I doubt anyone will read this comment but another common issue is the vacuum lines that you can see running from the passenger side near the firewall in the engine compartment, I know in my case those lines were crumbling to pieces on a 2000 Ford F-150 and this was in combination with the actuator door issue so hopefully if anybody reads this they can also check those vacuum lines.
I’ve been watching several videos on fixing this issue as well so I’m hoping to be able to inspect my truck in the morning. If it is the hoses by the firewall what hose would I order to replace it? I saw a different video where they use a T of some sort to fix if but didn’t give a name or link to finding a part. Thanks in advance
Dude, your comment got me to relook at my 2002 Ford F150 and I found a small broken vacuum tube and repaired it and voila, AC blower air is coming thru the front vents again. This is after I had a number of mechanics tell me it was an actuator problem and hundreds of dollars to repair. So thanks for your comment!
@@faniaandaya5571 the vacuum lines or the tubing is definitely not a hard to get item and any of the auto parts stores near you will definitely have what you would need to replace any lines that may have broken with age like mine did. The plastic T that you may have seen I think is a piece that splits the line off to another area and seems to only be on the F150s that have 4 wheel drive. I would definitely recommend to go down and talk to someone at o'reilly's or any auto parts store and they will be able to not only gets you the vacuum line tubing and connectors but they should be able to show you exactly where the vacuum lines go through the firewall right near the battery
Dude, the fact that you immediately said 97-03 are all the same just made you leap frog every other chanel in knowledge. Everyone goes on and on and might mention a vital piece of info like 15 min in. That info has a broski searching all around for a specific video when you just hit the nail on the head. I haven't event watched the whole video yet, but now I can't wait. Thx braw!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
The blend door that you want is Dorman part# 902-220. It has the metal base that sits on the actuator and is considered the permanent fix. I like what you did only making two cuts. Glad I caught your video, Thanks!
I tried this today and it worked 100%. My truck was stuck throwing either or but today I followed your steps and by the end I had my AC working like brand new. Thank you for your in depth videos not just in this repair but in electrical applications as well. Best of wishes and keep up the good work
I have a 2002 F150 XL, V6. My heat has not worked for two years. I followed your very helpful video on inspecting my blend door. My door also worked properly, ruling this out as being my problem. The next thing I did was disconnect my heater hoses from the engine, I hooked a water hose up to one hose and ran water through the heater core discharging the water on the ground. I then hooked the water hose to the other heater hose and ran water through in the other direction, alternated this process a couple of times, reconnected heater hoses, topped off coolant level, started truck, turned heat on, when engine warmed up I had nice hot air blowing out of the vents. I hope this helps someone stay warm.
My Son's 2002 f150 5.4, we made the cut, inspected blend door all good there,new blend door actuator, new thermostat and coolant flush, heater core flushed, proper coolant level, burped in case of air in the system, flow restrictor removed from inlet heater hose, both heater hoses hot and near the same temp where going into the firewall. Heat is medium warm when set all the way on hot, it used to get hot but doesn't now but it will get warmer with higher engine RPM, could it be that the water pump impeller is worn down and not circulating the coolant like it should? anyone? Thanks
@@dddddd2100 hey dude that flow restrictor slows that water down so it stays warmer when it's in the system put that back in there or just deal with the cooler air
@@dddddd2100 Heater cores are the cooling system filter. If car manufacturers were serious about reliability, they would install filters or at least screens before the heater core and before the radiator. But as designed, every particle of rust or RTV or gasket fragments that can get into the cooling system will plug the heater core and the radiator. Backflush the heater core - coolant goes in from the water pump side and out the intake manifold side. Disconnect the heater hoses from the engine and using a water hose, run water in a reverse flow to force out the particles plugging your core. Alternate flow direction a few times to loosen the particles that are have been stuck hard in the core for years.
@bheckart We have the exact same truck. I have 199k on her. Same issue. No heat for 3 yrs bc I didn't wanna deal with dash. I'm trying his fix and yours. I'll keep it posted and would love to discuss other repairs you may have done. I just did a head gasket... Whew!
@@davidstewart1470what was your problem. I haven't had heat for 2 years. Flushed the system. All my controls work too control which way air flow's from vents floor etc ... But still no heat. I haven't cracked open the dash yet, and really don't want to. I can see the actuator working. Just doesn't blow hot air?? Any help would be great
Solid video. Nice to see younger men actually fixing shit not just complaining or making stupid tic toc videos. Keep up the good work great vid once again !
