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Blend Door Motor Removal

New 08/09/05 updated 03/31/2006


Yes I did one last November 2003 on my SHO. One thing that is needed is "small hands". It is behind the EATC or radio/climate control football, and a little bit close to the passenger side compartment.

The A/C electronic blend door actuator is located on the rear of the A/C evaporator housing assembly.

Its function is to move the A/C air temperature control door on command from the remote climate control module. The A/C electronic blend door actuator contains a reversible electric motor and a potentiometer. The potentiometer wiper is connected to the actuator output shaft and moves with the output shaft to indicate the position of the A/C air temperature control door.

A five volt signal is applied to the ends of the potentiometer. The voltage available at the wiper indicates the position of the potentiometer. The expressed value of the actuator wiper voltage is sent to the control module and matched with the wiper voltage of the module potentiometer. The printed circuit board then drives the actuator motor in whichever direction is necessary to make the actuator wiper voltage agree with the remote climate control module wiper voltage.

Rene Carlos Cruz
Warren, MI
98 SF 48,081 miles


Blend Door Motor

REMOVAL

  1. Disconnect battery ground cable.

 

 

  1. Disengage console panel from instrument panel reinforcement and remove from instrument panel.

 

  1. Disengage console panel from RH side of center console finish panel if equipped.
  2. Working from under the passenger side of the instrument panel, remove A/C electronic blend door actuator electrical connector from A/C electronic blend door actuator.

 

  1. Remove four screws retaining A/C electronic blend door actuator to the A/C evaporator housing and remove A/C electronic blend door actuator from A/C air temperature control door.

INSTALLATION

  1. Insert actuator shaft into A/C air temperature control door and secure A/C electronic blend door actuator to A/C evaporator housing with four retaining screws.
  2. Install electrical connector to bracket on A/C electronic blend door actuator.
  3. Install instrument panel insulator and console panel if equipped.
  4. Connect battery ground cable.

Copyright © 2005 ALLDATA LLC


Wow! That is easier on the Gen 3 than on the others!

Paul L Fisher


Wait until you see the space that you have to work with. It is not as easy as you think. Unless like I said you have small hands. The instructions is deceiving. But patience is a virtue, make sure you don't loose those screws.

Rene Carlos Cruz


Alright, now I am really ferclempt, after running the test yesterday, and reading all advise I decided to replace the actuator. Got in my car this morning and the damn A/C works now! Is this car playing mind games with me or what? Should I just scrap the whole plan or is the system on it's last leg or what? Anyone been through this before? Is there a short in here, should I get out the big hammer? what do ya guys think?

Will


Rarely have I read where somebody's compressor out and out failed. As I discovered with mine which only had about 50,000 miles on the compressor when it stopped working it was the gap on the clutch. A tap with a broom stick handle while the engine was on and the climate control was set to MAX @ 60 degrees confirmed it. Unfortunately I have some additional hardware to remove to unmount the compressor from the block so the pulley can be removed to gain access to the spacer, but even then it took me way less then the shop told me they would charge for the compressor removal alone not to mention they of course intended on discharging and recharging my AC system then replace the compressor since "there are no serviceable parts on that model".

Carter Fuji


True…..as long as the system has remained charged over time.

Let it get drained, and then the compressor will die.

Ron Porter
_________________________________________________________________________
03/31/2006

Trouble shooting AC problems, have come to the conclusion that this actuator
motor is out. There is a procedure/write up about this on V8SHO.com. Prior
to reading this write-up, I was being told by mechanics (including by the
dealer) that this was a HUGE 6-8 hour job to replace this.
Is that a complete fabrication, has anyone done this recently and if so, how
long did it actually take?
W. Gordon Finley
97 ES
___________________________________________________________________________

I haven't experienced one on the Gen 3's, but the dash has to be removed on
the Gen 2's to get to it, so I'm supposing they are correct.
Greg
___________________________________________________________________________
The actuator itself is pretty simple to replace... But on my Ranger the "female" receptacle that the actuator drive shaft slips into broke into two pieces.... That is actually the blend door itself. To properly repair that you have to essentially do everything you would do to replace the heater core (evac the AC as well). I was able to repair mine by drilling a hole through the actuator shaft that lined up with the broken portion of the blend door that remained and install a roll pin in the actuator so that the pin is what keeps the shaft from spinning. 

Pull the actuator assembly out (it just unclips once you get to it) and then adjust the EATC to confirm that the motor does or does not work. If the motor works, inspect the hole where the drive from the motor goes (you will probably have to use an inspection mirror) to see if the receptacle for the drive is broken. 

Good luck, hopefully it is a dead actuator for simplicities sake.
Scott
___________________________________________________________________________
Thanks a lot, good to know.

W. Gordon Finley
___________________________________________________________________________
It is not a big deal to do. It is a little tight in there though. You will
need to remove the glove box and be prepared to scrape a knuckle or two when
you go to loosen the screws that hold it in. The one on top is a pain.
Anyway once there all out pull the unit straight out. Take it over to a
clean counter top and pop it open. Pay attention to how it comes apart and
reassembly will be a breeze. To find out if the unit is bad get a 9v battery
and 2 pieces of wire. Connect them to the motor and it should start to spin.
If it does then you will need to clean all of the contacts and the circuit
board they run across. This will mean removing all of the grease in there.
You will need to apply some DE-OX or some other electrical contact grease.
I put just a little more bend on my contacts to make sure of the connection
once reassembled. Obviously you will want to plug it in to the car and find
out if it works before you endure the pain of installation. Total time 60-90
minutes. Have you ran the test to see if this is really the problem. There
is a simple test you can do that will display a trouble code on the where
the temp readout is on the oval. I don't remember the specific buttons to
push so you will need to Google the site for that info.
Jason Barker
Member of the Troll Bar
(Emeritus Smart A**) - From the Ed
_________________________________________________________________________.
The actuator itself is pretty simple to replace... But on my Ranger the "female" receptacle that the actuator drive shaft slips into broke into two pieces.... That is actually the blend door itself. To properly repair that you have to essentially do everything you would do to replace the heater core (evac the AC as well). I was able to repair mine by drilling a hole through the actuator shaft that lined up with the broken portion of the blend door that remained and install a roll pin in the actuator so that the pin is what keeps the shaft from spinning. 

Pull the actuator assembly out (it just unclips once you get to it) and then adjust the EATC to confirm that the motor does or does not work. If the motor works, inspect the hole where the drive from the motor goes (you will probably have to use an inspection mirror) to see if the receptacle for the drive is broken. 

Good luck, hopefully it is a dead actuator for simplicities sake.

Scott


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