BLEND DOOR Questions...

[SHOkid13]

I am going to be doing about 3 of these if I can get a good answer. I have looked around and only found nightmarish stories of lots of wires and cars that dont run.

I also searched SHOtimes and found this terrible article that talks about 6-12 hours!! No way.

I read the Ford service manual and it made it sound like a lunch hour joy ride. Remove two screws that hold the instrument cluster, unplug something on top, remove a few screws that hold the box in, and viola!

So, anyone have "experience" with the easy Ford manual way?

 

[Rockledge]

There's no easy way. The dash has to be pulled back to gain access the blend door and/or the BDA.

The 6-12 hour estimate is about rght, depending on your skills and experience with pulling dashes.

 

[Redline]

Yea, you have to pull the dash. I didn't actually think it was that bad of a job, just takes a while. If you have patience, the only hard part is lifting the dash back into place. Also, you don't need to pull the instrument cluster out. Wait until you have the dash all unbolted and then pull it a couple inches away from the firewall. Then reach in over the top of the dash and unhook the speedo cable from behind. Took me about 7 hours total the first time I did it, about 5 hours total the second time. There is a good writeup under the "how to" section of the forum for a regular slo. I am going to make a sho specific writeup from pictures I took when I did it if I ever get around to it!

 

[Devin]

The blend door motor actually sits on top and to the rear of the heatercore. It has about 3 bolts that need to come off on top of it, and it is underneath the windshield (such that you can't physically get to it without pulling back the dash and pulling out the HVAC.

The hardest part for me was the stupid AC lines in the engine compartment. I ended up cutting them off and having a mechanic remove the ends when I was able to transport the whole unit.

 

[SHOkid13]

Not what I was hoping for... Interesting how the ford manual says differently...

Thanks!

 

[SHOkid13]

See, the ford manual talks about those 3 bolts and says to get to them through instrument cluster... hmmm.. Maybe I'll take it out, just to see...

 

[Redline]

The blend door motor actually sits on top and to the rear of the heatercore. It has about 3 bolts that need to come off on top of it, and it is underneath the windshield (such that you can't physically get to it without pulling back the dash and pulling out the HVAC.

The hardest part for me was the stupid AC lines in the engine compartment. I ended up cutting them off and having a mechanic remove the ends when I was able to transport the whole unit.

You don't need to pull the HVAC or even remove those three bolts to pull out the actuator. At least on my 95, the three bolts hold down a mounting bracket for the actuator. The actuator has simply pops down onto three plastic tabs that stick up from the bracket. To remove it all you have to do is pull the BDA up and maybe squeeze the tabs together a bit. Much easier than dealing with bolts or removing the HVAC and disconnecting AC lines. The only connections I had to disconnect when I did mine was the radio and the BDA connection iteslf.

SHOkid, if you want, I can email you the pictures I took when I did mine (twice). There is no documentation yet, but it might give you more info or an idea of what is involved.

 

[Bill Strobel]

Two issues here the BDA moves the the blend door and can be accessed fairly easy. The other issue is the blend door itself. It sometimes comes loose inside and even though the BDA is moving the door just flops around and does nothing. The fix for the blend door requires you to remove the dash and heater core to replace the door. Figure out what issue you have before taking apart the whole dash. If you move the heater controls and the BDA does not move, then you need a new one or the vaccum is bad. Relatively easy fix. If the BDA moves but the you can not get air out the vents or floor then the blend door has busted. By the book it is 8 hrs labor figure a 2 good days for the first time.

 

[Rockledge]

I had to do a little R & R on my own blend door, but thankfully I didn't have to pull apart the box since the break was at the top of the "hinge" part of the door:

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=31156

I didn't know what all the issues were though, until I was actually in there. I had done the EATC Self Test and gotten the 02 code and also had the thumping noise usually associated with a bad BDA, but I was not expecting a broken door as well.

Also, as you can see from the thread referenced above, replacement of the BDA required me to replace both the mounting plate and the actuater itself.

 

[Redline]

If the BDA moves but the you can not get air out the vents or floor then the blend door has busted.

This is incorrect. The blend door does not control which vents the air blows through. It only controls the mixture of hot/cold air. The vents are controlled by a seperate vaccum motor and door. If you are only getting air out of the defrost, you should check your vaccum line, probably in the engine bay where it comes through the firewall right by the heater core hoses.

 

[Redline]

I had to do a little R & R on my own blend door, but thankfully I didn't have to pull apart the box since the break was at the top of the "hinge" part of the door...
Also, as you can see from the thread referenced above, replacement of the BDA required me to replace both the mounting plate and the actuater itself.

Yea, I had the same problem with the hinge at the top of mine. My fault actually, I broke it pulling the BDA out
Fortunately I had already seen your post so I superglued it and zip tied it and haven't had any trouble.

That sucks that you had to replace the bracket as well. Fortunately mine was the same so I just had to swap the actuator. I guess there not all the same

 

[Rockledge]

That sucks that you had to replace the bracket as well. Fortunately mine was the same so I just had to swap the actuator. I guess there not all the same

You're right, they aren't all the same, at least from what I've gathered. I've read about some of the BDAs that fit right into the existing bracket, and then I've read about (and dealt with) some which require replacement of the bracket with the unit, and I think some even have a different electrical connector which has left a few people scratching their heads.
.

 

[SHOkid13]

SHOkid, if you want, I can email you the pictures I took when I did mine (twice). There is no documentation yet, but it might give you more info or an idea of what is involved.

Yes please! Or, you could post them here? I believe it is the actuator and not the door, from what I understand. So, I'm to understand that I just need to take the radio out and then access it through the center?

Thanks!

 

[Redline]

Ok, I finally went ahead and made a writeup for the whole procedure. It's hosted on a friends webserver for now.

For a higher resolution version go HERE
For a lower resolution version go HERE

Enjoy everybody! :wave:

 

[Rockledge]

Holy cow! That's an excellent writup. Very thorough instructions and the pics are right on. Must have been time-consuming to put together.

I also got a kick out of seeing someone else use the "zip-tie method" of repairing the sleeve on the door hinge. IMO it adds a lot of strength to an area that needs it.

FWIW, I did the repair a while back, so I don't recall all the steps, but I'm not sure whether I had to remove the center console on my '94. Maybe I just don't remember doing it.

In any case, kudos to you for this excellent contribution to the SHO community.

 

[Redline]

Thanks, I know when I did mine I really wished there was a better writeup of how to do it, so I figured I might as well make one while I was at it. Took me a couple hours to put everything together, and hopefully I got it all right since its been about three months since I did mine.

Your zip-tie method was one of the things I came accross when i was researching how to do mine. I didn't think much of it until I happened to crack my sleeve and then it came in very handy!

Removing the center console may not be absolutely necessecary, but it definetly made it a whole lot easier to pull the dash away from the firewall. I pulled it both times I took the dash apart.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

Having just did my BDA I would have to say your procedure is most excellently written.

 

[Shoaz]

Having just did my BDA I would have to say your procedure is most excellently written.

No kidding! Very nice job, and kudos for the writeup, especially for taking the time with the pics!