Driving with air recirc?

[ryan_GTI]

Just had a thought,

does anyone here drive with the 'air recirculating mode off' in normal traffic? i figured if i was behind a car at a traffic stop - wouldn't it be bad as fumes from the other car will enter right into the cabin through the vents? might be a health hazard?

Or do people actually bother turning it on everytime they start up the car...

[Bubu]

The air coming out of the vents is filtered. How well this filter works I really dont know. I suppose if you can smell the exhaust fumes then its safe to assume that it is coming into the car.

It also depends on where the air comes through from the outside into the car. The heater from the old air cooled Beetle used to blow hot air from the engine bay into the cabin. This became a safety hazard because over time people with small exhaust leaks would passout from a lack of oxygen and have accidents.

The Sydney M5 tunnel in peakhour traffic would be the perfect place to test it.

[blutopless2]

The heater from the old air cooled Beetle used to blow hot air from the engine bay into the cabin. This became a safety hazard because over time people with small exhaust leaks would passout from a lack of oxygen and have accidents.

the air comes from the cooling fan shroud, which gets fresh air through the body vents under the back window. it is blown through heater boxes which the exhaust pipes run through so they act as heat exchangers to warm the air before it enters the cabin.

[Peter Jones]

the air comes from the cooling fan shroud, which gets fresh air through the body vents under the back window. it is blown through heater boxes which the exhaust pipes run through so they act as heat exchangers to warm the air before it enters the cabin.

Only in beetles & kombis post the introduction of "fresh air" heating in the later 40hp motors around 1961(?) or so. The early 40hp, and the 36HP drew their air from under the car.

Either system is safe so long as it is properly maintained.

Pete

[The_Hawk]

My old 1970 Type III's heater had the heat exchanger setup and it could get DAMN hot, there was also always a little smell to it.. never got it looked into but did make sure the quarter windows were always open

The Mk3 doesn't close the recirc flap anymore and I was never convinced it ever shut it properly since smells would still come in when it was closed.
Now it's wedged about 80% on recirc, the best I could manage, if I could get it out easily I would just glue it shut, only issue is you need to be aware your not getting any fresh air and wind the window down a bit every little while if on a trip or you may just drift off... and into a tree :S

In the wifes are the vent is almost always on closed for just the reason you mention, smells and fumes in traffic.