climate control problem

I'm not getting any forced air through the vents regardless of if it's heat or air conditioner. All vents are open, the fan seems to work normally and at different speeds and the rear vents don't get forced air either. The vehicle will get cool or warm eventually...just through the normal motion of air I suppose.

In searching these forums, I didn't seem to get a good idea and my particular issue so I'm asking here.

I have had to remove the cowl before when changing spark plugs before...could I have done something there? Is that where I'm going to have to go to solve this? It seems like it should be something easy.

Where the air goes is driven by vaccum actuators.
If you loose vaccum to the actuators......then the default position is defrost.
It is likely that you bumped one of the vaccum lines for this.....A line goes from the back of the upper intake manifold to a resivoir near the passenger side strut top in the engine compartment....mounted onto the inner fender.....and a line goes to the firewall to get the vaccum into the passenger compartment.

if your symptoms are similar to this thread, I have the pdf that I can send to you. If you are handy and willing to follow schematics, then you are welcome to it. Just read the thread and pm me your email add and I'll attach it.

mundy5,
I am having the same problem. I am getting air through the defrost only. Could you please send me the pdf document....I have just emailed a msg to you...thanks.

Anyone else has any suggestions where to look ?

I am having same vaccum problem. Wiswind I looked at your webshots to find the actuator, hard to see.I found the 2 vac. lines entering the black actuator. Now can I replace the actuator or the switch on the control. There are 6 different vac. lines coming off the switch, all seem to be in good condition. To check for vac leak under the hood, hard to hear anything with the car running. Has anyone replaced the actuator and fix the problem. Also, first I should mention that turning the vent or AC on the air blows out the defrost for about 20 seconds and the through the vents. Seems to be a slow vac. leak. I can watch the valves under buy the gas pedal move from defrost to vent. I hear no hissing. Anyone, Wiswind can help me please. Thanks. bobinkski

check this thread out:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=905284

if you want a pdf, pm me with your email add.

veerg, did I ever send you that pdf? I have no record of your pm...

mundy5, I checked out the theard seems no help. The control switch has 6 vac. lines, yellow,blue,orange,black,green,red. I only get vac. on the black line. There is red and black coming throuh the fire wall, there is red and black on the actuator. I believe the black from the actuator is for the intake. My email is [email protected]

just sent you the files. hope it helps.

For whatever reason, your defrost door motor is sluggish.
If you disconneted the door from the motor, does it move easily?
Are you getting enough vacuum, starting at the motor, at the controls output, then the black supply to the controls, then underhood at the vacuum reservoir, the check valve tee, etc. You will need a vacuum gauge to do this.
If you are confident you have a free door and good vacuum, then the motor sounds to be bad. If you have a vacuum pump, you could try seeing if you get it to move better.
Low vacuum at the black line to the controls, sounds like a blockage at the vacuum reservoir, tee check valve or further upstream.
Why don't you see if the other vacuum driven motors are also equally sluggish at start up. The one that I find easiest to verify, is the recirculating air door that is used only for MAX AC and when the control knob is set to OFF. When you switch in and out of MAX AC or OFF, you should be able to hear it move and clunk close. You may be able to see it move under the glove box.

tripletdaddy, it seems that 20 to 30 seconds the air goes from defrost to vent. I removed the vac. line connector from the control switch and got vacuum from the black line. All motors seem to be OK. You may be rigth that it up stream. Now I know where the check valve and tee are, but where is the vac. reservoir?,is that the same as the actuator wiswind mention? is the reservoir connected to the tee back by the fire wall? I do not have a vacuum pump,I know auto part stores have them. Thanks for thr reply, bobinkski.

tripletdaddy, it seems that 20 to 30 seconds the air goes from defrost to vent. I removed the vac. line connector from the control switch and got vacuum from the black line. All motors seem to be OK. You may be rigth that it up stream. Now I know where the check valve and tee are, but where is the vac. reservoir?,is that the same as the actuator wiswind mention? is the reservoir connected to the tee back by the fire wall? I do not have a vacuum pump,I know auto part stores have them. Thanks for thr reply, bobinkski.

I would replace the check valve while you are in the area.. Cheap part and also rules it out.. Camero check valves go out a l lot. Easy to replace though.. On the Camero that is..

What I did today is I was looking at the motors (that is the 2 vac. lines hooked up to it and moves the door) took off the vac. lines, moved the motor, then took off the vac lines at the switch and blew through them and then alittle sucking on them and now the system works. Go figure? I Think dirt in the line some where, I don't think I'm out of the woods yet. I still need to now where the vacuum reservoir is at. I am thinking of removing the cowl and check the lines and replace some items.

The actuators, wiswind spoke of are the same as the vac motors that move the doors. He also staed where the reservoir is under the cowl behind the passenger side strut tower. I think it is black, but a real pita to get to. I'm not sure accessing it will have any benefit as you are getting vacuum. I think one way to see if it is ok, is to let it sit for awhile or even over night and see if there is any vacuum left by shifting the controls around to see if you can here and see the actuators still working. If not, then it is suspect. If not, you've saved yourself a bund of wasted time getting to it. If I'm right, the reservoir has a rubber like bladder or diaphram inside of it that moves with the amount of vacuum inside like a spring being stretched to help maintain nearly the same level of vacuum as it gets used up. Changing the tee check valve is a very good idea before diving in for the reservoir. If you have compressed air or just blow in it, Id try blowing in the vac lines in both direction through the firewall to remove any obstructions. DON'T BLOW ALL THE WAY TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD!!! Disconnect the vac line at or before the manifold. You don't want to get any junk into your engine!

