1999 Ram 1500 van. No air from face level vents

[twistedpixel]

just picked up my 1500 van, planning on converting to a camper. I'm likely to have several questions but I'm starting with the most important to me.

Driving it home 534 miles from OR to CA in 90 degree heat was not comfortable because I don't get any air out of the face level vents.

Air from foot vents - perfect
Air to windscreen - perfect
Air to face vents? nothing.

I suspect it's hose related and not diverter valve since it moves from feet to windscreen without issue. Can anyone tell me where the hoses meet? eg left side of dashboard, right, center...before I start looking in the wrong place. Hoping to simply find a disconnected hose

[brcidd]

I'd look on the engine intake manifold for the plastic or rubber vacuum line that drives the mode door. Chances are really good it is melted, broke, brittle, and sucking air. Find and fix the leaky bad vacuum hose- also there is probably a vacuum reservoir/canister to check the hose connections. The easiest way to find the hose is to start at the vacuum reservoir and trace lines to the intake manifold and to where it goes into the dash conduit in the other direction. Since it is diverting air to the floor- then it must be a partial leak-- 100% leak (unplugged, etc) will put all air to the defroster- so that it defaults to defrost so that there can never be a safety hazard due to foggy windshield in case of vacuum leaks.

[alloro]

The vacuum canister is under the passenger headlight and the vacuum hose from it runs to the middle passenger side of the intake manifold. At the manifold there is also a one-way check valve. You should also check that to make sure air only passes through it one way. If you remove it, note the direction so as to reinstall it the correct way.