 size and not easily found. Order a set of heater box gaskets from a Chevelle supplier as they are the same as Buick. You will need to reseal the outside heater box when you are finished working and re-installing the boxes to keep water out of the right front floor. Inspect the heater core while it is out (it is located in the inside heater box). Mike
used to see a lot of these vintage car in the boneyard with one lever broken off,had a 67 with ac and the controls were hard to operate,went to the buick repair manuel and agjusted cables accordingly,when there adjusted right they work perfect but they can go out of adjustment periodiacatly,hench the ones you see with broken control levers
Thanks to all for these replies. When I drove the car home from North Jersey where I bought it to Pittsburgh where I live it of course rained the whole way, and there was a significant amount of water on the floor when I got home. I'd presumed it was the windshield seal but this makes me think possibly heater box gasket. She's garaged and out of the rain, now, and I will sort my way through. Here's my revised text to this point, with some new search-found data: Look under the hood for 5 nuts, 3 on the bottom of the outer heater box and 2 on the top. Remove the 5 nuts. Go inside the car. (If you remove the front seat it makes this job much easier) Disconnect the heater hoses. Inside the car, remove the glove box liner. Disconnect the 3 control cables from the heater box. Careful of the push nuts which prevent the cables from coming off the heater box diverter door stems. They are a weird 9/32 size and not easily found. Remove the little brace that ties the heater box to the defroster duct. (and,sometimes, remove the little plastic diffuser on the bottom of the box above the "hump") The heater box on the inside will come out from under the dash and glove box onto the floor. And then take the box out and clean, lube, replace the heater core, reassemble. The inside heater box usually has the rubber seals rotted away. There are several gaskets that are involved. The rotted gaskets cause hot air to bypass the flaps all the time and enter the passenger compartment. Order a set of heater box gaskets from a Chevelle supplier as they are the same as Buick. ss396.com sells a seal kit but it is very tough to install the big seals on the inner flaps. You need to use some contact cement and work very fast to get them in place through small openings. Examine everything very closely before you act. The heater core is inside the inner heater box, inside the car. Inspect the heater core while the inner heater box is out. Replace if necessary. Then use strip caulk or dum-dum to seal the recess inside the lip of the inner heater box upon reinstall. Black Eastwood strip seal, stays soft, sold by a 2 lb box. Tighten the nuts until it squeezes out. Originals looked like that. You will also need to reseal the outside heater box when you are re-installing the boxes. All original Flint cars have black sealant goo on top of the Non Ac outer heater box on the firewall. This keeps water out of the right front floor. Strip caulk is not correct for the outer area. For this, you can use black 3M sealant, part #051135, found at any automotive paint store. Wear a surgical glove and use finger to spread and seal. Works every time. You can also use spray undercoating. Hold the can up close, in one place long enough to get that gobbered-up look. Make it look black, heavy & nasty. You'll have to go over it several times to get the desired degree of funkiness. Adjust the heater control cables according to the Buick repair manual. When adjusted right they work perfect but they can go out of adjustment periodically.
