So after a few months I get my riv back from a phoenix ac shop. During my 40 minutes home in traffic, in 110 degree weather, I can feel the cool air come out of the vents but notice a large amount of heat from the column. Infact the whole car never really cools off. The car is black and has lottsa windows, but I would of guessed that the ol ac systems blew hard and ice cold. This one not so much. Further the heat off the steering column has to be keeping the car from cooling off. The column is so hot I cant hold it for longer than a few moments. I can feel the heat from the seat radiating off the column. Dont make sense. I had never noticed the heat before. I have driven it long distances. Not in 110 degrees though. I have noticed heat coming from the trans tunnel...but I think the heater was stuck on. I didnt feel any heat from the trans tunnel on this trip. I assume if I had a spark or electric issue the whole car would shut down from a big arc. Could this be the heat from the exhaust to the steering shaft that is shooting up the column? NO plastic on these. Any ideas on whats going on would be huge...thanks.
How about putting some fiberglass batting inside the column? Around the inner shaft, but inside the outer housing.
Sounds to me like the heat is wicking up the column from the exhaust. You might want to try to install a shield between the exhaust manifold and the column. Carl
kinda what I was thinking too...however that couldnt of been a from the factory issue...craziest thing
Maybe there was something there that isn't there now. Try to find a diagram of the steering column. Bob
maybe you lost a ground and it's trying to ground through the column? i've seen cars where the engine wasn't grounded properly and it was grounding through the throttle or shift linkage
That's definitely the problem if you have a tilt column. The inner seal deteriorates on these. If you are a member of the ROA (recommend highly) they have a template to cut for the gasket and pretty simple installation instructions in their tech section. Every Riv I've seen needed this done and it makes a big difference.. The best material is a high temp foam, but I'd imagine the fiberglass will work in a pinch.... .
You bet your ass. Those were expensive luxruy cars, just a slight notch under a Cadillac, and cost $4000-$5000. If the A/C shop had your car for a couple months, seems they would have time to test drive it. I'd be pissed off as Hell.
Wow, worth looking into and all it takes is that dime-ass braid at the firewall to break. Possibly the column has one as well. I had a big time lack of grounds on a stock car, fired it up and the solenoid all but glowed red. Bob
Thanks for the info...didnt know about the column gasket. Makes perfect sense. I used to be a member of the ROA but seemed to get better info on here. Paid my dues didnt seem to get much out of it so I dropped it...better re up. Yeah I woulda guessed the ac would of been better fer sure. I had it rebuilt with the ol refrigerant and everything. Kinda scared to take it back... I just wish I could verify how a good system ran to compare it too.
Don't those columns have an insert or bearing on the business end under the hood, too? May as well check that and the gasket where it comes through the firewall/toeboard.
Dont know what the problem is but I have a 64 Riv and have the same problem. It really gets hot!!!!!!
65Riviera has you lined out on the seal in the column. Heat comes in bad around the shifter linkage boot as well. Check this site out for more Riv info. http://forums.aaca.org/f177/
Good thing others are having the same issue. I will make and replace the gaskets. Prehaps put more insulation on the firewall as well.
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