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Project Airscarf starts here

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45K views 65 replies 11 participants last post by  mick86  
#1 ·
... Just arranged for a set of seats to be delivered tomorrow to get me on the way to an Airscarf retrofit...

They are non-AMG so I'll be following Adam's route of taking the blowers out of the seats and fitting them to mine... as I understand it, the Heated electric seats already have the necessary gubbins in there to fit the blowers to (Thanks to DanSLK for his retrofit post...)

Need to check the part numbers for the heater control unit behind the drivers seat and see *if* it needs replacing - I'm assuming it will...

From reading the other Retrofit posts I'm going to also need the switch panel with Airscarf buttons and a suitable loom.... could do with some pointers on those, particulally the loom - who is Frank??

Other than that, it's just time and patience... and the odd photo or two along the way to keep you guys updated...

Any extra advice would be handy though....

As I'm stripping the blowers out of a set of good low mileage electric seats I'll be posting the remaing parts up here in the classified section... may be useful for some of you guys out there, but that'll be a fresh post once I've pulled the blowers..

to be continued..
 
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#2 · (Edited)
:tu:Congratulations on tackling the AirScraft retrofit. Almost uncharted ground. As you stated, it's been done twice. Frank is from Lithuania (?) and makes custom harnesses. Good luck, take pictures and document your work for the benefit of this forum and users.
 
#4 ·
Thanks Wooly

I've just dropped them (him..?) an email using the contact us page on the site, referencing the loom he did for Adam and I'll see what he comes back with.

Searching now for the switch panel - still have to check the control module behind the drivers seat...
 
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#5 ·
....problem number one.....

I can't for the life of me find the flap in the carpet thats on the rear bulkhead to gain access to the seat control module....

Drivers seat fully forward and I've been up and down that piece of carpet with a fine toothcomb... no apparent hidden flap there at all.....

Any suggestions..?

(RHD UK SLK55 ... akready has heated electric seats so I'm now stumped...)

Thanks in advance..
 
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#6 ·
...Panic over... I think the key word is 'Hidden' ...

I was looking about 6 inches up from the floor, not realising that its actually right at the bottom of the bulkhead.

Anyway, as expected, I do need the control unit - Mine is pictured -

I believe I need one of these - A1718201626 - can anyone confirm..?

Also attached for your viewing are a few progress pics, showing the donor seat during the blower removal, the blowers themselves, the cabling under the seat just prior to its removal from the holding block (they just pop out...) and my head rest, removed to see what sor tof job it'll be to fit the guide grills into them. Looks pretty straight forward - cut leather, carve out foam, press the gudes in place having first removed the white plastic blank. (the guides from the donor seats are burgundy, and have been removed, washed and are awaiting prining prior to being painted matt black)

I've been in touch with Frank, who seems to know exactly what harness I need, and is building one up which should be ready next week ... 75 Euro, which I didn't think was too bad.

So, to sum up...

Still need to source the contol module and switch panel... (scouring Ebay and breakers...)

Jobs to do...

Remove my seat backs and fit the blowers. Route blower cables under seat to the correct holder - I can do all of this with the seat in situ having seen how things are routed on the donor seats!

Spray Air guides and fit to my headrests - steady hand needed with a sharp knife!

Fit control module as and when I source one - straight forward

Fit switch panel, again as and whn I source one - straight forward

Fit loom when it arrives - judging by previous posts this will be the most time consuming bit and *may* need the seat(s) removing - will wait and see, unless DanSLK can advise...

.....more soon
 

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#8 ·
does the speed of the main air control affect the flow of air coming out of the headrests?, mine seems too or am i imagining this?, i was under the impression in the 172 that the seats simply have a heating element in them and the air comes from the main fan?
 
#9 ·
No Idea on that one - you'll have to ask one fo the others..

On athe R171, the Airscarf button as three settings for different heat / speed, just like the 3 position heat settings for the seats...

The airscrf seats have extra blowers over an above the main fan units, so provide their own airflow
 
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#10 ·
... Another update...

Looks like I've sourced the seat heater ECU, just waiting to find out which part number the seller is offering... He's already sold the upper switch panel though...(damn!!)

understand that A1718201626 has been replaced by A1719010100, which does the same job , albeit with different timings...

...to be contiuned...
 
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#62 ·
Out of curiosity if you could have chosen form either model which would have been your preferred option? I found a 1718201626 going for US $200 and even though I'm not ready to tackle this mod I'm tempted to but it for later use.

I still need to learn a lot about this job, I don't even know the part numbers for the blowers yet, lol.
 
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#11 · (Edited)
...Today's update... not for the faint hearted....

Headrest Mods...

