Broken LH vent grille flap

[rutger kohler]

Hi, I have noticed that the open/shut vent flaps on the passenger side dashboard (rh drive is damaged.  I pulled the whole chrome assembly off and one of the tiny pivot pins is broken of the main operating vane. As these are made of diecast there is no way to weld a new pin on. I imagine this is quite common as the mechanisms probably gum up over the years and it would be quite easy to shear the pins off.  Has anyone got a fix for this? Haven't bothered to see if you can get spare vanes yet

[rutger kohler]

Well they say a picture is worth a thousand words so I have pulled what a I call the vent grill to pieces and taken a photo of the broken control flap or vane and a smaller vane off the same vent grill behind it. if you look at the control vane you can see it only has two pins on the ends whereas the  other vane has three.  This is the problem, the third pin has broken off. Has anyone got a fix for this or a spare vane plse?

[Jkalplus1]

Man, I feel for you, and your story is a reminder for me to leave "good enough" alone.
My solution to you, I have had success in similar situations (antique clocks): take it to a jeweler.  They have the tools to weld this kind of metal.  A google search for "weld delicate pot metal" also revealed interesting TIG potential solutions.
I am very interested in reading further about disassembly and refitting of those vents.  Michael S had epic fun doing this for replating a few years ago I remember.
Let us know, good luck.
Jerome

[Tomnistuff]

Hi Rutger,

Back in 2011, Rafael Meneses sold me most of a vent grill (one or two slats missing) to use as parts to fix a broken pot metal actuator frame in mine.  I still have most of it, somewhere in my garage.  I don't know if I have the grill slat that you need but if I do, I can ship it to you for the cost of postage (free + postage).  I looked a few minutes ago but didn't find it.  I've seen it not too long ago, but it's going to be hard to find mixed in with all the other parts that I have to put back on the car.  I'll look again tonight and tomorrow and if I find the little box of pieces, I'll photograph what I have, you can tell me which slat it is (they are all different lengths) and I'll ship it to you from Eastern Canada.  I can sandwich it between two pieces of cardboard and ship it as a letter, I think.

I'll get back to you as soon as I find it, if you are interested.

Tom Kizer

[Tomnistuff]

Hi Rutger,

I found it but unfortunately the two slats that are missing are the two longest center ones, one of which is the one you need with the tab for manipulating the entire set of slats.

I'm really sorry I don't have what you need.

I agree with Jerome.  I've had good luck with welding things like really fragile eyeglass frames (the part that encircles the lens).  They might be able to handle the pot metal as well.

Another alternative is, since they are only 2 mm thick and flat, except for the slightly bent tab which you can bend in a vise, you might make one out of sheet aluminum with a set of die-makers files to work the pins on the ends and then polish it instead of chroming it.  The solid aluminum will be stronger than pot metal anyway, I think.

Or, hopefully someone will have a junk-yard piece that's still usable.

Tom Kizer

[rutger kohler]

Guys, thanks for replies, especially ferreting out your spares to see if you had one.  i don't place too much faith in weld repairs to die cast or pot metal  but might ask a jeweller.  I could make one, however I would probably fabricate it out of mild steel and have it chromed. This would let me silver solder the pins in and fill the curved bit beteen the "handle" and the vane Still considering my options, all comment welcome

[jameshoward]

It may be semantics, but whilst welding pot metal may not work, braising it will. I've just done my grille star and it's worked out well and the rechroming has worked well also. However, I think it's fair to say that the stresses on the vent louver may be more than on the grille, so you'd need to be tender with it after the fix.

They do pop up on ebay some time. So maybe have a go at a fix, and keep your eyes open.

[rutger kohler]

Hi James. not semantics at all, I would like to know what your brazing technique is. Down here brazing is with brass rods and brazing flux and is usually used on large jobs.  I have got some aluminium rods for gas welding, you see them being demonstrated at trade shows welding beer can.  These are also supposed work on "pot metal" however whenever I have tried to use them on thicker aluminium jobs the parent metal has melted and dropped away.  As you probably know aluminium does not show any signs of approaching meliting temp and it is very easy to go past this and have a failure.  I would have though pot metal would have been the same but full marks for having anough moxie to have a go at your grille star, and better still succeeding. Andy Burns has told me they come up on Ebay but in the meantime I will continue on trying to work out a mechanical fix

[wjsvb ✝︎]

RG:  I may have the required animal in my garage...an entire somewhat crusty piece with a good flap ass'y.  Traveling now; back late tomorrow & will check.  Jon

[rutger kohler]

Crusty is good!!

[stickandrudderman]

I've come across this before but have been lucky enough to be able to source a second hand slat. I did consider it possible to drill a hole in the end of the broken slat and insert a steel pin but I never had the need to actually do it.