Cab heating system issue

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

When I switch my air from cold to hot my heater ain't blowing hot air out of any vents. just a barely warm feeling from passenger floor vent only.
Since yesterday I have checked and replaced 1 blown fuse for the actuator door sounds good no weird noises.
Car has new thermostat few months ago and works normal.
Checked all heater hoses and they get really hot (normal)
I done a heater core flush nothing found wrong there.
Even done a airlock check and all seems normal.
Any help would be great cheers.

 

[donalds]

Sounds like a blend door actuator or the blend door

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

Sounds like a blend door actuator or the blend door

I can hear the actuator motor working and runs for around 3-4 seconds. It was doing nothing before till I replaced the burnt out fuse. So I've done every possible diagnosis check with the complete system.
So my next step tomorrow is to get the darn back screw off the actuator motor and take it out and see if there's still something lurking behind the shadows with the door.

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

I can hear the actuator motor working and runs for around 3-4 seconds. It was doing nothing before till I replaced the burnt out fuse. So I've done every possible diagnosis check with the complete system.
So my next step tomorrow is to get the darn back screw off the actuator motor and take it out and see if there's still something lurking behind the shadows with the door.

Most threads with this issue with the actuator motor and door usually hear grindin/popping noises which is when the gears in the actuator are screwed.

 

[masospaghetti]

+1 for blend door actuator. All three of my Explorers had the same problem. Just because the gear is running doesn't mean the door axle isn't broken.

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

+1 for blend door actuator. All three of my Explorers had the same problem. Just because the gear is running doesn't mean the door axle isn't broken.

Yeah ok I haven't yet pulled out the actuator motor to check the driveshaft.
But when i hear the actuator working it definitely sounds like the door still moves.
Worse case scenario I'll end up cutting out a section of the heater plastic enclosure to find what's wrong.
Then recap it off once I'm done.
Being a Australian explorer everything is behind the glove box for access.
And all other vacuum actuators both drivers side and passenger are all functional.

 

[masospaghetti]

If you remove the actuator, it should be obvious if the door is broken (part of the door axle will come out of the hole).

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

If you remove the actuator, it should be obvious if the door is broken (part of the door axle will come out of the hole).

Cheers for the great info on my problem and I'll post the diagnosis once I get the chance to pull out the actuator motor...

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

If you remove the actuator, it should be obvious if the door is broken (part of the door axle will come out of the hole).

Ok I finally got the actuator motor out and nothing come out attached to it.
The keyed driveshaft on the actuator motor looks fine.
I put my little finger in the driveshaft hole and can't feel anything that it's supposed to fit into to move the blend door???

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

Ok I finally got the actuator motor out and nothing come out attached to it.
The keyed driveshaft on the actuator motor looks fine.
I put my little finger in the driveshaft hole and can't feel anything that it's supposed to fit into to move the blend door???

So I take that if I can't feel anything that the top axle of the door has completely broken off and laying inside the box somewhere.
So looking like im cutting the box open to fix the issue.

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

If you remove the actuator, it should be obvious if the door is broken (part of the door axle will come out of the hole).

Nothing came out attached to the motor driveshaft.
I put my little finger as far as it would go in the the exposed hole and couldn't find the door axle connection.
I used my phone and took a couple of pictures.
To me I guess the axle on the door is broken.
So looks like im cutting the box open to fix it.

 

[masospaghetti]

You should be able to at least see the top of the door if you use an inspection mirror. If it's not there, it's certainly broken -- it has to be there for the actuator to move it!

I had good luck using a "hot knife" to cut the box. Hot knife is basically a soldering iron with a blade attachment, it came as a kit and was not expensive. It will leave a smaller wound than using something like a saw or dremel. Mark where you will cut and check twice before cutting.

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

So I take that if I can't feel anything that the top axle of the door has completely broken off and laying inside the box somewhere.
So looking like im cutting the box open to fix the issue.

Well I got in above the heater box and took another series of pictures and just found the axle broken from the blend door.
Now It looks like i'll be doing the long access job from the engine bay area to fix the problem . Just gotta find the thread again on all the info to fix it this way

 

[97 EBONY X PREDATOR]

Well I got in above the heater box and took another series of pictures and just found the axle broken from the blend door.
Now It looks like i'll be doing the long access job from the engine bay area to fix the problem . Just gotta find the thread again on all the info to fix it this way

Ok so I decided to go in to the heater box from below.
I located the small external round protruding lug that the bottom blend door sits down into.
Using a Stanley/box knife I cut the flat triangle section adjacent to it.
Making 3 cuts in total and leaving the very back uncut so I could bend the plastic down like a flap.
Reached in the hole found an removed the blend door.
Found top section of its axle broken reached back in and retrieved the missing piece.
I used epoxy resin to re-attatch the axle head with multiple layers filling in small fragments of plastic missing.
During this process I added in metal plate bracings to reinforce the repair/axle.
18hrs later I reinserted the blend door back through the flap I made.
Lined up the blend doors axles.
Then used duct tape to hold plastic flap in place while testing system.
Switching the temp to the middle I then reconnected the actuator motor wiring harness.
Switched ignition on and moved temp back and forth and could hear the door definitely move.
I started the car warmed it up turned on the fan and presto.
I now have heat and cooling working normal again.
Now time to mend the flap using epoxy resin.
Firstly using a extreme quick dry mix to simulate spot welding to affix it in the right spot then back filling the rest of the cuts with a milder epoxy mix.....job done cheapest repair ever..
I hope my thread and all its info helps out others in the same dilemma