Door blend Actuator works perfectly: Cold air out of the hole?

[1992fordgreen]

THis sounds stupid, I know.
I confirmed that the blend door actuator was working perfectly by taking it out, switching the knob A/C, and it would rotate. There is outdoors temp air coming through the vents throughout the Explorer. I stuck my hand where the actuator used to be and felt ice cold air coming out from the hole whence the arm came from. WTC? The A/C works that means...I'm stumped...help? Advice?

Thnaks

 

[Mike_F]

I have a '98 that had the blend door problem. It isn't the actuator, its the door itself. Or more precisely, the female "receptor" for the white spindle on the actuator that was broken. The door just sort of flopped around inside the plenum, sometimes got heat and sometimes I got cool. I did the blend door fix mentioned in other threads. I butchered it pretty good buy it worked.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Thnx..any other suggestions?

 

[Turdle]

Yeah, the blend door is broken.

 

[1992fordgreen]

The receiver for the Actuator you mean? I manually turned it with my hand and fired up the coldest setting on the A/C and boom, ice cold A/C. Dirt and debris flew out which is a sign it hadn't been working in a while. Wonder how I'm gonna sell it like this..

 

[Turdle]

You are not the first one to report an actuator motor that turns in hand, but not when mounted. Sounds weird to me but you might try another actuator from a JY. That one rear screw sucks though--

 

[1992fordgreen]

I felt the housing for the actuator arm with my hand and it felt broken in half...thanks for the help!

 

[bingorn]

Bought a blend door on line Dorman 902-221 from Amazon - had to file the metal socked down a bit to get it in - can't hurt it by filing too much - works great - it can be installed frum under the plenum - no need to remove anything.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Bought a blend door on line Dorman 902-221 from Amazon - had to file the metal socked down a bit to get it in - can't hurt it by filing too much - works great - it can be installed frum under the plenum - no need to remove anything.

Not entirely sure what you're saying...do you mean the blend door actuator you got was a lil too big? I need a solution for making that broken arm work at the knob...

 

[delexploder]

My 97 did that about 5 or 6 years ago and what I did was squirt gorilla glue in the shaft put the motor back on let it set over night and its been working fine ever since.

 

[1992fordgreen]

My 97 did that about 5 or 6 years ago and what I did was squirt gorilla glue in the shaft put the motor back on let it set over night and its been working fine ever since.

Brilliant. I might just try this!

 

[bingorn]

The blend door I got has a metal drive piece at the top that the actuator keys into - the casting was about 1'16 too long and was impossible to fit into the plenum - I filed it off a bit and it works great.

 

[drdoom]

My 97 did that about 5 or 6 years ago and what I did was squirt gorilla glue in the shaft put the motor back on let it set over night and its been working fine ever since.

I guess you're hoping the actuator doesn't fail

 

[delexploder]

The gorilla glue will come apart on plastics ,its a expanding glue kinda like spray foam and that's what dose most of the work on this quick fix.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Ok, I need some more suggestions on how to fix this without ripping the dash out.
I might do the gorilla glue....buuut, it does not sound like the best weather resistant (hot cool) type of thing, and wont it cling to everything and it's grandma in that housing and arm?

Any other ideas are greatly appreciated.

 

[drdoom]

Do the twenty dollar door...plenty of reading here about it, the fix is the one where you do it from underneath with a knife or rotozip, leaving a small area uncut near the pivot recess. Tape it back inwith some good flashing or hvac tape. This is the fix you want...fast, cheap, and easy
.

 

[delexploder]

Its held up well for me , what I ment was that if you need to replace the actuator at some point then it will still come apart . Also I used gorilla wood glue that expands a little , not a big foaming mess.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Do the twenty dollar door...plenty of reading here about it, the fix is the one where you do it from underneath with a knife or rotozip, leaving a small area uncut near the pivot recess. Tape it back inwith some good flashing or hvac tape. This is the fix you want...fast, cheap, and easy
.

...or just manually switch it season to season from the top...

Can you give the link to this DIY? I cannot find it...

 

[1992fordgreen]

Its held up well for me , what I ment was that if you need to replace the actuator at some point then it will still come apart . Also I used gorilla wood glue that expands a little , not a big foaming mess.

But doesn't this glue the blend arm to the side of the plenum? :scratch:

Yea, I'm still wrestling this ....