@@cking4giveness337 yes. Unfortunately for a lot of these people they won’t understand that even if you wanted to cut through there, it likely won’t come out. You will need to pull the dash away for it to come completely out just like the heater core. The way the blend door and the backing piece to the blend door are seated against the heater core, it just doesn’t allow for them to come out so easily. You have to remove the top of that black box for it to come freely
thanks, thought it was heater core, but discovered heat will blow as hot as it's suppose to if put on 4 upper(ac) vents, you saved me tons of time, cash, and cussing and throwing tools.
I have been avoiding fixing my heat because I don't want to take my dash apart. I'm glad I came across your video and will be attempting this. But I'm going to check that motor first! I will give an update after I have finished my repair.
Saved me some money. Found that my blend door and actuator work and I was gonna change the door. Turns out it’s my heater core. Atleast I found The problem first instead of dumping unnecessary money into it
In trucks that age and model, issues can also stem from a bad head unit, which would not let my air change from defrost to vent 100$ from Amazon, it can also be a heater core blockage which was my case the second time I had issues, which was a costly fix because it couldnt be blown out, and now this issue which is an awesome find to be able to get to it without the dash removal! Good job!
Thanks Ben I've seen lots of ways to do this ,your way was simple, I have heat it's just when I turn the knob to max heat it starts popping and it drives me nuts, I'm headed to the homedepot. For a dremel and will attempt to get rid of that popping and your explanation was on point easy to follow you word for word again thanks 👍
before doing this, makes sure both sides of the hoses going to the heater core are both hot. This would mean no blockage and is easy to test. They are above the #4 cylinder going into the firewall
Did this on my 98 f150. Works great. If u ever did a heater core in one of these u will appreciate this hack whether u took apart the whole dash or u pulled the dash back as a unit.
Very helpful video.. I have had NO heat because everyone wanted $1,200 and up for repair. I have been using a small heater that plugs into the cig lighter outlet.
After cutting the door where I could see everything was working great I decided to ordered a heater core it has not arrived. I will post the results this week.
Awesome advice man. I tapped on the outer black housing down low that covers that motor and heard the motor kick in and operate the door. Maybe faulty connector or linkage in that area is dirty. Thanks again!!
looked a t a bunch of different vids about this this is by far the most sensible, best explained and filmed version. Great lighting and explanation. Going to go work on this now. Excellent job buddy
Awesome video man glad I found it. Having issues with my heat where I'm getting none but ac is doing great. Are you able to check the core from there as well?
Great instructions and got to the door, but the door wasn't broken. The actuator didn't budge either. My best guess is the door was stuck, or could be a faulty actuator. I will replace the actuator just because. Anyway, great video and AC is blowing cold again!
Im to late to help this poster. But once you had the core exposed, using a digital laser thermometer makes it easier to identify plugged areas of any radiator type core. Just find the cold spots on the core. Where there's no coolant flowing through its not as hot. You can use the palm of your hand in a pinch.
Hi hardhead, maybe you can help steer me.. My 2004 Ford Van just sat for 2 weeks while on vaca. Before blend worked np. Got back, it started right up, but no blend or AC at all. Only Defrost heat works fine (at idle and under load, any situation really), just won't blend. Thought maybe blew the blend/AC fuse (15amp #13 on the panel) but nope.. not sure where to start. Thinking something is just sticking.. any help or point in the right direction greatly appreciated.. Thanks
check the vacuum lines under the hood near the firewall where it goes into the cab. The A/C is designed to default to defrost mode whenever you have a vacuum leak. (especially when the throttle is applied/hill etc.) It may also be a cracked vacuum canister located behind the battery. There is a good video on YT about the very same vacuum lines I speak about. I know that the "non-electrical" mode selector works the HVAC on these trucks. @@127Lasher
Mines not producing Cold air. Compressor is always cycling, no AC leaks, has freon, and even on 60, the air is always burning hot. Has to be this. Thanks for the video
Its amazing how the designers make these things so mechs have to do so much work just to get at things for bigger profits. Its like buying cheap printers but they bend you over when it runs out of ink!
Two questions have you flushed your heater core? And do your vent functions work? I.e. panel, floor, defrost? I had the same issue along with the air function being stuck on defrost. Flushing the heater core and following the fill/burp(purging air) procedure fixed my lack of heat and replacing the orings on the digital climate control panel fixed the defrost only! Hope you figured this issue out.
