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Old 12-29-2008, 11:31 AM   #31
frehol
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Thumbs down Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Preditr
I too need to replace the temp actuator motor on a 96 s10 and as notsmartguy states above, access behind the glove box is blocked by the dash (no opening). Has anyone changed a 96? Does the entire dash need to be removed or is there another way??

Yes, I think so, on my 95 I have to remove the dash, or at least loosen it and pull it back about a foot to get room to get to it... no removable glove box there...

/Freddy
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Old 01-08-2009, 01:20 PM   #32
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

New guy here...

There's a rumor floating that there is new software available so these actuators don't lose position and wreck themselves. Has anyone heard this?

Mine was cycling both ways upon cycling the ignition. It's -6 degrees here so I just got done turning the key on, waiting till it cycled one way and then unplugged it so at least I have heat for the winter.

What are the initial proceedures when replacing this with the new one? Can it just be replaced or is there a sequence or fuse-pull operation to go through? I don't need to wreck another one...

Dealer Quote:
Part $238.59
Labor 5 hours. dash has to come out.

$729

Fixing it myself:
Part $100.
32 minutes, not 5 hours, for me to change. I'm not a certified ASC GM technition so obviously I did it wrong. Take the dash out.... You'd have to be stupid!

Awaiting response before rurning key...
Thanks in advance!
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Old 01-11-2009, 03:59 PM   #33
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Hey Guys,
I had the same problem on a 2000 GMC Jimmy (Chevy Blazer)
Set on Heat, it wanted to blow hot air for a few seconds, then went to lukewarm and made little different to the chill of the cool temps outside the vehicle.

Following the instructions I found here, I went out and pulled the 15 amp fuse in the corner of the fuse box (located in the side of the dash on the driver's side - look where the door meets the dashboard) that is listed for BATT. After leaving it out for a few minutes, I had to reset the clock on the radio, and hot air seemed to flow consistently.

Please do this before attempting any elaborate repairs to the actuator. It's a lot easier.

Also, please note that the glovebox can be dropped all the way down on this vehicle, but that I do not believe the hot air actuator blend door is located in the same place as earlier models. (at least, I was unable to find it via the pictures given previously)
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Old 01-16-2009, 12:48 PM   #34
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Before buying a new blend door motor assembly, try and FIX IT!

My mother has a '94 Oldsmobile 88 that had the same problem with the broken gear. The blend door motor assembly looks just like the one posted here. I made a REPAIR on the assembly this morning without having to purchase a new part. I thought I would pass this on, maybe someone can fix theirs also and save a few bucks.

When the large gear cracks and the crack rotates to where the smaller gear contacts it, the gear loses contact and the arm stops. Not all of the large gear is used when opening/closing the blend door. Only about 45% (a guess) of the gear is used. Just remove the gear from the metal shaft and rotate it to where the crack is in an area where it won't ever come in contact with the smaller gears then press the gear back onto the shaft.

Be sure and make note of what the actuator arm position is before removing it. Also, the metal shaft that the large gear presses on has stops on it. The stops are on the bottom of the plastic housing. Make sure you get everything lined up like it was before you disassembled it. I had to plug my assembly in with the top of the case removed and adjust the temperature control slowly to make sure I wasn't going beyond the stops before putting it all back together. I took the opportunity to put a small amount of silicon grease (light bulb grease) on the gears before putting it back together. The assembly works great now, just like brand new!

Mike Z.
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Old 01-18-2009, 06:58 PM   #35
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mdz0739
Before buying a new blend door motor assembly, try and FIX IT!

My mother has a '94 Oldsmobile 88 that had the same problem with the broken gear. The blend door motor assembly looks just like the one posted here. I made a REPAIR on the assembly this morning without having to purchase a new part. I thought I would pass this on, maybe someone can fix theirs also and save a few bucks.

When the large gear cracks and the crack rotates to where the smaller gear contacts it, the gear loses contact and the arm stops. Not all of the large gear is used when opening/closing the blend door. Only about 45% (a guess) of the gear is used. Just remove the gear from the metal shaft and rotate it to where the crack is in an area where it won't ever come in contact with the smaller gears then press the gear back onto the shaft.

