No air blowing out of front vents, defrost, floor. Vacuum Reservoir(Plastic globe) is disconnected | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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No air blowing out of front vents, defrost, floor. Vacuum Reservoir(Plastic globe) is disconnected

artest7

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February 2, 2011
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City, State
Bellevue, Wa.
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001 Eddie Bauer
2001 Explorer 5.0 AWD Eddie Bauer w/Automatic EATC only blows air out in the rear cabin. The Blower motor, Blend door actuator and blend door are ok.
We "FINALLY REPLACED MY HEATER CORE" w/only half-a-dozen or so extra screws left, lol!" NOW, I'm trying to figure out where to connect 1 - a disconnected vacuum line stemming from this dangling plastic softball lookin thing (I believe it's the Vacuum Reservoir which isn't bracketed anywhere). One line goes to the engine but the other is loose and I'm not certain where it's supposed to go. BTW - There was NO Heater Control Valve present, so I installed one. Does it plug into this valve? FYI, there was also another loose vacuum line(s) stemming from (the firewall?) somewhere underneath the A/C Plenum/Box area.

Any help is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED! : )

KIKO
 



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Luckily you can see most all of the vacuum cans, to see if they are working or not, under the dash and in the glove box. The main vacuum line coming into the cab is very accessible under the passenger side if you want to test for vacuum and if you are handy just take your engine air box off then slide under the front end and remove 2 bolts, then slide the vacuum reservoir right out and check for vacuum leaks there. It will most likely take longer to remove the air box then to check for the leak. My leak was between the vacuum reservoir and the fire wall and it was melted closed. From the out side of the line in question you could not tell it was collapsed so look at it carefully. I cut it all out of there, put the lines back together and used about 4 layers of heat shrink to seal it up. But what really got me was the polarity of the fan was wrong and caused me great anguish over the summer. It's all good now. Good luck and please post your results.
Thanks,
Robert
 






How funny. I thought the SAME THING - That the blower motor had reversed polarity or I had placed the blower motor wheel on backwards or something, which is not possible. Reason being, underneath the dash on the passenger side I COULD SEE/and hear the blower motor/wheel running but COULD NOT FEEL THE AIR BLOWING when THAT WORKING VACUUM DOOR MOTOR was open. But, I think that the air blows sideways into the AC Plenum, no? Or is it all just vacuumed somewhere?? Geesh, this can be frustrating!
Anyway, as it stands....I can see that there are 3 loose vacuum lines in the engine compartment and I'm not sure where they're supposed to connect. So, I bought a hand-held vacuum tester and JUST NOW got these results of these 3 LOOSE/UNCONNECTED lines.
1st Unconnected vacuum line (thin black line coming from somewhere underneath the AC plenum/box perhaps going into the firewall?) looks to have been melted and is SEALED SHUT. Vacuum NOT TESTED yet. 2nd Unconnected vacuum line (thin black line coming from that BLACK PLASTIC BALL vacuum reservoir thing. It HAS VACUUM. Note: that vacuum reservoir has another line that is already connected to the engine. And the 3rd Unconnected vacuum line (thin gray line with L shaped fitting also coming from somewhere underneath the AC plenum/box perhaps going to the firewall?). It has NO VACUUM.

Note1: I installed a Heater Control Valve which will need a vacuum line connected to it. Please correct me if I'm wrong but..I'm thinking to connect the 2 loose black lines (after I test the untested one 1st) and connect the gray one with L-shaped fitting to the Heater Control Valve?
Note2: This is an "Automatic" Climate Control (EATC) vs a Manual (ATC). So, there are no knobs to turn to make it colder/hotter. Someone told me that in that case, there is NO NEED for a Heater Control Valve (after I just installed it)? Ugh...

Any, DEFINITE Thoughts on this matter are MUCH APPRECIATED!
Kiko
 






Yeah the grey line goes to the heater control valve, that line in-particular starts under the inside passenger dash and goes out through the firewall to the heater control valve. (on my 98 it is all the way up front right under the engine air box), that is where mine is, 98 v6 vs your 2001 v8 yours might be different, just follow the grey line and it will take you to the valve.There under the dash on the passenger side you will see a white line going to the firewall, that belongs to the heater control. (turns to grey on the engine side from the firewall), The black line coming in from the firewall under the passenger dash is the main vacuum line to the EATC unit, (that is what mine is), I checked all my lines with a simple syringe, (designed for heavy liquids), I just disconnected the vacuum lines from the back of the EATC and tried to suck air from them. I could not suck from the main black line, everything else checked out. That is when I physically took the reservoir out, (for the second time), and looked at it carefully and you could barely see where it melted and collapsed on itself. Did you install a new blower? If you have a new blower installed, test for the polarity and see if that does not help.
Robert
 






Thank you Robert. Yes, I did install the new blower motor way back when. But I don't see how polarity could have possibly reversed. Was your's reversed? Although, I didn't "feel" any air coming into the cab straight in front of the blower motor wheel, I believe that the air blows to the side(as a wheel is different than a fan) into the AC box (plenum) where the heater core and condenser are located. But, since I do dot have vacuum in the "Gray line with the L-shaped connector" which you said goes to the valve, I'm assuming that is why I am not getting air through the vents, defr/floor. You said the gray line from the heater valve (no vacuum on mine) turns into a white one under the dash in the cab? Where does that white one go (inside the cab)? I need to determine why there's no vacuum there.
Thanks a WHOLE BUNCH Robert!
 






