"Downgrade" from Climate Control to manual air blower?

[Dubturbo]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting a Cupra TDI in the next while, and based on previous experience with an Audi A3 I had, I'm less than keen on the climatronic system. The car will be a long-term keeper for long distance commuting, so I'm not really concerned with the resale aspect - I'm more interested in removing heavy components that I don't really have use for that have complicated motors and electronics.

I know most questions on this issue are about upgrading to climatronic, but has anyone attempted the reverse? As in taken the whole air conditioning system out and replace it with a manual hot/cold air blower system. I know it would at least require replacement air ducting, potentially heater matrix and associated plumbing, and various pulleys potentially needing replacement with the compressor taken out, so not a small job. But would it be particularly complicated from say a wiring point of view? If there were a donor or swap car available, would it be essentially plug and play swapping the two systems over?

Any thoughts gratefully received

 

[Alexis27]

based on previous experience with an Audi A3 I had, I'm less than keen on the climatronic system.

What do you mean?

 

[Thai-wronghorse]

I considered going this on my last mk4 Golf as the VW Climatronic interface is dire and poorly located imo.
I quickly changed my mind after researching what was involved though!
Personally I find the Leon OK to use though and has a much easier to read display whilst driving.

 

[Dubturbo]

What do you mean?

I never liked the system in the A3. I found it awkward to use, slow to respond, and sapped a ton of power! If I had kept the car I'd definitely have been looking at a similar project.

I considered going this on my last mk4 Golf as the VW Climatronic interface is dire and poorly located imo.
I quickly changed my mind after researching what was involved though!
Personally I find the Leon OK to use though and has a much easier to read display whilst driving.

Really? Was it that complicated? Would you have any links to the mk4 info you found? the Leon display is similar to the A3 alright, but I think it works the same way too, which I'm less than keen on!

 

[Thai-wronghorse]

Yes the mk1 Leon control unit is infact virtually identical to the Audi A3 8L one as I've been looking into hybriding the two together utilising the Seat fascia on top of the 8L display so that I a get a true red digits and reversed LCD.
It would seem that only the last letter in the parts numbers actually differ.

 

[Dubturbo]

You shouldn't have to fit an 8L display - if you change the backlighting on the display from orange to red (either a case of changing LEDs, requiring some soldering, or changing a light filter) and invert the polariser on the LED display to allow light through the segments rather than behind them, then you can get the same result on your existing SEAT display - the displays are physically identical apart from colour and polarisation

If I can get a manual conversion sorted you can have my old one to practice!!

 

[Thai-wronghorse]

Yeah I know it's only a case of changing the LED and applying polarising film but I'm not particularly confident in doing this myself.
I reckon It'll cost me more to get someone to do it for me than grabbing a used 8L unit to play about with.

 

[Dubturbo]

Not a bad plan if you do have to have climatronic, the 8L display does look much, much much better - the orange display on the 1M reminds me of my wife's old Peugeot

I'm also toying with the possibility of fitting a half-height Golf mk4 FIS gauge cluster, changing (or rather have someone competent change for me ) the backlight SMD LEDs to SEAT-type red, and getting a custom gauge face so it looks like a factory Leon 260 km/h Cupra/FR FIS cluster. That's presuming that it'll all talk to each other. A friend of mine has a Cupra R that we're looking to do something similar with, and so far I haven't been able to talk to the Cupra clocks!

 

[Thai-wronghorse]

I absolutely hate the standard orange/ red dash illumination.
I'd already planned on changing it before I'd even parted with any cash for the car!
I'm already in the thick of converting a set of immo3 mk4 / Bora Sport full FIS clocks for my FR TDI.
So far I've sourced some S3 clocks and taken the front housing.
The Bora inner silver rings weren't transferable so I've ordered some satin silver alloy rings from Germany.
I just need to get the blue backlighting LEDS swapped then obviously coded in.

 

[Dubturbo]

I don't understand why it's orange/red either!! Why not one or the other is the 8L display unit a straight match for the Leon dash, or would it need modding to fit directly?

How are you finding the clock conversion so far? I have a set of Golf mk4 Diesel Bosch RB8 Clocks to go into an FR TDI as well. Not sure if I should expect many pitfalls!! I've an A3 binnacle myself, just the custom faces and the all important coding then.

 

[Thai-wronghorse]

As far as I can see the Audi and Seat controls only differ with display illumination and the little divider on the fascia...which I'm planning to lose if I can.

I actually got another tiny step further with the clocks this afternoon as it happens.
S3 binnacle is now transferred onto the Golf guts with the addition of some alloy dial rings which were an absolute ballache to attach as they kept pinging off - thank the lord for superglue!

If I get the chance I'll test fit them this week at some point.