Need recommendation for AC/heater repair

[Mirge]

Had truck tranny rebuilt months ago... AC/Heater stopped working after we got the truck back. Anybody that knows the story behind our truck though... knows how relieved we are that the tranny is finally how it should be.

But... temps are COLD, and it's becoming too much to take our 10 month old daughter out anywhere now with it being so chilly.

Shop says nothing is connected wrong and no vacuum leaks, etc that they could find.. said they think it's the actual head unit itself (for lack of a better term... I forget what they called it).

Any local recommendations for a shop in Tulsa/Broken Arrow, OK area? Or is there an "easy" way to tell if it's the head unit that won't break the bank? Money is so ridiculously tight right now it's not even funny.

Thanks for the help as always folks.

 

[corkey]

give us a little insight as to how it just quit,

the fan doesn't work ?
the temp doesn't get hot ?
it only blows out where if it does ?
we need just a bit more info please,

 

[Mirge]

give us a little insight as to how it just quit,

the fan doesn't work ?
the temp doesn't get hot ?
it only blows out where if it does ?
we need just a bit more info please,

Sorry... it all "works"... if you set it to floor, it comes out of floor, etc as it should. But it's always blowing air same temp as outside basically. If you turn it on AC... can hear AC compressor kick on. Just... no heat! And back when temps weren't so cold, no AC!

Thanks

 

[corkey]

sounds like the heater control valve may be a problem, it is in the heater lines in front of the firewall, it has a vacuum line that runs to it, , check to see if it is working,
action it with your fingers and see if the heat changes inside,,

 

[corkey]

let us know if the heater hoses are hot or not too,

 

[Mirge]

sounds like the heater control valve may be a problem, it is in the heater lines in front of the firewall, it has a vacuum line that runs to it, , check to see if it is working,
action it with your fingers and see if the heat changes inside,,

I'm not sure what that looks like, I'll have to look that one up. Thanks for the advice... after being taken advantage of nonstop, we certainly appreciate it!

 

[corkey]

hang on a sec i will find you a picture of it somewhere

 

[corkey]

it looks like this,

the heater control valve,,

 

[Mirge]

it looks like this,

the heater control valve,,

Found a hose labeled "LWR HTR", and "UPR HTR"... i assume lower/upper heater hoses. Anyway... think wife & I found the valve you're talking about, but there's zero chance of me getting to it without pulling the passenger side tire off and taking off the inner fender guard. It's tucked away down there good, right beside the serpentine belt too.

 

[Mirge]

Forgot to check temp! Yes, both hoses get warm... motor was cold.. didn't take them long to get warm/hot.

EDIT: Does that mean the valve is good? If so, any other ideas?

EDIT Again: Motor wasn't completely cold when I tried it out... had sat for a/b an hour & a half. Hoses were about same temp as the radiator hoses... could have been heat simply from having been started & driven I guess. But besides that... I realized that the antifreeze overflow tank was BONE DRY. Hrm... motor was just rebuilt and tranny was just rebuilt (twice--first time it wasn't rebuilt, but I paid $1800 anyway b/c I didn't know).. it's never overheated. Going to top it off with antifreeze in the morning and see if it makes any difference w/ the heater.

 

[Mirge]

Topped off overflow tank... didn't help. Darn... was hoping it would have been that easy too! Guess I need to call a few shops..

 

[Mirge]

$85 to have it diagnosed... BLEND DOOR is shot and needs to be replaced. Quoted $1,100 for parts & labor & tax.

Can't afford it. What are my options?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

The heater hoses referred to are on the passenger side of the truck going straight back along the upper side of the engine block and hook up to the heater core at the firewall. They are about 1-1/2 inches wide. With the hood open, stand on the right side of the truck. The two black flexible hoses run very close to each other coming out of the firewall maybe a half foot below the right windshield wiper blade about in line with the passenger side of the engine block. If you have run the truck for a while with the heater turned on both of these hoses should be hot and similar temp to the main top radiator hose (3" curved hose coming from top of radiator to the water pump). This is the place to start. If they are NOT both hot, then something under the hood is the problem. If both ARE hot, then something in the dash is likely the issue.