Be sure and make note of what the actuator arm position is before removing it. Also, the metal shaft that the large gear presses on has stops on it. The stops are on the bottom of the plastic housing. Make sure you get everything lined up like it was before you disassembled it. I had to plug my assembly in with the top of the case removed and adjust the temperature control slowly to make sure I wasn't going beyond the stops before putting it all back together. I took the opportunity to put a small amount of silicon grease (light bulb grease) on the gears before putting it back together. The assembly works great now, just like brand new!

Mike Z.
This might work... Don't forget the blue gear running off the main drive gear connected to a potentiometer that signals position and location back to the system. This gear is timed in relationship, and if that relationship is lost, nothing will work correctly.
The reason these gears break is over time the plastic part that was either over-molded or pressed over the metal core, is strained due to the tight fit. It usually cracks because the material dries out. This is common for nylon and acetal materials. Repositioning the gear doesn't fix the crack and the "fit" between the metal and plastic gear meaning that the core will slip again in the future. You might try epoxying the core and the gear, but both are probably short term fixes.
Good luck.
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Old 07-27-2009, 05:00 PM   #36
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

I don't know if the blend door motor or gear is my problem or not. Replaced the battery on my '98 Blazer and now it runs cold and then hot. I do have the ECC on my unit. I took the RAD fuse out and waited one minute and still no luck. If it is the blend door can I get it to a position where it is cooling and unplug it at that time? I don't know if I can even unplug the motor it is so close in there.
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Old 07-28-2009, 10:59 AM   #37
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Any "tricks" to removing the Vac Unit? Having a hard time getting mine to come off.
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Old 08-04-2009, 11:37 PM   #38
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Hi All, i have a mitsubishi Verada which i think the Blend Door Motor has gone, i have had this constant ticking noise so i took it to a mechanic $100 to tell me he can't find the fault so i replaced the battery as the light was on $350 still clicking took it to an air con expert $200 just to tell me the blend door motor needs replacing and i am up for $400 is there a cheaper way of fixing or replacing HELP!!!
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Old 08-20-2009, 12:09 AM   #39
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

I had this problem with my daughter's Blazer It was a 99 with the automatic system. I did tons of research trying to find the problem. The problem originated because the heater core plugged up. This is a common occurrence in these due to the problem with the orange antifreeze (dexcool) that they use. This is such a huge problem that GM should have taken it on the chin and recalled all vehicles and fixed them. Evidently, it's really a problem more with the Blazers due to the mismatch of metals, corrosion, etc. My suburban had Dexcool, and only suffers minor problems due to its past (I've since replaced it, but it still has radiator problems and I still find mud in it.)

So the first thing you have to do is make certain that the heater core is flushed out well. Do that by simply removing the hoses it at the firewall on the engine side, and using a garden hose flushing both directions. I eventually ended up having to replace the core in this one because the dexcool had created a clay-like substance that came out in a blob, and it had corroded the core. You'll be shocked when you see it. So, without the core working properly, the auto heater control tries to drive the door further open when you turn on the heat, figurring that it's not getting enough heat because its not open enough. That then drives the door beyond the end of its normal travel, and it gets stuck- yes it clicks, etc, but it's past the gear movement range, and can't find its way back.

So- next move- go to your Chevy dealer and find the service bulletin that is written on setting the range properly on a newly purchased motor. Note that if you replace the motor, you also have to use this method. It took a bit of digging at the Chevy dealer to find it, but one of the recalled it, and found it. I don't have it, but I recall it involved taking the connector off, and jumpering the motor so that it drove it to a middle-position. I then reconnected, and voila, it now finds its own position using the sensors.

