Blend Door Actuator

[sperold]

Once your blend door actuator goes (and it has), what do you do? My 90 has this issue. Has anyone ever over-ridden this thing? Can you drill a hole in the plenum and manually operate this thing. I will settle for a wire like the old choke cables at this point. I know what the real fix is - pull the dash and install one that works, but I don't have the 2-days it would take me to do that, and I can't find one that works. It is a nuisance in the cool weather as the heater comes on full blast, and you have to keep shutting it off and turning it on to modulate the heat.

 

[tool88]

in my honest opinion if your going to goto all the trouble of taking the dash apart you might as well try and find a blend door and replace it.

 

[Devin]

If the blend door motor has gotten stuck, then I don't really see how you can. If it can still move, you could certainly drill a hole through the door and push it and pull it. Not a very good option.

Speaking of which, it really isn't as epic an undertaking as some have put it. I have very little experience repairing cars, and I was able to do it and do it correctly the first time.

Here's a pic. Have at it!



it's opposite of the evaporator (9).

 

[sperold]

Oh boy, not what I wanted to see (or hear). The weather is closing in on me for this year. Congratulations on getting that thing out, I know I am not doing that. I would try lifting the dash high enough to remove the old one and install a working one; and leave all that stuff in place. I hate moving that heater core, I have had cars with bad cores and the interior gets pretty dewy.

 

[sperold]

Is my actuator #7 in the picture?

 

[Devin]

Yup. What year is it? If it is pre-92 you are out of luck for a new one.

Pre-92:


92-95:


The nice thing is that the 2nd gen BDA bolts up just fine (as you can see), but the problem is the harness. And possibly the pinouts. The pre 92 has a soldered on harness, but the other one has a male plug receptacle.

I took out my plenum, replaced the blower motor, the heater core, the BCM and all of the bolts and reglued it. I tried for weeks to get a new BDA, but to no avail.

 

[sperold]

My car is a 1990, so no new one for me. Where can you buy the 92 - 95 Unit? I think I could monkey around enough to get the wiring correct (as long as there are the same number of wires going to each one). Other vehicles like Explorers have these things as well, but who knows how they mount?
Thanks for the advice! And all the pictures. I am still tempted to do the wire thing for this winter. That dash removal requires a heated garage.

 

[Devin]

I ordered mine from Fast Parts Network (well, Ford Parts Network...)

F2DZ-19E616-A (Blend door motor for Taurus SHO) (not 1990
compatible)

FODZ-19E616-A (Blend door motor for Taurus SHO) (1990
compatible)

 

[Devin]

If you manage to figure out the pinouts or get a harness for it post back here!

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

Look at it this way....at least it blows hot instead of cold....I had the opposite effect when mine went bad near winter time.

 

[Blackdr16]

It took me a day to do my heater core... (heated garage a must!!!) jst try not to break more than your fixing LOL ...i learned to go easy on the dash screw covers, cracked my dash and now i have to look at those cracks everytime i drive it.

 

[raff18]

its realy not all that hard todo if u got a friend to help it goes way faster the trick is ...
undo all dash bolts then before u move it undo the bolts for the heater box on the fire wall engine side then peal back the dash on the pasenger side and take out the heater box i just did mine not more than a month ago pm me if u need more help i had mine done in like 4 hrs tops i have this down to an art realy i have done a few
i have a 95 mtx and i put in one from a 91 mtx with no probs

 

[mrecoolgar]

Good tips but I did mine without removing the plenum.
Remove or loosen the plenum nuts (3) on the firewall (eng side).
This allows you to tilt the plenum for actuator removal.

 

[Devin]

Yeah, but since you are down there, the opportunity cost of changing the other components, like the heater core and blower motor is very low.

 

[mrecoolgar]

Good point.
But that wasn't neccessary in my case.
If that's needed, then I also replace all the seals and give it a good cleaning.

 

[moobypets]

did you check cuz mine was just a leak in the vacum hose

cuz the door work with vacum

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

OOO the dreaded "death thump" from the blend door. Good luck man, id rather sell a SHO then deal w/that again.

 

[jmpSHO]

Yeah, but since you are down there, the opportunity cost of changing the other components, like the heater core and blower motor is very low.

Three years ago I had to replace my A/C Evaporator and I figured while I was in there I might as well do the heater core too. Well 6 monthe later I the heater core failed and I was soooooooooooo ******.

 

[raff18]

damm id be ****** too

 

[Eric VerValin]

Good point.
But that wasn't neccessary in my case.
If that's needed, then I also replace all the seals and give it a good cleaning.

I remember splitting that case in half when I did mine... you might be amazed at what little creatures can fit inside that spot where the cabin filter should be... where its located tho, I'm glad they didn't. Anyway, I pulled out a small handful of leaves and peices of itty bitty mouse ****. Somehow they can get in there... Anyway, I sealed mine up with some blue cone around the halves.. I did that after I replaced the heater core, and the A/C evaporator.. (wasn't doing this twice..) Plus it was what another $20 or something. If you don't replace it your just askin for it..


All that being said, you must have some super skinny arms to do that with the dash in place. Those dashes are special. I can see how some people have problems getting their hands in there... I'm waiting on the day Bubba's or Boat's heater core goes out... I know I'm going to get a phone call...