Blend Door Actuator

mlschultz

Registered
Picked The Mark up from Aric's today, and the daggum blend door is not working :( I dropped the glove box, and moved the gray arm down, and I now have heat, but I am not looking forward to replacing that blend door motor. This is the second time this has happened. The first time was when I first purchased the car back in 2002, and the dealer replaced it for me.

I thought I read somewhere, that Jamie can get this done in like an hour or so, and I went searching through the archives to find some instructions.

All I was able to find was a comment he made that said you remove the dash bolts, center console, message display screen, and pull the passenger side of the dash out far enough to r&r the blend door actuator then put it all back together. Is it that easy? I have gone through Alexander's write-up. But, if I don't have to go through all those steps, it would make my day :)

Oh Jamie, am I missing anything? If anyone would like to give some words of advice, I am all ears. :)
 
mike i replied to your post on the other site, take a weekend ride to fl i will change it for you in 80 minutes for 100 bucks. i'll never do a blend door for someone for 100 bucks but you have bought from me plenty in the past, i'll hook you up! you can even go through my stash and see if there is anything you need, plus i'd like to have bragging rights by saying i went for a ride in your car!!!!
 
That is a very tempting offer, Jamie. :) But I first want to see if I can get it done here in the ATL. I am planning to go to my time share in Orlando sometime in late June, so if I have not finished it by then, I definitely will be giving you a call. :)
 
It's one of those things that the first time seems overwhelming...
(kinda like removing the intake) :D

I'd say it's a 2+ hour job, there are more pull tabs then nuts and bolts. The radio and I'm pretty sure the climate control don't need to be removed, just the wood around them, and yes the center console needs to be pulled, but that is I think only 4 bolts and it's outta there...

Good luck if you pull it! :D

:D -J
 
mike let me know when you tackle it, i am just curious, with my instructions i gave you, how fast it takes you. i know i have done this many times so it nothing for me now, but my fastest blend door change was 80 minutes.
 
ok I removed the center console a couple minutes ago, and decided to call it a day, and fire up the tv and watch the movie 2012, and have a few beers. Back at it in the am. :)
 
While you guys are on the subject, I'm in the middle of doing the blend door....... and I am pissed. I finally got the broken one out, but the shaft from the old actuator won't come out of the hole;-( Plus, I don't know how you guys do this without putting a fist thru the wall. This is a MAJOR pain, the top left screw was very difficult to remove. I've pulled the right side of the dash out about 5 inches, can it go more? Any help would be appreciated, I'm calling it quits for the day.
 
you can go more but pull gently. the arm will come out just pull, it has like a plastic barb on it, kinda like how a fish hook works. its already broken so you cant make it worse, just pull it out!
 
If you have the tip of the plastic arm stuck there, screw in a drywall screw into it and pull it out. It happened to me in the past. The thing is drilled thru so it's not that big of a deal.

In fact, I have to do one of those today as well. Oh joy ;)
 
Just wait Jamie, all that youth and enthusiasm is going to give way to aches and pains, blended with a bigger beer thirst too!!
 
Just wait Jamie, all that youth and enthusiasm is going to give way to aches and pains, blended with a bigger beer thirst too!!

Man, ain't that the truth! :eek:

With all the snow we've had this season, I literally gave up shoveling - my back just refuses to co-operate anymore. Today I tried shoveling the last remaining pile up next to the Town Car and had to quit half way through and get a beer. LOL :D

Back on topic... with all the faults of a Gen1, I'm truly glad I don't have a Gen2 and have to go through the blend door experience. :eek:
 
youth? thats been gone for a long time, aches and pains? i dont remember what its like to live WITHOUT them! i may not be as old as some of you in age, but i gaurantee i am older than alot of you physically. my hands, back and knees are already destroyed so i am already on the band wagon with some of you. i have been very abusive to myself for the last 12 or so years and i already know in another 10 years i am gonna be sorry.
 
youth? thats been gone for a long time, ...

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All I can say is, awesome instructions, Jamie! :) The job took like 4 hours total, going really super slow, and was not bad at all. I know it could be done in a couple hours the next time around. I highly advise taking the message center display out to get at the top left screw, having a deep well 15mm socket, and those handy dandy gear wrenches nearby. One of those small motorized screw driver's that can adapt to accept sockets will help too. :)

The blend door actuator that broke had the slip on style black arm that cracked, and the one put in the car had the one permanently attached to the motor. I did the reinforcement mod on the new blend door motor, so if anything, I hope the grey arm is now the weak link.

I want to thank my buddies Jamie and Cal. They both helped me with expert experience and instruction, and also to Cal for spending his Saturday morning wrenching on The Mark with me. You guys inspired me to take on this project, and I appreciate your involvement! Without you two guy's in my corner, this project could have turned ugly very quick. :)
 
thanks mike, glad the car is fixed and specially the fact that you saved a ton of cash doing it yourself!!! whats next mr. mechanically inclined?
 
Guys, finally got the old one out and the new one in. I agree that removing the message display center was a big help. Not sure I could have done it any other way. Oh yeah, the dry wall screw worked great to get the old shaft out of the hole. Thanks to all you guys for your help, this forum is awesome! Now, on to the steering colum replacement........
 
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