So, in my case, it was a problem of combined failures, and took these two steps to fix it. It took a long time, because I discovered the heater plug in the winter. Then, when I unplugged it, it had all the heat you could stand, and made up for it by turning the fan speeed down. So, it was not noticed that the door was not adjusting. Then, when spring arrived and we tried the A/C, it would not cool. Then after fixing the motor, the core started leaking due to the corrosion caused by the dexcool plug in the core. You've never had fun until you've pulled the entire dash off one of these units to replace a simple small heater core!! You mnight think twice about unplugging the heater core. Ugh. I still have bad dreams, and I think these scars on my arms came from that. It could have been the spark plugs on the Aerostar, but it all starts to blend a few year gone.

Hope this helps.
smapple
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Old 09-02-2009, 05:05 PM   #40
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Here's mine:




I noticed that after I removed it and pluged it back in it would cycle to the cold position and then move back to the hot position. Maybe the control board is fried.
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Old 09-02-2009, 05:07 PM   #41
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

By the way, to get it out I used a socket to lossen the screw and then a socket that fits into a cordless drive and used my had to unscrew the screws. Eaiser than using a socket.
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Old 09-10-2009, 10:11 PM   #42
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)






Old on left, new on right.


Went in and works perfectly. Gotta love ebay.
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Old 02-07-2010, 10:25 AM   #43
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Thanks to all for the info.
What position should the Blue gear be in, in relation to the big gear?
Mine works but all the travel is in the first half of the temp knob control.
First click up is still to hot. Tried pulling the fuse to reset but no change.
Remember when you just pulled on a wire cable to move the blend door?
What was wrong with that? Yes, I am old.
Thanks, Paul
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Old 04-01-2010, 07:17 PM   #44
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

Hey! I just needed to thank each and every one of you all for your posts and for saving me time, money and the engine on my near mint condition 1999 Blazer!
I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out why I was only getting lukewarm air from my A/C as soon as we warmed up here in Florida. Yes we run the air down her in winter! LOL!
I am the second owner of a very, very worshipped truck and started having the problems that you all talked about with the heater A/C blender door.
Lots of research later, mostly here on this site, and a call or two to the dealership, I found out that when they fixed my truck at the dealer “pre sale”, they had replaced a clogged heater core. As is usual with the Blazer, once they fixed that it was probably still too late for the actuator gears as it must have stripped the gears and I had no hot air or cold.
I used your alls advice and opened the panel on top of the blower housing and sure enough no door movement and I had a great view of the heater coil!
I temporarily moved the door manually to the A/C side to get cold air. Sure enough no resistance, so the gear is probably stripped or cracked.
I went one step further because of you guys and checked my cooling system top to bottom and found my radiator was low even though the reservoir was full and I had been keeping the radiator topped off weekly.
Sure enough it had a plugged return line. No way for water to go in or out. Dextron we love you. Low water equals more air in system and more sludge to clog it up.
So long story short, the Blazer which we know can constantly loose minute amounts of water from the radiator due to that lovely GM gasket snafu was clogging its system up! Air and Dextron are a deadly combo as we all know. Flushing the cooling system out tomorrow and chemically cleaning it, again thanks to people on this site.
I am replacing the actuator as soon as the part arrives and using the bottom approach through the glove box. Sussed it out and I will definitely loose some knuckle skin but I see it can be done without pulling the dash. You guys are saving me so much time and money. I wish I could take you all out for a beer! You deserve one for what you all went through.

I do however have one question;

Is there a position that the gear and door should be in before I reinstall?

Thanks guys, you are the best! I'll post a picture of the Blazer and some of the repair once I figure out where my site for converting photos went.
M
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Old 12-21-2010, 04:11 AM   #45
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Re: Blend Door (with pictures and the common problem)

I have now the same problem for the second time. Over the past 4 years. The first time I just took it to the shop and paid to get it fixed $ 1000.00 Canadian and had a Military Discount. Now I am having the same problem. The door seems to be stuck in the cool position. And the heat I have is what I call California Air (NOT COLD BUT COOL). As you know the Canadian winters are brutal and I need heat. I really noticed it after the first snow we had when the snow was coming in through the vents.

I desperately need your help as I have no mechanical bone in my body.

1995 Chevy S 10 SL
6 Cyl
4.3 Ltr
NO AC

Thanks


Ron
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