defrost door broken on 04 xlt help needed | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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defrost door broken on 04 xlt help needed

lisfan

Active Member
Joined
December 2, 2008
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City, State
boston mass
Year, Model & Trim Level
2008 explorer xlt 4.0
hi guys
i recently replaced my blend door actuator, stripped gear as usual, while checking all the positions. i noticed the defrost wasnt blowing that great and i was getting heat at the bottom of the console vent , not much change from floor , mix or defrost. long story short, i pulled the radio and noticed the diaphram was was working with the yellow hose going to it but the door arm seemed broken on its shaft. do i have to pull the dash and replace the hvac or does someone have a door or a fix for this. i appreciate the help and thanks for any imformation .
it has manual / ac with roof vents on a 2004 xlt explorer 4.0. has this happened to others. 4L2z-19850-eb
is the part number for evaporator assy which comes not with plenum assy.391.00 quoted it lists for 610.00. does any one know any online dealers that are cheaper. i appreciate any help or imformation
 



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please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 






i appreciate any help or imformation on dissasembly or a parts source etc
 


















What does that have to do with anything?

nice comment.

Heater treater makes kits to fix hvac doors in Explorers as well as other parts like upgraded door motors. He has free fixes as well and instructions for how to do repairs to hvac doors without removing the dash...do you understand now?
 






thank you
ill check it out .
 






nice comment.

Heater treater makes kits to fix hvac doors in Explorers as well as other parts like upgraded door motors. He has free fixes as well and instructions for how to do repairs to hvac doors without removing the dash...do you understand now?

The site looks like spam. No where do I see any info relating to Explorer HVAC door fixes. Why don't you just link us to it?
 






nice comment.

Heater treater makes kits to fix hvac doors in Explorers as well as other parts like upgraded door motors. He has free fixes as well and instructions for how to do repairs to hvac doors without removing the dash...do you understand now?

I found the problem. The website is www.heatertreater.net . Not .com.

So post the correct link and don't be a dick when someone questions the spam link you just posted. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 






i wrote to them to see if they have a fix . i appreciate the imformation. thank you. the temp door fix could save some serious coin and time.
 






hi guys i got an answer. i hope this helps out others too



Hi Phil,


We do not have a product specifically for this problem.


The system has a blend door to control air temperature and a separate mode door that switches between defrost/vent/floor(also a separate re-circ door). The mode door is vacuum actuated and problems with this door don't have the same root cause as the DC motor actuated blend door. The problem is a weak arm on the mode door that breaks off. You can see the axle and actuator motor through the glove box opening above the transmission tunnel on the upper back of the box. You should be able to locate the vacuum motor and find the metal rod with a broken half of the arm still attached to the end of the metal push rod.


The arm that connects to the vacuum motor is an "L" shaped piece with one leg of the arm inserted into the axle of the mode door and the other leg acting like a lever connected to the actuator motor. The plastic "L" inserts into the axle and is held in place with a molded button like the tab you depress to pull an electric connector apart. To remove the "L" piece properly, you have to completely disassemble the dash, remove the plenum box and push the little tab on the axle inside the box and the "L" slips out easily. We've had luck wedging the piece out by prying with a large screw driver and forcing it out. There's not much room to work, but you can also grab it with a pair of pliers and pull. It's like pulling an electric connector apart without pushing the tab. You can do it but it takes more force and you might damage the tab.


Once out, you can retrieve the part left in the end of the push rod and epoxy the two pieces back together. Epoxy alone won't hold and we recommend making a "splint" with a flat piece of metal and wrapping the whole piece with fine wire and coating with more epoxy. You can make the lever stronger than original with a little creativity. The "L" piece can be re-inserted into the axle and either snapped if the tab is OK, or glued back into place. Reconnect to the push rod and it's as good as new. I don't believe Ford sells just the "L" piece. It will be an expensive repair.


Thanks for your interest,

Chris Allen
PO Box 151029
Austin, Texas
78715 1029

www.heatertreater.net



-------- Original Message --------
 






the ford manuals on cd today are terrible. hard to navigate, nothing detailed like the old fashioned paper books i found out through the official ford manual that the plenum chamber that bolts to the evap housing contains the defrost door. i found a brand new evap housing with heater core very cheap is any one needs one
 






i got the brand new evap / heater housing today for cheap money. does anyone have the defrost plenum chamber to sell ?:salute:
thanks phil
 






defrost door

the heater treater post is not relevant to this guys problem.

I just got done fixing the defrost door on my 05 and the L shaped plastic lever was broke off. Here was my fix (btw, it had been replaced to the tune of $1500, dealer, less than 3 years ago), removed the dash, took the heater-box-defrost section apart. Then I used a stainless #6 machine screw and drilled through the middle of the lever and into the defrost door. Used nut and bolted the two together, and glued the nut. While the defrost section was on the bench, installed the door and vacuum motor and bench tested it. Big problem. The vacuum motor pulls the lever, past the point of the door bottoming out, thus stressing the lever.

