ANOTHER A/C Problem...

[LilCop2002]

Well ladies and gentlemen, after looking for 13 hours, searching for 10 different terms, and looking through hundreds of pages, I'm posting this question. I can't tell if my problem is a low charge, interior temperature sensor, or blend door. Most of the info that I found was sort of jumbled and hard to decipher at times. I have a 1998 Eddie Bauer 4X4 with the 4.0L SOHC and Electronic Climate Control.

Driving around, I'll have the vehicle set to about 75 degrees F on the auto setting. It blows nice and cool for a few mins and then blows out extremely hot air. Then after a little while longer, it goes back to cooling. All of the settings, temps, and fan speeds work as desired with the exception of the heat coming on for a few mins. It does it while under load and while cruising. I can't seem to replicate the problem...

Thanks in advance for the help. This site rocks!

Julian

 

[CDW6212R]

Interesting. My problem seems to be similar to yours, but more basic. My temperature is relatively cool to start with. After the engine warms slightly, the air coming from my vents becomes warmer. I think the air in my AC is somehow blending both the heater core air, and the cooled air. My AC, Max AC, and Vent positions are all warmer by a similar amount, than they should be.

I have not had time to search for the blend door stuff. I assume that there is a motor which controls the airflow. Your problem may be the same as mine. It could be the same part. I'll keep an eye on this thread. If I learn anything helpful, I'll post it here also. Regards,

 

[LilCop2002]

Good luck in your search. It's a little hard to get the exact info without spending many hours looking and then asking your question as I did because of just how much information is on the site. I'm still looking, but until I can get the truck to replicate the situation again, I'm SOL.

BTW, I see that you're from TN. What part of TN? I'm from Knoxville. If you're interested, I'm also a member of the TN Chapter of Fordtruckworld.com. The Link to our chapter page is http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/mygallery.ten?id=1905 I hope to see you around sometime.

 

[CDW6212R]

LOL yes, I live in Knoxville also, down Chapman Hwy. The 6212R is my rural route number. I work in Sevierville. Regards,

 

[kslhol]

I had a similar problem with my 93. The engine did not run hot according to the guage, but my AC blew warm. After replacing the majority of the AC components, it still blew warm. I even had it recharged again - still nothing. Finally a very kind mechanic let me know he had seen the problem a hundred times, and it wasn't my AC at all.

It was actually my fan clutch. The fan wasn't turning fast enough to cool the engine, and let the AC do what it needed to do. I replaced my clutch, and put a new fan in to replace the badly cracked one I had, and it has been blowing ice cold ever since.

Don't know if it will work for you, but it's a cheap, quick fix, and maybe worth checking out....

 

[ezrider440]

this is an easy fix, hook up your guages to the high and low port look at you ambient temp vs low pressure scale and then note your high pressure port reading if your compressor cycles and the reading on the high guage is the same (assuming your system is charged) the it's an orfice tube blockage. if your pressures maintain normal reading then it's a blend door problem or a clutch accuator problem or electrical problems with the EATC . by the way hows the engine temp?

 

[LilCop2002]

EZRider, You're the man or lady. For some reason, checking the system with the guages didn't even occur to me. The engine temp is about the 1/3 mark at all outside temps and I did the test on the EATC and it didn't come back with any codes. I guess that having done the shocks, tie rods, brakes, and a few other odds and ends had my head pounding and I wasn't thinking clearly. I'll be checking out the pressures tomorrow and checking on my fan clutch also.

For some reason today, I don't think that the system was acting up. It was fairly warm outside and I did run the auto setting at about 75. I guess I'll know tomorrow when I'm headed home from work and I sweat my butt off.

Julian

 

[CDW6212R]

Julian good luck. I've checked my low pressure already, and my fan&clutch are fine. My AC clutch runs continously, but the pressure is between 32-40psi(depends on throttle).

I just pulled the blend door actuator off of my 99 donor, and may try to change it next. Regards,

 

[LilCop2002]

Well guys and gals, It seems that I may have been lucky enough to not have to do any surgery. It's been a few days since I posted this and as of yet, I haven't had the problem to rear its ugly head again.

Don, as I previously offered, if you're willing to wait until a day for me to be off, I'll be more than willing to swing out that way and give you a hand.

Julian

 

[LilCop2002]

Awwww Hell

Well, I'm going to have to take my last post and throw it out the window. As soon as I get ready to make an 800 mile trip, the demon shows its face in my AC vents. Too bad I don't have time to analyze it. I'll just freeze my butt off while in the Ex. :thumbdwn:

 

[HardTech]

My grandfather told me this is the very reason you do not buy a car with a auto temp A/C. When they give issues you will freeze and burn all in the same trip. Maybe even muliple times

Hope you get it fixed man. But this is why I stayed away from the fully loaded explorer

 

[TPLYNCH]

Just a thought.... there have been occasions where the temp sensor behind the little vent in the dash becomes bad, or gets so full of dust/gunk that it doesn't read properly.

You will get hot air from A/C if you are near or at wide open throttle (WOT) as there is a relay that cuts off the compressor to give you more power when you need it....

 

[LilCop2002]

TPLynch, the AC gets hot at all pedal positions and I've already cleaned the sensor once, but I'm thinking that it may be the culprit. The reason behind thinking that is I set the temp on Auto at 75 and it started to cool, but then it went to blazing hot. After I blew hot air into the vent, it continued to blow hot air.

 

[StaTTiKK]

how you doin? I also drive a 98 mounty and have electronic climate control. Out of nowhere, the controls all stopped working, and only blows air hot or cold through the dash. Could this be a blend door actuator problem also?

 

[No1dan2001]

Im definitely wondeing the same thing...if it is the blend door, how do you get to it? ive looked, and i believe it's Behind the glovebox??

 

[Papa]

Here see if these links help.
A look inside the heater plenum
madvette74

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153844
Why does the blend door break?
David Suesz

Before I consider fixing this problem, I'd like to know. Does the lower end pivot become tight, causing an increase in the torque requred for movement, until either the socket in the top cracks, or the spine twists off the door? One of the four sides of my drive socket at the top has broken off, and the actuator still works fine. In fact, the actuator produces a surprising amount of torque, easily enough to break the plastic of the door if the door jammed. Naturally the door fails, which takes like 6 hours to replace, instead of the actuator, which can be replaced in 10 minutes. Nice going, Ford.

Before the door fails (too late for me) wouldn't it be a good idea to drill a 1/16" hole on the bottom pivot socket and squirt in some silicone lube?