How to: Replace Front Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex.

[SpartanCavie]

I'll do that then.

The wording is a bit different on the Ford site, and although they offer a picture, it's part of an exploded schematic and it's tough to see it due to size.

 

[BigRondo]

I'll do that then.

The wording is a bit different on the Ford site, and although they offer a picture, it's part of an exploded schematic and it's tough to see it due to size.

I just told them that I needed the temperature blend door actuator and gave my VIN and it was good to go!!

 

[SpartanCavie]

In case anyone is curious. I went to a dealer and got the correct part. It WAS the part I referenced in my other post.

 

[BigRondo]

In case anyone is curious. I went to a dealer and got the correct part. It WAS the part I referenced in my other post.

Thanks for the update. Doesn't hurt to be sure on the correct part. This is not a really bad job, but it's not one you want to do twice because of the wrong part.

 

[katiesdad]

just finished mine Thanks to Rondo!!

Took me 3 hrs from start to finish but that included a beer break. Thanks again brother for the great 'How to". SEMPER FI!!!

Thank you. :biggthump Good luck with the install. Be sure to let us no how you make out.



I also paid $69.53 + tax. Good luck with the install. You're gonna love having heat again!!



Here you go, the arrows point to the broken gear. There is 3 teeth broken off:

 

[katiesdad]

Thanks to Rondo!!

Thanks to Rondo and" HIS UNBELIEVEABLE PICTORIAL ON HOW TO" it took me approx 3 hrs. to replace the blend door actuator without cutting the dash. This included a 15 min beer break. If your ever in the Port Murray, N.J. area beers are on me!!

SEMPER FI BROTHER!!!!\

Rick

 

[BigRondo]

Thanks to Rondo and" HIS UNBELIEVEABLE PICTORIAL ON HOW TO" it took me approx 3 hrs. to replace the blend door actuator without cutting the dash. This included a 15 min beer break. If your ever in the Port Murray, N.J. area beers are on me!!

SEMPER FI BROTHER!!!!\

Rick

Welcome aboard Rick!!

Glad I could help out. Semper Fi!

 

[jchristian79]

I already added my update on another thread, but I just purchased an 05 XLT 4x4 V8 with only 60k miles. The only thing wrong with it was the blend door. $80 and an hour of work and it works great now!

Good timing too, it's been in the 30's here!

Thanks BigRondo!

 

[BigRondo]

I already added my update on another thread, but I just purchased an 05 XLT 4x4 V8 with only 60k miles. The only thing wrong with it was the blend door. $80 and an hour of work and it works great now!

Good timing too, it's been in the 30's here!

Thanks BigRondo!

Welcome aboard!!

Glad I could help out.

 

[bigmikeeo]

super quick fix

I just had my blend"or" failure but i didn't have the time or inclination to 'cut and gut' my 05 xlt, so i took out the front vent louvers and opened the valve for upper air, then i straitend a coat hanger and bent a tiny hook at the end. Quessing the proper shepard's hook, I sent it to the botton back of the heater box and in just a few tries, with the BDA clicking it's rythmic beat was able to pull the door into the 'uprite/heat' position where it will hopefully stay until the flowers bloom in spring. Good luck,,,,mike this is more ramble than advise so no need to read but: rather then remove the knob, i cut the tip off my new tool so that it would fit into the small hole inside the back of the knob opposite the indicator, the piece was an 'L' only 3/32nds x 3/8th" long and when wedged into the hole and with the knob @ full heat, keeps it from being turned towards cold. Come mid-April, I'll have won the lotto and turn it in for a buggati, or figure out a way to flip the door down for cool. It may be inclined to do that on it's own, since once the BDA got passed the 'skip' it seemed to finish the trip on it's own accord, then the coathanger got 'stuck' and needed some qentle wiggling to be retrieved. OK, Tools required: metal coathanger, small flathead screwdriver, good pliers with cutters. (1) cut or straiten coathanger for max length, (2) use screwdriver to gently pry center console vents from dash, (3) bend end of hanger to a tiny 45% hook, (4) bend basketball sized arc in first 8" of hanger (5) turn on power to car and set to 'full heat' and 'upper vent', you will see the flap valve(s) move back and that's the entry point, move your wand in and down until you reach the bottom back (towards the motor) of the heater box, you should feel the clicking, it may take some rod adjustments to get in the very back and then you simply 'fish' the rod out the hole until you feel the door rising and the clicking will end. (6) remember to thank whatever power your'e grateful to. Does anyone have a schem. of the entire box? that'll be a big help come spring. thanks mike