Here was my fix, drilled a hole into the vacuum motor's push rod, and inserted a #8 stainless bolt, centered and locked in place with locknuts, to act as a stop, so the lever is not stressed when the vacuum motor trys to pull the lever past the door bottoming. Here's how it looks.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV-lLN9f9Nw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I realize this is was an old thread, but good info none the less.
 






I am having the same problem with my 2004 Explorer. Just replaced the blend door and motor. Hot air still will not flow and the air box now makes a screeching sound. While looking for the problem I noticed the part was broken that you have fixed.

My question is : If I don't have the broken piece to either glue or measure for distance, can you share any hints on how to create the replacement piece?
 












Defrost door fix -2003 Explorer 4.0L 4x4 XLT

I have a good, cheap, relatively easy, and reliable fix.

First I dissembled the radio console, glove box, and removed passenger airbag. Then was able to removed the broken level from the door. It just pops straight out. I removed the vacuum motor as well.

At this point, I cut off the broken section leaving just the round shaft part. Then, took a piece of half inch aluminum round stock, heated the end, and hammered it flat, then bending it at a 90 degree angle. I then cut to appropriate size, drilled a two holes, and cleaned it up.

The first hole was for the vacuum motor shaft. The second was to secure it to the original plastic shaft. Drilling a hole in the side, And secured it with an aluminum rivet. It probably wouldn't hurt to put some epoxy in there as well. Then, I secured the lever to the arm on the vacuum motor with another rivet, loose enough to move freely, but tight enough to not bind and still be secure.

Reesembled and bam, it works great.

I have a picture, but the forum won't let me post it, I assume because I'm not an elite member, sorry guys, the wife won't let me spend the $20. If there's a way I can message to somebody or something let me know.

I'll be fixing the "max ac door" next. I currently have it removed. Then onto two window regulators. Ugh.
 






Even though old this thread was very helpful for me with my daughters Explorer. I had the same broken arm so I came up with a similar solution as above.

If you give the broken arm a little tug it will pull out. Be careful not to dislodge the defrost door in the box. It makes it a lot easier to work on the bench.
20151012_143846_zpsccvui5mz.jpg


I cut the brace part off.
20151012_143928_zpsnfffq3yi.jpg


I took some 20 ga sheet metal and cut out a piece slightly larger than the broken tab.
20151012_144546_zps717paula.jpg


Then with a hammer and piece of metal I bent the sides over and drilled a slot for the mounting bolt.
20151012_155307_zpss3i60mbf.jpg


I filled the original piece with 5 min epoxy and put a 1 5/8" screw in the epoxy to hold the tab in place.
20151012_164947_zps8ktw7nuw.jpg


For good measure I folded the bottom side over to secure the new piece to the old piece.
20151012_164956_zpsnkqlbmql.jpg


Then using a #10 machine bolt with a nylon lock washer I bolted it to the vacuum pod. I left it loose enough so the pod arm had enough room for it's entire travel without pulling on the door arm.

20151012_163516_zpsefy8mk60.jpg


It works like a champ now. The only problem I have left is when the switch is set to anything on the right side of OFF it blows through the defrost as well as the floor or vent. If you turn the switch left of off for the vent/ A/C then the defrost closes like it is supposed to.
 






Hello,

Just wondering if there's some trick to getting the broken lever out of the door housing. I've pulled on it as hard as I can, and it won't budge. Does it have to be turned to a certain position? or twist and pull?

Thanks much,
Brad


Defrost door fix -2003 Explorer 4.0L 4x4 XLT

I have a good, cheap, relatively easy, and reliable fix.

First I dissembled the radio console, glove box, and removed passenger airbag. Then was able to removed the broken level from the door. It just pops straight out. I removed the vacuum motor as well.

At this point, I cut off the broken section leaving just the round shaft part. Then, took a piece of half inch aluminum round stock, heated the end, and hammered it flat, then bending it at a 90 degree angle. I then cut to appropriate size, drilled a two holes, and cleaned it up.

The first hole was for the vacuum motor shaft. The second was to secure it to the original plastic shaft. Drilling a hole in the side, And secured it with an aluminum rivet. It probably wouldn't hurt to put some epoxy in there as well. Then, I secured the lever to the arm on the vacuum motor with another rivet, loose enough to move freely, but tight enough to not bind and still be secure.

Reesembled and bam, it works great.

I have a picture, but the forum won't let me post it, I assume because I'm not an elite member, sorry guys, the wife won't let me spend the $20. If there's a way I can message to somebody or something let me know.

I'll be fixing the "max ac door" next. I currently have it removed. Then onto two window regulators. Ugh.
 



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Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
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