Once you fix the melted black line you should have good vacuum, but that has little effect on the blower. Most after market blower motors, (unless you buy from Ford), will have the polarity reversed and is from what I have read on google as well as other forums, (F-150), is a common problem. Just disconnect the blower motor, then stick an unfurled paper clips, (you will need 2), in each side of the plug. Next you will need 2 alligator wire clips,(one for each wire). Then connect one end of the clip to the fan itself,(there is a 2 little prongs where the fan connector goes) they will easily accept the alligator clip's. Turn your ignition to the on position and turn the fan on. If your fan is doing the same thing, reverse the alligator clips on the paper clips and check it. Please post your results. It only takes about 15 minutes to do this, not to fix it, but just to check polarity.
Robert
 






The white line "T's" off right under the passenger area to the re circulation valve, (opens the vent to draw air from the cab to cool it down quicker when max air is selected), and then to the EATC.
Hope you get this fixed before the rain and snow.
Robert
 






Did you get a chance to fix your line and check polarity yet? Curious in Eureka. Your problem is almost verbatim to what happened to me.
Robert
 






I haven't had the chance to get back yet. It's been raining everyday and I don't have the luxury of a garage right now. PLUS NOW MY HOOD LATCH IS NOT RELEASING! Ugh! Tried going through the grill but started raining again! Talk about testing my patients?? There's my 89' Bronco II awaiting an e-brake install too!
Thanks though. I'll get back when I can HOPEFULLY get to it again soon! : (
 






Ahh yes, when it rains, it pours! Wow, our conditions for working on our rigs are the same as I don't have a garage either. (apartment complex), and they have a lot of rules to what you can do and not do. Well when it lets up let me and the group know as this knowledge base will keep growing for all whom own these rigs. Thanks.
Robert
 






Hey there Artest7 hope all is going well with you. Did the rain let up enough for you to fix your vacuum and blower problem?
Nosy in Eureka..
Robert
 






A NEW PROBLEM...UGH..! WEll....I'm still running around WITHOUT any good solid air flow coming from my vents, floor nor defrost. In order to continue my diagnoses, I wanted to get more interior lighting in the cabin of this 2001 Ford EXPLODER. (Eddie Bauer 5.0L) by replacing the interior map and/or dome bulbs with LED's. 1st of all, FORD's Map light bulbs for this yr/model go in BACKWARDS. That's right, the regular map bulbs (2 of them), are actually screwed into the base with the bulb side facing up(into the socket). I guess it is supposed to reflect back out? Has anyone ever noticed THAT/"just another" crazy FORD way of doing things?? Not only is it backwards but, I'd have to go try to find another replacement bulb since these backwards installing factory bulbs have to be purchased WITH THE BASE ATTACHED to it (unlike the normal ones where you just plug the dang thing in). So, while in the process of trying to figure all this out.........NOW.....NONE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS, NOR MOON ROOF WORK! So.....not only does the air barely seep out of any of the vents but......NOW I CAN'T EVEN OPEN THE WINDOWS!! I can't seem to find any blown fuse that I thought would easily solve this loss of power (to interior lights(the dash lights DO work), power windows and moon roof actuator. ALL THIS IS REALLY TESTING MY PATIENCE!
ANY HELP IS MUCH APPRECIATED....Before I just sell this Exploder and buy anything other than Ford! Lol
Thx,
Art
 






NOW.....NONE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS, NOR MOON ROOF WORK! So.....not only does the air barely seep out of any of the vents but......NOW I CAN'T EVEN OPEN THE WINDOWS!!
Man I know how you feel but I just laughed my ass off, thinking to myself it is raining, the inside of your windows are getting foggy and you can't even open a window or moon roof, and your cussing at your rig, thank you for that. Sorry. Let's fix your more serious problem first, the heat and air flow. Did you get the vacuum line fixed or patched some how? I am betting that after you replaced the blower in your rig you simply did not notice the altered air flow because of the mild climate you live in, I could be wrong. Once you get the blower and vacuum fixed so the windows stay clear and the heat will flow the light's will be easier. So how far along are you on the vacuum? The polarity on the fan will be very easy to check.
Again, sorry for the laughter.
Loquetus
 






I forgot to mention, I laughed because that exact scenario happened to me and in addition to the cussing I was also flipping my Explorer off with the words "f**k you, you finicky *****". Wonder what the people thought who might have seen through the foggy windows at the tyrant I was displaying. If it by chance was another explorer owner, well that person probably had a good laugh.
Loquetus
 






artest7, you there?
 






I have a 2005 Explorer that had the blend actuator replaced by a used car dealer when I bought it over a year ago. Well I get air flow through the defroster and vent, but not at the floor. It's cold out now and I need to fix it. I remember past posts with pictures and everything where vacuum was mentioned as well as door linkages. I can't seem to find the posts I need to read in order to deal with it. Any suggestions?
 






I believe that the third generation of explorer's are a little bit different then what this thread is about. I believe that there is a vacuum can u der the dash or glove box if I recall correctly, that might have a crack in the arm that operates it. Go to the 3rd gen section and check there. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Loquetus
 






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