No heat (or a/c cool) air from dash, '97 E-150


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Old 12-04-06, 11:46 AM
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No heat (or a/c cool) air from dash, '97 E-150

I have read thru the threads b4 posting this...
My guess is that it is a mixing door, kunootin valve, or something, but I don't know where or how to get at it. Basically my dash temp dial doesn't change anything. It is as if I am always on outdoor vent mode. Engine temp looks nominal. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW. it's 5.4l, V8, conversion van. Thanks!
 
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Old 12-04-06, 12:03 PM
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Do you get air flow at all from the vents when the fan is turned on? If not, then your most likely cause is the mixxing valve. It can be difficult to get at because it's below and under the dashboard, usually between the drivers and passengers side. It requires the removal of most of the dash board and a couple 800mg Motrins for the back pain it will cause you after.
 
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Old 12-04-06, 02:17 PM
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So if I removed the interior engine cover (between the seats), and snapped a dx-image, and uploaded it; could you point the component out on the image? Or does the dash have to come as well? (please say no to this)...
 
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Old 12-04-06, 02:57 PM
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NO. :-p, it is going to be near your airbox, which is enclosed in plastic and usually black.
 
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Old 12-11-06, 02:28 PM
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Took the interior engine cover off, removed the AM/FM Cassete player, and the front dash panel surrounding the climate control unit. Removed the climate control unit (3 screws) and chased the wiring and vac lines up under the dash pad and discovered an access panel on top of the dash! no fastners either! popped it off and here's what I found starting with the climate control unit itself:
A. 4 knobs on the climate control unit, starting at the right side:
-one (above) for the fan speed for the front dash (we'll call that knob 1)
-one (below) for the fan speed for the rear of the vehicle (knob 2)
-one for the temp control (knob 3)
-one for the function selector (knob 4), these are:
=A/C max
=A/C normal
=Vent
=Off
=Floor
=Mix (of Floor and Defrost)
=Defrost
B. All knobs communicate via electrical wires except for knob 4 who communicates with 5 vacuum lines
C. All vacuum lines connect into silver canisters (solenoids?) that activate arms, that I can hear are opening and closing internal doors w/in the air ducts.
D. Two cans are visible from the front of the dash, two are visible from the access door on top of the dash, and I can't quite see the other (possible) canister, but believe they are somwhere in front of the passenger's seat.
E. These vacuum lines are colored, White (W), Yellow (Y), Black (B), Blue (BL), and Red (R).

I am going to go back under the dash tonight and will have more on where these various lines route to, but is this a good start for those of you "in-the-know"?

All of that considered, this is what I found the most interesting:
Right at the floor, directly in front of the passenger's seat is one of these doors. I can see what I believe to be the main fan thru it. But when I select anything but "Off" with knob 4, this door *closes*. I.e. anytime I turn anything on, the door shuts and I can no longer see the fan. Conversely, anytime I shut the unit off, this door opens.
Does this sound right? Thanks, and my apologies for the long winded description.
 

Last edited by Umby; 12-12-06 at 09:52 AM.
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Old 12-13-06, 11:19 AM
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I got a copy of how to remove the plenum (air box) from a local dealership. Unfortunately, it requires you to drop the steering column and remove the entire dash. I won't be doing that. I'll unfasten the passenger side, and pull it back until I have good visibility at the plenum. I believe my problem is a blend door that's stuck open. Is this door behind, inside, or outside of the plenum? On my '95 F150, which has a very similar climate control; when I switch from Normal A/C to Max A/C, I hear the fan kick up because an "outside air door" has closed (according to the owner's manual). Is this the same door?
 
 

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