What is this Thing?

[WitchCityMounty]

Can anyone tell me what this thing is? I think I want to replace it. It is making a very high pitched whine whenever the heating control is set to "floor" only mode. If I reach up and grab the connecting "rod" to it, it stops making the whine.

If you know the name of this thing please let me know so I can make a somewhat more informed order when I go to buy one. Also if you have any ideas about my problem please let me know. I'm under the impression that it is a vacuum issue.

Note: I have the premium climate control system. that looks like this...

Thanks for your help and input. I'm so glad spring is here so that I can start working on the Mounty again!

Also if your wondering about all the grounding going on just below the mystery part, I have an after market head unit, cb, vehicle mounted laptop, remote tire gauge, radar detector and switches mounted in the dash... check it out...

 

[WitchCityMounty]

I should also add, you are looking across the driver's footwell. The gas and brake pedal are in the lower left corner of the picture. That puts this part behind the center console.

 

[NYMount21]

laptop set-up is sick! what kinda program is that, did u custom write one?

 

[WitchCityMounty]

Thanks for the compliment bro!
The software is called Road Runner, it is very open-ended software that is "easy" to customize. Unless you are very into computer programing your not going to enjoy it. Think of troubleshooting your truck times 100. I took someone else's skin for it and customized it with Merc pictures and such. I am currently not running it. While it looked cool, it was a huge B-tch to deal with. I now run a program called Iguidance which rocks big time, has 3million points of interest and the entire country mapped. I also run winamp in the background with the hot keys on that I can play, ff and rewind. I have about 60GB of music and audio books on the HD so I'm pretty entertained between that and the Sirius. The computer is mounted on a Jotto Desk which is the police issue mount. It ran about $300 but there was no way i could machine something that nice. I custom attached a thinkpad docking station to the jotto desk so the computer just drops on and has USB out (GPS receiver), power and audio out as soon as it docks. All together its pretty sick.

Kyle

 

[wood1]

Pretty nifty set-up you have there...

That noise-maker is powered by the engine vacuum and controlled by your climate control. It may have developed a leak in it's diaphram (rubber) and that's what is causing the noise. It most likely opens and or closes a damper/door in the heater system.

Hope it's cheap...

 

[WitchCityMounty]

Well its small and mechanically simple so it must be pretty cheap...
that was a joke
Any idea what you might call it?
Thanks a bunch for your help!

 

[wood1]

I'd call it a vacuum actuator but who knows what Ford would call it?