If you can get your hands on a straight, smooth tipped needle syringe, you can use it to create pressure and vacuum in the line and on anything else. I'd also be sure the vacuum controls for temp and air direction are not plugged up. There SHOULD NOT have been ANYTHING in your vac lines. It concerns me where it come from as this could be a perpetual problem if not fixed. Maybe not a big deal.

There are nice vac diagrams by Autozone.com here that you click on.
http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId,2176302/initialAction,repairGuide/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c152800ae23b
showing the two double acting and the one single acting motors. The defrost and heat door actuator, and the vent and defrost/heat door actuator each use two vac lines. The outside and inside air door actuator uses just one vac line. Air temp is controlled by an electrical motor/actuator gear drive keyed onto a door that diverts air away or through the heater core, which remains hot all the time.



Keep us posted! :D

So far the vacuum is still working. I have been turning it on and off alot and no problem. Ford doe's not have the check valve, told me obsolete part. Autozone has one, looks the same as Fords. Autozone part #47150, two way check valve. Would this work? I still like to clean out the entire line with compressed air.

Today the system is acting up. The vent takes 5-10 seconds to turn on.Under the dash took off vacuum line and then turned on vent, good vacuum right away, no delay. Hooked it back to actuator, and turn on vent. There is a delay in moving the vent door.I think now it is the acuator,Ford parts guy said they sell alot??? Ford cost $55 Rockauto $14.38.

A two way check valve sounds right, if it is a tee. It will stop vacuum escaping for two of the three legs, one to the hvac controls and the other to the intake manifold side. This arrangement will prevent the reservoir and controls from loosing vac together to the intake manifold. I'm not sure why couldn't they have used a one-way check valve and a tee, unless there are two actual checks in it. The check valve is for when there is very low intake vacuum or the engine is off so the controls will remain active until the reservoir vacuum is depleted.

Looking at my 95, the vac reservoir is straight back looking over the ps pump and alternator (and ignition coil for 95 only I think) to the large funnel looking thing that goes to the cowl and down to the firewall. Attached to the right side of this air inlet duct is the black plastic reservoir, about 3 by 6 by 4 inches. The vac lines were hard to see on top of it in mine, but I could feel the tee, the supply from the intake manifold, the line to the reservoir and the line to the hvac unit passing through the firewall with the ac lines.

On that suspect actuator, have you unhooked it from the vent door arm and checked to be sure the door isn't stuck or stiff? I would also try to apply vacuum manually to the actuator to see how well it works. If you don't have a vacuum pump or even a syringe, you could connect the actuator under the hood to a vac line to see if it works any better. The hand vacs I like because you can apply vacuum for a long time to see if the actuator leaks.

There may be some delay involved with it moving right after startup, but shouldn[t be muach of one after been running awhile.

tripletdaddy, I do not have a vacuum hand pump. I will check the door for the vent side to see if it moves freely. I am guessing on the actuator do to what I see. The vacuum is instint at the vacuum line for the actuator, so the actuator has a delay to open. My next job would be to remove the cowl and check the vacuum lines, tee, check valve. Wish me luck!

Today the system is acting up. The vent takes 5-10 seconds to turn on.Under the dash took off vacuum line and then turned on vent, good vacuum right away, no delay. Hooked it back to actuator, and turn on vent. There is a delay in moving the vent door.I think now it is the acuator,Ford parts guy said they sell alot??? Ford cost $55 Rockauto $14.38.

I'm new at this but,.... when mine went out, it did it gradually.
Would work for a few minutes then go to defroster, come back on a few minutes later, repeat ..etc. You get the idea.
Until finally it went out and just stayed on the defroster.
Before buying any other parts, I would recommend spending the cash on a cheap vacuum gauge.
Check the pressure from the black hose that feeds that front a/c heater switch. If it's good there, you probably don't have to take the cowl apart again, and the problem could be switches or vacuum motors (actuators).
Just My $.02 :grinyes:
Good Luck..

OK, what I did so far!!! New actuator came from Rockauto. Now to remove the old one. What a nightmare, remove vac. lines and 2 screws from actuator. Need to twist the shaft inorder to clear the plastic keeper. Ended up remove entire panel under the steering wheel, and the steel bracket that covers the shaft for the steering wheel. Still could not twist the actuator around to clear the plastic keeper. Ended up trimming off some of the plastic keeper and pry it off with a screw driver. New actuator popped in, took 3 sceonds. Assembled all panels and tested actuator, seems to work OK. Next I removed the cowl and replaced the check valve,( the valve I bought at Autozone), and vac. lines hooked up to it with no ploblem, checked vac. lines and rubber fittings, and they are in good shape. Taking the cowl off is alot easier than the actuator motor. Well, I see how it runs! The only 2 things I did not replace are the switch and the resevoir.

OK, what has happen now. Took car to work and no AC or air coming out the vents. Ran over to the Ford dealer, they had a control switch for $30. I ask the parts manager if I can just test the switch on the van. He thought i was nuts. So alittle winning, he said OK. All I wanted to do is hook up the vacuum to the new switch and leave the old one hooked up to the electric. Started up the car, ( I'm in the parking lot at the Ford dealer with my control panel taken apart) turn the vent on and no air throught the vent. Tried afew times no luck. That tells me it is not the switch. Also I am leaving the next day to Florida and taking the van. Returned the switch to the parts dept. at Ford and went home. I removed the 2 screws from the actuator and wired open the vent so I can have AC throught the vents. Got home from Florida and bought a vacuum pump. Checked reservoir and held vacuum for 10 minutes and I turned it off. Checked vacuum in the lines, and had a leak. I have rear air so the black vacuum line tees off. Plugged vent control line and vacuum leak on rear air control. Plugged both black lines and pumped vacuum on the fire wall side line and held vacuum. So next step is to replace rear air switch. I will run the car afew times to make sure it is the switch. What a nightmare.