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Old 01-22-2011, 04:28 PM   #1
CryptoJones
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Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

I have a 2002 Windstar SE.

When you turn on the heater it is lukewarm at best. The defrost works fine, but if you turn the heat to MAX it seems like it actually cooler than the luke warm baseline. Turning back to minimum seems to be the hottest.

Is this more likely the BDA or a plugged heat core. I feel fairley comfortable that I could replace the BDA on my own, but I don't really want to if it is something else.

Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

And Thanks to Automotive forums for this great resource!
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Old 01-22-2011, 05:00 PM   #2
mark_gober
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Does your blend door actually actuate? You could turn the engine one and turn it to cold. I'm sure it gets cold. Then slowly rotate the knob to hot. You should feel it getting hot. If it gets hot, I suspect the actuator works fine. I might be wrong on this, but I don't think these things usually fail "half way". When they fail, they fail.

You could also check the temp of your water hoses going to the heater core. They should be almost the exact same temp. If you have a clogged heater core, one will be considerably hotter than the other.

This is simply my unscientific opinion, but it sounds like your heater core is the more likely culprit. The heater core can supply X amount of heat. They are designed to be able to provide that much heat at the highest fan speed. If you reduce the amount of hot water flowing through it and keep the fan speed the same, you'll notice a reduction in temp. This is similar to A/C systems. If you take a perfectly good a/c and put a digital thermometer in the vent...it'll read a cold temp, say 44 degrees. If you then take the fan and reduce the speed, you'll see the temp go down. It actually is colder on slow speed than high speed. The slow speed temp will be around 4-6 degrees colder. This is because the air has longer time over the coils to transfer it's heat. In your case, you want to absorb heat, not reject it. Turning your fan up reduces the amount of time that the air is in contact with the already marginal coil. Slowing the speed makes the heat transfer more efficient and it feels warmer.

You could try to backflush the heater core. Just disconnect the hoses (both) and reverse the flow with a water hose set to low speed. LOW SPEED is important. If it's rusty and you hit it with high speed, you risk a nasty mess on the inside of the car.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Mark
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Old 01-22-2011, 05:10 PM   #3
tempfixit
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

When engine is completely warmed up it is operating in the normal temp range, coolant level in the resovoir is above cold line when warm and there is no air in the coolant system. Have you added fluid of late or changed thermostat.

Do a search on this forum on you should find threads about the blend door and how to check for proper operation.
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Old 01-22-2011, 05:19 PM   #4
wiswind
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Mine was a '96, getting to both heater hoses was not easy......1 is really hard to get a hand on...which I think was the return line.

The heater core clogging is not common, but is possible.

The blend door normally just breaks and does not work.....but getting stuck part way is possible.
As mentioned, try adjusting the temperature control to see if you can make it cooler...and then back to the hot setting to see if maybe you will get lucky....and you will be able to free it up this way.

Is the temperature gauge up into the "normal" range that you are used to?
If the temperature gauge is running much cooler than normal, you may need a new thermostat.

Please post back with any questions, or if you fix it.....what solved the problem for you.
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Links to my pictures, intended as an aid, not a replacement for, a good repair manual.
1996 3.8L Windstar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4157486...092975/detail/
2003 Toyota Sienna pictures (not much there yet)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4157486...781661/detail/
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Old 01-22-2011, 05:38 PM   #5
CryptoJones
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Quote:
Originally Posted by wiswind View Post
Mine was a '96, getting to both heater hoses was not easy......1 is really hard to get a hand on...which I think was the return line.

The heater core clogging is not common, but is possible.

The blend door normally just breaks and does not work.....but getting stuck part way is possible.
As mentioned, try adjusting the temperature control to see if you can make it cooler...and then back to the hot setting to see if maybe you will get lucky....and you will be able to free it up this way.

Is the temperature gauge up into the "normal" range that you are used to?
If the temperature gauge is running much cooler than normal, you may need a new thermostat.

Please post back with any questions, or if you fix it.....what solved the problem for you.
After the engine was warmed up (it always reads at the half-way mark) I turned on the A/C and moved the temperature to hot. I heard several clicks and a sigh and then the luke-warm air started flowing. So I am under the assumption that blend door actuator is working.
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Old 01-23-2011, 08:16 AM   #6
wiswind
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

There is also the chance that there is something in there blocking airflow over the heater coils.
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Links to my pictures, intended as an aid, not a replacement for, a good repair manual.
1996 3.8L Windstar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4157486...092975/detail/
2003 Toyota Sienna pictures (not much there yet)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4157486...781661/detail/
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Old 01-23-2011, 08:19 AM   #7
CryptoJones
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Quote:
Originally Posted by wiswind View Post
There is also the chance that there is something in there blocking airflow over the heater coils.
Is there anything I can do to disprove or prove that?
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Old 01-23-2011, 10:02 AM   #8
CryptoJones
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Is there a digram I could look at to tell me which hoses I need to touch/feel to trouble shoot heating problems?

(Right Side)

(Right Side Close-Up)

(Left Side)

(Left Side Close-Up)

Last edited by CryptoJones; 01-23-2011 at 10:27 AM. Reason: Added Pictures
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Old 01-23-2011, 03:07 PM   #9
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Crypto,

The heater hoses are located directly behind the motor on the firewall. Attached you'll find a photo I took of mine. (I love having small digital cameras, my DSLR would never fit behind there.) You'll notice a small tan hard plastic line back there. That's a good landmark to go by because you can always see that line with a flashlight. One of the hoses behind it is a supply line, the other is a return. It really doesn't matter which right now, just check to see if they are the same temp. To figure out which is which, you can trace them back toward the engine. The supply will be located near the water pump.

Good luck.

Mark
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Old 01-23-2011, 08:00 PM   #10
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

If you can hear any clicking sounds behind/under the dash it's probably the blend door. I have replaced door two times since we bought new in 1999. The first was a used one from a wreck. I think you can see the blend door with radio removed. If you remove radio you could possibly see actuator move while changing from cool to heating at switches. Not sure on this though. Just a suggestion before pulling hoses.
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Old 01-23-2011, 10:33 PM   #11
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Re: Blend Door Actuator or Plugged Heater Core?

Crypto - I replaced mine in a 2000 about a month ago. I had similar thoughts where sometimes it seemed to be working but then I did finally hear some clicks when moving my temps from hot to cold. That was the best sign for me along with the cold air. I did my heater core a few years ago so I was figuring that was not my problem. I would cycle the controls and listen closely. I replaced mine in less than an hour so I would not hesitate to do the job yourself. Just be sure to buy the $5 tool to pull the radio as it makes it go very smooth. Good luck!
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