 

[Mirge]

The heater hoses referred to are on the passenger side of the truck going straight back along the upper side of the engine block and hook up to the heater core at the firewall. They are about 1-1/2 inches wide. With the hood open, stand on the right side of the truck. The two black flexible hoses run very close to each other coming out of the firewall maybe a half foot below the right windshield wiper blade about in line with the passenger side of the engine block. If you have run the truck for a while with the heater turned on both of these hoses should be hot and similar temp to the main top radiator hose (3" curved hose coming from top of radiator to the water pump). This is the place to start. If they are NOT both hot, then something under the hood is the problem. If both ARE hot, then something in the dash is likely the issue.

Both are hot... checked that again before taking it to the shop. Paid $85 to have them diagnose it... and they said blend door is broken. They suspected motor, so they pulled out the motor/actuator... and realized it was fine, and the door itself was broken.

Looking at the estimate... they said $332.98 for a blend door. I looked two up, and they were both under $11 for a blend door. Wtf?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

$85 to have it diagnosed... BLEND DOOR is shot and needs to be replaced. Quoted $1,100 for parts & labor & tax.

Can't afford it. What are my options?

Assuming blend door is the real problem, it's a $10 Dorman part you can pick up at most autopart stores or online. There are a ton of good threads on here about how to fix it. Proper service methods are wonderful, but this one begs a quick fix instead. I would recommend the bottom cut method. Should take under an hour if you go slow and not mechanically inclined.

 

[Mirge]

Assuming blend door is the real problem, it's a $10 Dorman part you can pick up at most autopart stores or online. There are a ton of good threads on here about how to fix it. Proper service methods are wonderful, but this one begs a quick fix instead. I would recommend the bottom cut method. Should take under an hour if you go slow and not mechanically inclined.

Ok thanks for confirming I'm not seeing sh*t and losing my mind -- http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/DOR6/902202.oap?keyword=blend+door&pt=04109&ppt=C0328

$10.49 each w/ lifetime warranty. I understand it's not OE quality from Ford, but at the same time it's a 13 year old truck and I don't need it be OE quality.

I'll start looking for the "quick fix" threads... and going to make some phone calls tomorrow as well. The absolute MAX I could afford on labor for this would be $500...and I'd be a little butt-hurt about having to pay that. If I didn't have a 10 month old daughter to haul around (not that I'd trade her for anything in the world)........ it wouldn't be as big of a deal..

But hey thanks guys I greatly appreciate you taking time to listen & offer your advice... I owe ya both a beer.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Ford in its infinite wisdom changed over to a solid glued-together airbox when they upgraded from Gen 1 to Gen 2 of the explorers. The old Gen 1 the airbox unbolted in half from the passenger footwell. The new one has a door on top so you have to take out the dash to reach it. Totally ridiculous as you found in your garage quote. You can take a simple approach to overcome this by cutting out an opening in the bottom, letting the old door fall out & replace with the new one. A piece of duct tape to put the plastic back up square and airtight is a permanent and easy fix.

 

[Mirge]

Ford in its infinite wisdom changed over to a solid glued-together airbox when they upgraded from Gen 1 to Gen 2 of the explorers. The old Gen 1 the airbox unbolted in half from the passenger footwell. The new one has a door on top so you have to take out the dash to reach it. Totally ridiculous as you found in your garage quote. You can take a simple approach to overcome this by cutting out an opening in the bottom, letting the old door fall out & replace with the new one. A piece of duct tape to put the plastic back up square and airtight is a permanent and easy fix.

That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for now. I've got Gorilla tape and a saw lol... not entirely mechanically dumb, but not a pro either. We'll see what my sister-in-law's shop says tomorrow... maybe they'd be willing to do it as well.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

I'll be shocked if the shop says yes to the shadetree caveman easy method, but it sure can't hurt to ask.

 

[Mirge]

I'll be shocked if the shop says yes to the shadetree caveman easy method, but it sure can't hurt to ask.

Well, it wouldn't be the actual "shop" doing it... would be one of the mechanics that wants to make a few bucks under the table in his 'spare time'. But even if he doesn't... I wouldn't mind tackling it.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214332

This looks like what I am after, yes?