 

[BigRondo]

I just had my blend"or" failure but i didn't have the time or inclination to 'cut and gut' my 05 xlt, so i took out the front vent louvers and opened the valve for upper air, then i straitend a coat hanger and bent a tiny hook at the end. Quessing the proper shepard's hook, I sent it to the botton back of the heater box and in just a few tries, with the BDA clicking it's rythmic beat was able to pull the door into the 'uprite/heat' position where it will hopefully stay until the flowers bloom in spring. Good luck,,,,mike this is more ramble than advise so no need to read but: rather then remove the knob, i cut the tip off my new tool so that it would fit into the small hole inside the back of the knob opposite the indicator, the piece was an 'L' only 3/32nds x 3/8th" long and when wedged into the hole and with the knob @ full heat, keeps it from being turned towards cold. Come mid-April, I'll have won the lotto and turn it in for a buggati, or figure out a way to flip the door down for cool. It may be inclined to do that on it's own, since once the BDA got passed the 'skip' it seemed to finish the trip on it's own accord, then the coathanger got 'stuck' and needed some qentle wiggling to be retrieved. OK, Tools required: metal coathanger, small flathead screwdriver, good pliers with cutters. (1) cut or straiten coathanger for max length, (2) use screwdriver to gently pry center console vents from dash, (3) bend end of hanger to a tiny 45% hook, (4) bend basketball sized arc in first 8" of hanger (5) turn on power to car and set to 'full heat' and 'upper vent', you will see the flap valve(s) move back and that's the entry point, move your wand in and down until you reach the bottom back (towards the motor) of the heater box, you should feel the clicking, it may take some rod adjustments to get in the very back and then you simply 'fish' the rod out the hole until you feel the door rising and the clicking will end. (6) remember to thank whatever power your'e grateful to. Does anyone have a schem. of the entire box? that'll be a big help come spring. thanks mike

Welcome aboard!!

Changing out the actuator is not bad at all. Just follow the instructions and you should be OK. Hey, if I can do it, anybody can do it.

A bunch of people have replaced it without cutting the dash.

Good luck and be sure to let us know how you make out!

 

[Spanker]

Excellent detailed instruction for 2004.

Absolutely no need to cut dash though - at least for a 2004. The actuator can be wiggled out without cutting anything. You need to twist it around a bit, just like twisting a big chair to fit through a doorway. The entire job took just over an hour, and I was in no rush.

While trying to line up actuator shaft with the blend door, with key on I just moved the heat selector back and forth a bit until it lined up and the shaft just slid right in.

Be sure you buy the right part. I think there were 4 parts listed in Autozone, and each are different.

The blend door will fall to a "cold" position when old part is removed, so before reinstall, plug in new part, turn key on, and move heat selector to "cold". Others have mentioned this above.

Also, I found that a longer 1/4 extension is needed. The 6" barely reached. I used two of them to get the top screw back in. Both bottom screws easily removed and replaced with a simple box wrench. No "ratchet-wrench" needed.

Mine has adjustable pedals. Simply move them to the lowest position so you have room to work on the floor. Otherwise adjustable pedals are not an issue.

Big thanks to BigRondo. This is a very excellent write up with excellent photos.

