Blend door fix- Did it work or not?

[dae06]

I'd like to hear from everyone who did the blend door fix. What method you did and was it successful.

I need cool air for the summer and want to know the best method.

 

[Svetepi4]

See the sticky thread 95-01 blend door fix

 

[dae06]

See the sticky thread 95-01 blend door fix

Oh, I've read the sticky; a couple of times.

I just want to hear success or failure stories from all the people that have done it.

There are a few ways to do this fix and I want to tally which ones work and which ones fail.

 

[dae06]

Someone told me that they don't make blend doors to replace our broken ones. Is this true? This looks like it would work but I'm not sure.

http://www.napaonline.com/NOLPPSE/(S(s1myrgn204wlkm55l5vyhrfa))/Detail.aspx?R=BK_6601810_0115832195#

 

[docnugget]

Worked for me!

I did this about 2 years ago and its been great since. The blend door was busted. The servo still worked fine but I got them both from NAPA before I began the job anyway. I cut through the base with a little saw (~3 inch length) with great care. I used a nail and the old broken door as is. The fix worked nicely with a little handiwork. Some black gasket maker closed up the door.

It should be noted that I played with the door when it was open. There was a significant force that it took to open the door when the fan was at full blast and little force when the fan was on low. I now only change the temperature knob with the fan on low.

 

[dae06]

There was a significant force that it took to open the door when the fan was at full blast and little force when the fan was on low. I now only change the temperature knob with the fan on low.

That's good to know,

Thanks

 

[DavidEBSmith]

Mine's still fine after a year. Cut the bottom of the plenum out, put in a replacement door, taped the cut-out part back in place and sealed it up with epoxy putty.

 

[asb002]

Someone told me that they don't make blend doors to replace our broken ones. Is this true? This looks like it would work but I'm not sure.

http://www.napaonline.com/NOLPPSE/(S(s1myrgn204wlkm55l5vyhrfa))/Detail.aspx?R=BK_6601810_0115832195#

I used a blend door from NAPA ( BK 6601810, I believe) to replace my old one. It was quite a job... dremelling out the plenum and then wedging the door in.

However, the "conventional" repair did not work for me, so this was the only way short of replacing the whole heater core.

 

[dae06]

Epoxy putty

OK, I did the fix. I dremeled out the bottom of the plenum and have it duct taped right now. I know this won't hold for long. I want to use some epoxy putty. Is this stuff available at most hardware stores, Fleet Farm, Lowes Menards, Home Depot etc?

If not, where are some popular places that carry this stuff?

Thanks

 

[Cobraguy]

Rather than epoxy, try and build you a cover out of sheet metal, etc. that you can attach and remove as necessary. That way, if you ever have to get in there again, it will be much easier.

 

[my98nnj]

Did mine just about a year ago. Cut out the bottom, old door fell out, put the new door from Doorman up in place. I put the cut out section back in place with some 5 min. epoxy. Works perfectly, the fix is under $20 and under 30 min. time.

 

[dae06]

update

OK, I did the blend door fix ~ 6 months. This is for my Son's truck so I told him not to turn the temperature controls past the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock position. I read that this may cause the door to break again due to too much pressure. When I had it apart I saw what they meant. The door closes/opens at those positions very well. Anything past that, is only adding more compression to the foam that isn't needed.

Here's my problem:

After I was done I made sure not to go past the 3 and 9 position, but for some reason the door stays open or closed and the temp controller doesn't move the door. Eventually it will, but it may takes days for it to do this and sometimes just messing with the controls will make it work. I have checked the actuator a number of times and that always moves when the temp controls are moved. It almost seems like the door is caught on something, but when I had it open it work fine and was free moving.

At least I can get it to eventually work, but it's not quite right. I wish I would have listened to Cobraguy and used sheet metal to close it up. I would like to go back in there and look at it again, but I used epoxy and it will be a bit tougher to do this.

Any ideas as to what causing the door to not open on demand?

 

[rollinstone]

Here's my problem:

After I was done I made sure not to go past the 3 and 9 position, but for some reason the door stays open or closed and the temp controller doesn't move the door. Eventually it will, but it may takes days for it to do this and sometimes just messing with the controls will make it work. I have checked the actuator a number of times and that always moves when the temp controls are moved. It almost seems like the door is caught on something, but when I had it open it work fine and was free moving.

Any ideas as to what causing the door to not open on demand?

I also did the bottom cut-out fix, but I taped it closed rather than sealing it...works great!

I also had the same problem getting the door to work consistently. What I discovered is that when I installed the new door I failed to seat the upper portion of the hinge into the actuator. I went back in (easy since I only taped it) and firmly pushed up on the door until I heard and felt it snap into place...that did the trick!

Go back in and check to see that the door is seated properly.

 

[dae06]

I would assume that if it wasn't seated, it wouldn't work at all. I get it to work eventually.

I know what you mean by getting it seated, it kind of slips right up and seems to lock into place.

If I get ambitious someday, I'll tear it apart and look at it again.

I did try tape at first, but the heat pretty much softened the tape too much and it failed.

What type of tape did you use?

Thanks