The standard non-airscarf headrests have the correct airways already moulded into them, with the hole under the leather being filled with a white plastic cover.

Headrests marked up using the donor ones as a template...

Now for the trick bit... cutting into the leather with a sharpe knife... lump in throat time thinking it's going to look **** if it goes wrong...

No need to worry though - a suitable hole is cut, allowing the padding to be cut away exposing the white blanking plate... (sharp scisors used here...)

Pop out the blanking plate with a screwdriver (there are 4 small maoulded clips, which are replicated on the airscarf guides, so you know how they fit)

Check the hole for size against the airscarf guides, trim padding where necessary, but not too much as it compresses and holds the leather tight against the guide... a bit of triming with small scissors to tidy up the hole edges and thats it...

Viola...

Looks stock to me.... 2nd one to do now..:rb

Pics attached showing the burgundy guides, primed guides, finished guides (matt black) and various stages of cutting / fitting...

Seat module ordered, and should be here any day...

The most difficult bit to locate is the switch panel, which may need to be a main dealer / indy job... My local indy has quoted around £140 for a new part...

..as usual, more to follow
 

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#13 ·
... Todays update

Upper control panel sorted - need to tie up the details with John

Seat Heater ECU in the post -should be here early in the week

Loom ordered from Frank - awaiting ETA

Headrests modified and installed

Seat heaters in the garage waiting to be fitted - may do that today as it's an easy job - depends on what the weather ends up doing here...

Nearly there....
 
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#14 ·
More photos and narrative requested.
 
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#15 ·
..Todays update...

Captains Log....(sorry used to use that one when I was a trainee flight instructor...)..Quick one for today...

Seat back popped off, blower units installed - note for anyone else doing this - take the black plastic captive nuts off the aluminium frame of the donor seats.. Had to take the backs of those again to retrieve them as they're not on the non-airscarf seats. The holes to push them into are, and if you didn't have them iI'd imagine that they're only pennies to buy...

Wiring routed as per the original seats, tied in place on the correct factory locations - can't reach one spot underneath to replace the cable tie as the seat is fitted, but don't think it'll matter - there is enough slack where needed.

Heater connector on the front seat rail (floor level) just pops off - mine only has the heater cables in place, but the holes for the airscarf wiring is already there, and the two extra connectors from the seat blower just pop into the holder (they are keyed so they can only fit into one hole and in one way)

Seat backs re-fitted... roof put back...time for a bite to eat.

Held off fitting the seat heater ECU - arrived this morning - Part No. A171 820 1626 as I'm not sure if it'll still work *just* the seat heaters if I fit it and have not connected the airscarf loom (which hasn't arrived yet). It looks like it should as the connectors are the same etc etc - John - any input on this..? If it will, I'll fit later as it's only two bolts and one multi-plug..

A few pics attached... seat in place with blower unit attached and the under side of the donor seat showing wiring locations - the airscarf cabling it the left most (brown and black) and middle (blue, red, green and brown) connectors - they 'snap' into the wide holder which is the whole socket for the wiring loom that disappears under the carpet. The Blue/Brown connector on the right is for the original seat heater pads

Costs so far... (in GBP)
Blowers - £125 for the pair -
ECU - £80
Loom - 75 Euro - about £55 ish
Control panel - one from John £*wink* and the Ebay one at £55

I can recover the cost of one of the control panels by selling it on, and I'll see if there are any takers for the Heater only ECU...
 

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#18 ·
...Today's update

Fitted the seat ECU today, replacing my heat only unit with the Airscarf / Heat unit

Nothing to report... two 8mm bolts, one wiring connector.....

Heated seats still work with the new ECU (Thanks John)

No pics as I was only out for 5 minutes and they wouldn't be that interesting....

...More to follow...

PS - John, and news on the Control Panel ETA
 
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#20 ·
Hi Jon

No probs - more than welcome....
I'll drop you a line when the loom arrives - it'll be all sorted then..

Cheers
Sean
 
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#23 ·
.. Got plently of interest in them .. Ended up doing a deal 'off piste' so to speak ...
 
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#25 ·
Me too .. Recovered most of the costs and got the airscarf blowers so all in all pretty happy.

The ironic part is that the buyer is swapping out a black interior ... He fancied the red leather, and will be fitting HIS air scarf kit into them from his existing seats ..
 
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#28 ·
...Must admit, had they been AMG seats in Red I'dve kept them.

Test drove one with red door inserts and the centre of the seat in red, and that was a nice combo....

Anyway, back to the project...

Off to the office to see if the control panel has arrived... Holding off pulling the stereo out till it arrives so I don't end up repeating myself... have some cabling to add for DAB radio..

Only job left is the loom..
 
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