2004 Sub z71, HVAC

jyount · #1 07-19-2012, 02:59 PM

My wife is complaining of hot air in her face while the a/c is on, shut it off, restart and it MIGHT fix itself, might not. I am sure its the accuator on the top of the case. Here is my question. How can I get to it? If you open the glovebox, and pull the vent above and to the left of it you can see it fine, but no way you could get to it. I've replaced several on the passenger side, which is the one on the bottom of the case. Pita with the center console, but can get it done. Can I just pull the instrument panel pad off the top and get to it or am I gonna have to yank the whole dash?

j cAT · #2 07-20-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyount

My wife is complaining of hot air in her face while the a/c is on, shut it off, restart and it MIGHT fix itself, might not. I am sure its the accuator on the top of the case. Here is my question. How can I get to it? If you open the glovebox, and pull the vent above and to the left of it you can see it fine, but no way you could get to it. I've replaced several on the passenger side, which is the one on the bottom of the case. Pita with the center console, but can get it done. Can I just pull the instrument panel pad off the top and get to it or am I gonna have to yank the whole dash?

the hot coolant flows thru the air box heater at all times. the temp controller is mounted in the air box above the tranny hump. this is a 5 volt stepper motor. they do stick. sometimes debris will also interfere with operation.

since hot air is coming out this is most likely the problem and if its not with contamination replace it. my temp controller sticks at times when I have it in the max hot mode. tapping on the air box has fixed it . I know that this will need replacing at some point.

if you have dual temp control then I may not be correct with the location.

jyount · #3 07-20-2012, 06:45 PM

It is the dual zone climate control. The drivers side accuator is the one on top of the box. There is a vent above and to both sides of the glovebox. It is almost behind the vent toward the drivers side if you are looking right at the glovebox.

gmtech1 · #4 07-20-2012, 07:55 PM

My wife is complaining of hot air in her face while the a/c is on, shut it off, restart and it MIGHT fix itself, might not. I am sure its the accuator on the top of the case. Here is my question. How can I get to it? If you open the glovebox, and pull the vent above and to the left of it you can see it fine, but no way you could get to it. I've replaced several on the passenger side, which is the one on the bottom of the case. Pita with the center console, but can get it done. Can I just pull the instrument panel pad off the top and get to it or am I gonna have to yank the whole dash?
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You can get to it by pulling the upper dash, it takes a little effort with a 1/4" ratchet, but it can be done.

brcidd · #5 07-21-2012, 07:00 AM

Is the a/c compressor turning when she gets the hot air in her face? That is a common issue on your truck...wide air gaps and compressor won't always engage- comes on cold- but after engine warms- it is hit or miss...

jyount · #6 07-21-2012, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmtech1

You can get to it by pulling the upper dash, it takes a little effort with a 1/4" ratchet, but it can be done.

Thanks bud, the info I needed....

jyount · #7 08-04-2012, 05:08 PM

Finally got around to working on this. You cannot get to it once you pull the pad off the top. The upper vent and defrost plenum is over it. I also pulled all the brackets from the dash to the firewall and still couldn't get the plenum off. I had limited time so I just put it back together. I will have to pull the dash off the firewall. (5 or 6 hours if memory serves)

j cAT · #8 08-04-2012, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyount

Finally got around to working on this. You cannot get to it once you pull the pad off the top. The upper vent and defrost plenum is over it. I also pulled all the brackets from the dash to the firewall and still couldn't get the plenum off. I had limited time so I just put it back together. I will have to pull the dash off the firewall. (5 or 6 hours if memory serves)

post when you complete this repair with what was needed to be removed. the dash removal if required is quite a big time job.

jyount · #9 06-15-2013, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j cAT

post when you complete this repair with what was needed to be removed. the dash removal if required is quite a big time job.

I have done this several times, yes you are correct. Used to be a tech, pretty sure the flat rate r and r of the instrument panel was 5 or 6 hours. I fixed the onstar drain today and was already kinda there and we only had two vehicles at the earlier posting, so didn't do anymore. Now we have 3, one sits all the time, so easier to work on it here and there instead of all day, (which we never have). Anyway, pulled some stuff. Got to where I need to pull the center console. Do you really have to pull the seats? Am I missing something? Still not sure that I'll have to pull it all the way, the big bar in the way bolts on, but I am gonna have to pull some more off to get it off too, not sure if raising the whole panel is easier.... All the ones I have had off were trucks or didn't have a center console. I had to pull the airbox for a heater core on a Trail Blazer we had, it had a center console, but it wasn't mounted the same. Anyway, the console has to come off.

jyount · #10 06-15-2013, 08:35 PM

Yes the seats did have to come out, the frame of the console is mounted to the inboard seat bolts. Haven't had a ton of work time on it, but down to pulling the steering column then the support. Almost on the downhill...

As an aside the PO must have spilled about 957 Big Gulps down in the console. Bad enough that I almost couldn't get the big connector loose, it was glued together with soda. I vacuumed the crap up, again from PO, couldn't get to it with the seat and the console in. And made about 4 or 5 bucks in change. Used baby wipes to clean up the metal parts under the mounts. Gonna use the Rainbow and the hose to clean the carpet. I am gonna clean the console in the living room floor where dark outside doesn't matter, and the a/c is running!

(I know the carpet is under the console, but that crap drives me nuts and my name is on the title :P)

jyount · #11 06-16-2013, 10:21 PM

Got the old one swapped, had to pull the instrument panel support and the cross car vent tube. Easy from the top after that.. But a good 4 hours to get there, ONLY hand tools. My air tools are at someone else's shop right now. Maybe 2 1/2 or 3 with 1/4" air ratchet... Anyhow found a clip and don't know what it is, it was just sitting. It was by the BCM under the steering column. Stuff left out eats at me non stop, OCD includes "intrusive thoughts" and this is the kind of thing... Anyway, found some pictures on the net of it, it is a Corvette guy, but the exact same clip just not my pictures

Click this link for the pictures

There are some #s on it but they are only partial GM #s, must be the manufacturers stamp. They are CAV 3 G-170B 836692 and P.P. in a little stamped box...

jyount · #12 06-17-2013, 03:27 PM

For reference of anyone trying to find it it went in the front of the outboard driver's seat track. Auto driver seat manual passenger. It slid in and clipped. With further observation that is the only place on all four tracks that this has clips. Problem solved. No idea why it was up under the dash. I am guessing someone found it in the floorboard and stashed it were they thought it would go. The disconcerning part is that the mode motor wasn't working when we bought it and they put one on, so more than likely the dealer tech crammed it there.... Here it is installed in the rail.

By the way, put the seats back in to sit in them to work. The dash is on the way back together but not there yet. It is storming now, makes it hard to have the doors open to work on it :P

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