Help! AC blows hot air

[winner]

1998 mountaineer 120k 5.0l 2wd

Been trying to figure out why my AC is blowing hot air as if the heater was on. No matter what setting (even max AC so it's not that flap thing) has anyone had this problem? What did you do to fix it? I'm trying to figure this out asap because Friday I'm making a 22hr trip of San Diego to Whidbey Island Washington

 

[beach]

1998 mountaineer 120k 5.0l 2wd

Been trying to figure out why my AC is blowing hot air as if the heater was on. No matter what setting (even max AC so it's not that flap thing) has anyone had this problem? What did you do to fix it? I'm trying to figure this out asap because Friday I'm making a 22hr trip of San Diego to Whidbey Island Washington

Generally thats a sign of the blend door going bad. Lots of info on it, search on here or online, it can be fixed though no clue what a shop would charge if your in a rush. You would still want to check the full a/c system.

 

[Big Z]

If it's HOT like the heater is on, it's likely a stuck blend door (this is what I suspect by your description). If it just won't cool down, then we can move on to the a/c. With the a/c on, feel the vapor return line under the hood by the firewall. It should be cold. Look at the a/c compressor to see if it's engaging. If it's not engaging, or cycling rapidly you probably have a low charge from a leak or a compressor clutch issue. If your a/c has never been serviced, it's not unlikely by its age alone to have lost too much refrigerant to work properly.

 

[koda2000]

1998 mountaineer 120k 5.0l 2wd

Been trying to figure out why my AC is blowing hot air as if the heater was on. No matter what setting (even max AC so it's not that flap thing) has anyone had this problem? What did you do to fix it? I'm trying to figure this out asap because Friday I'm making a 22hr trip of San Diego to Whidbey Island Washington

I just went through this with my '00 Mountaineer 5.0L 2WD. My blend door actuator stripped it's gears last winter (made a clicking noise behind the glove box and it would not deliver heat). I played around with it and got the heat on, but had to unplug the actuator. Now that it's warm out I wasn't getting any cold air, just hot (even though I'd plugged the actuator back in and tried to turn off the heat).

I removed the actuator and took it apart to find the gears had stripped completely. I have the automatic HVAC controls (EATC) and the actuator is expensive and a bit hard to locate, so I took the large crescent shaped gear from the broken actuator and stuck it on the blend door shaft. Then I closed the blend door and glued a piece of rubber behind it to keep it closed. A/C now blows cold again. I'll worry about getting heat again in the fall.

If the actuator is your problem, and you have the manual HVAC controls, the actuator is less expensive and Dorman offers them, but both types are equally hard to change as there is a small bolt located in the rear (and 2 in the front) that must be removed to remove the actuator and it's very hard to get a tool and your hand in there. I made a tool specifically for this job. Reinstalling the rear bolt is even harder to accomplish. If I replace the actuator i'm leaving that bolt off.

 

[Mesozoic]

My heater blend door actuator had the same stripped teeth symptom and blowing hot when the A/C was activated. The solution was a $35 part from Motorcraft. Pretty easy to get to via the glovebox.

 

[koda2000]

My heater blend door actuator had the same stripped teeth symptom and blowing hot when the A/C was activated. The solution was a $35 part from Motorcraft. Pretty easy to get to via the glovebox.

Yes, the actuator is very easy to get to. It's just that rear mounting bolt that's a PITA. My 4 year old grandson probably wouldn't have too much trouble getting his hand in there, but with my XXL hands, it's a struggle.

Do you have the manual or automatic HVAC controls?

 

[Mesozoic]

Yes, the actuator is very easy to get to. It's just that rear mounting bolt that's a PITA. My 4 year old grandson probably wouldn't have too much trouble getting his hand in there, but with my XXL hands, it's a struggle.

Do you have the manual or automatic HVAC controls?

Not sure about the OP, but I have the automatic climate control thing where you set the temperature and the unit has its own computer that can run diagnostics on itself. For the rear mounting bolt I think I used a small 8mm open end wrench or a 1/4" drive ratchet with a shorty 8mm socket.

 

[koda2000]

Not sure about the OP, but I have the automatic climate control thing where you set the temperature and the unit has its own computer that can run diagnostics on itself. For the rear mounting bolt I think I used a small 8mm open end wrench or a 1/4" drive ratchet with a shorty 8mm socket.

Did the new Motorcraft actuator look identical to the old one? I searched and searched on-line and everything I found looked different and nothing had the same OE part number. $35 is cheap enough. I just assumed my Ford stealership wouldn't have it (much like most everything else I try to buy there). The last thing I went there for was a new O-ring for the fuel line to fuel rail. They not only didn't have it, but I was told it's not available individually and that I'd have to buy the entire fuel line from the filter to the engine at something over $230. I found one that fit off an old fuel injector in a friends junk pile.

As far as the tool I used for the actuator's rear bolt, I ground down an old socket and used it with a 1/4" ratchet head on a gearwrech. There was no way a full-sized 1/4" ratchet would fit in there.

 

[Mesozoic]

I think it may have been a Motorcraft YH1761. It was slightly different than the original, but it looked like it was a more recent rev of the part. It's been working great since last October and quite regularly as southern Arizona is quite warm. I'll try to find the receipt for the part as well... just to confirm the number.

 

[koda2000]

I think it may have been a Motorcraft YH1761. It was slightly different than the original, but it looked like it was a more recent rev of the part. It's been working great since last October and quite regularly as southern Arizona is quite warm. I'll try to find the receipt for the part as well... just to confirm the number.

Ok, thanks.