 

[BigRondo]

Absolutely no need to cut dash though - at least for a 2004. The actuator can be wiggled out without cutting anything. You need to twist it around a bit, just like twisting a big chair to fit through a doorway. The entire job took just over an hour, and I was in no rush.

While trying to line up actuator shaft with the blend door, with key on I just moved the heat selector back and forth a bit until it lined up and the shaft just slid right in.

Be sure you buy the right part. I think there were 4 parts listed in Autozone, and each are different.

The blend door will fall to a "cold" position when old part is removed, so before reinstall, plug in new part, turn key on, and move heat selector to "cold". Others have mentioned this above.

Also, I found that a longer 1/4 extension is needed. The 6" barely reached. I used two of them to get the top screw back in. Both bottom screws easily removed and replaced with a simple box wrench. No "ratchet-wrench" needed.

Mine has adjustable pedals. Simply move them to the lowest position so you have room to work on the floor. Otherwise adjustable pedals are not an issue.

Big thanks to BigRondo. This is a very excellent write up with excellent photos.

No problem. Glad you got it fixed!

 

[slouis1647]

Thank you for the info Big Rondo. It was awesome. Very helpful. Saved me a bunch of money and it only took me about two hours. It was not as bad as it sounded. Thanks again...Great job.

 

[BigRondo]

Thank you for the info Big Rondo. It was awesome. Very helpful. Saved me a bunch of money and it only took me about two hours. It was not as bad as it sounded. Thanks again...Great job.

Welcome aboard!!

Nice job getting it fixed. Glad I could help out.

 

[mordred612]

Ok, My heat wasn't working and I heard the knocking under the dash so I bought the part and took the whole thing apart. The old one turned, but stopped and acted like it was failing so I went ahead and replaced it. Made sure it turned before I put it in. It was set to cold on putting it in and I checked it before putting the whole thing together. The heat worked great! But....a few hours after driving it I turned down the temp control and lost heat all the sudden. I tried to turn it back up and no heat. No clicking noise, but no heat. I was gone for about a week and when I got home my temp gauge started freaking out on my drive home. One second it would top out and the check gauge light would come on then it would drop to the normal operating temp. Any ideas?

 

[Spanker]

Ok, My heat wasn't working and I heard the knocking under the dash so I bought the part and took the whole thing apart. The old one turned, but stopped and acted like it was failing so I went ahead and replaced it. Made sure it turned before I put it in. It was set to cold on putting it in and I checked it before putting the whole thing together. The heat worked great! But....a few hours after driving it I turned down the temp control and lost heat all the sudden. I tried to turn it back up and no heat. No clicking noise, but no heat. I was gone for about a week and when I got home my temp gauge started freaking out on my drive home. One second it would top out and the check gauge light would come on then it would drop to the normal operating temp. Any ideas?

Definitely not blend door, because engine temp is fluctuating.
Check coolant level.
Check thermostat.

 

[mordred612]

Yea, I was going to check the thermostat tomorrow, but I just replaced it last year. Coolant level is ok.

 

[Spanker]

Yea, I was going to check the thermostat tomorrow, but I just replaced it last year. Coolant level is ok.

Always check your coolant level COLD, at the radiator, not at the expansion tank. Watch the coolant in the radiator as the engine warms, and top it off when the level drops as the engine gets hot, then cap the radiator. The coolant level will drop when the thermostat opens and the top hose completely fills with coolant.

You can also see water circulation confirming a working water pump.

No heat with an intermittent overheat sure points to coolant level dropping.

Are both hoses at the heater core hot?

 

[mordred612]

I thought maybe the thermostat was getting stuck and then it could be the water pump failing. As I said one moment it would show in the red then drop to normal. It was dark out so I didn't get to check to many things. The upper hose was hot, but it would be if the thermostat, which I changed a year ago, was sticking and not stuck closed or if the water pump was coming and going. I just thought it was strange because I just did the job on the vent door actuator and thought it might be related though I don't know how it could.