Hey Jimmy, any ideas on the defrost only problem with a none digital system? (2004) Truck sat for 2 weeks, was working fine before, started right up, but won't blend or AC now.. replaced blend fuse, but nothing.. assuming something is just stuck, but who knows.. thanks for any info
Thought this was my problem but realized my radiator cap is pushing out coolant and it over heats a bit, so I now know I got air bubbles in there would need to try to leak out the air and see if I still don’t have heat then it’ll be this.
Hi Ben, Very well done instructional video; easy to follow and understand! I have a slightly different issue: My heat and air work but hardly come out of the vents. I had this issue when the truck was a little over 1 year old. Dealership said the 'vent door was rusted & stuck closed'. If it's the same issue again, how do I un-stick vent door? Thanks Ben, looking forward to your instructions.
its a completely plastic door it can't rust closed unless the motor goes bad, more then likely the cheap plastic tab on the bottom of the door that goes into the motor broke off, its a bad design they never recalled and made a fix for so we have to deal with fixing it.
Great Idea--I thought of doing what you did but did know exactly where to make the cut on the ventilation box. this was a great help. I do have a question. with respect to the heater core---which line in the engine compartment is the water flow in and which is the flow out. Is the passenger side heater core pipe the flow-in or flow -out? Keep making the video's.
If your standing at the front of the truck looking at the heater hose on the right side under hood is input . obviously left is output.so best way to flush out heatercore is torun water thru output draining out input hose (back flushing)
Most generally heater cores have two size hoses, the smaller diameter one should be the out flow... it's been a general design like that for many vehicles.
BEN LIKE YOU THANKS FOR SHARING YOU-were helpful { an aspect i wasn't thinking about} was doing a traditional heater rpl though i did connect some to watch the blend door move thanks
Thanks for the video !!! I just change my blend actuator switch and is the same they mix tha air hot and cold so I working on it but thanks again I think I got it
I couldn't find the link anywhere for the tool you used for cutting on this page can you post the link you referred to in this video on this comment please and thank you btw great video!
First 30° morning of the year, have been switching from heat in morning and ac in evenings for the last month. Today everything frosted over I go out start truck adjust to heat, floor & defrost. Click pop click pop click pop sound in the cab. Switching to off position didn’t stop it! Is this the blend door? My truck is very low mileage and in fairly great condition I hate like hell to cut into the heater box if it’s the motor actuator part? Any thoughts?
My 2010 Has those cold symptoms. It’s nice to know the American manufacture still doesn’t care enough about us to fix any of their problems on newer models
I have a 2003 F150 lariat that is stuck only able to use defrost evand when you kick Max air conditioner it will only come out of the defrost. I took it to one shop and they said it needed a new control head which is $500. Do you have any good suggestions.
so i have an 03 f150 and i guess the heating coil or core went out also was leaking ant freeze or something and stunk really bad did a bypass just for now can i replace the healing thing this way or?
Nice! I changed my heater core a couple years ago, and my heat just quit working and again. I'll get it semi warm when I'm moving, but it'll slowly turn cold. Temp guage is solid, so I'm thinking this door is my issue
@@BenjaminSahlstrom Has your cooling system been opened? If there is air in the system, weak heat is usually the first suspect. To bleed air air out, turn the heat on full hot, then warm the truck up with the pressure cap off. squeeze the upper radiator hose and you'll see air bubbles come out. give it a few more squeezes and more comes out. Repeat till no more air comes out. Now add more coolant untill it's at the correct level. Heat should be nice and toasty now.
By the way... what ended up being the problem with it? That away if the blend door or blend door motor isn't my issue either, I'll know what to look at next?
Excellent video. Not sure if this is what's going on, so any info would be helpful. My 2004 Ford Van just sat for 2 weeks while on vaca. It worked perfectly before I left. Got back, it started right up, but heat won't blend and AC won't turn on. Getting normal good heat from defrost only. Anyone have any ideas? Guessing something is sticking from the truck sitting for a couple weeks.. Thanks again for any help or info.!
Thanks buddy, 👍friend of mine has a problem with his 2001 f150. And it sounds pretty much that kind of problem, because it gets heat normally in front. Radiator has been cleaned up thermostat works well, and the blows a lot cold air, but non heat...I believe its going to be very helpful 👍 thanks for the video 👍
Would I be able to completely remove the blend door using this method and be able to get to the heater core without removing the dashboard I've got a 97 and the heater core recently went out and I really don't feel like taking the dashboard off.
Believe it or not.. there is 2 guys in N. Carolina that can drop the dash and install a new heater core, put the dash back in..in 45 minutes. They have a video on here. Took me 2 days lol. A pain in the ass. Btw I replaced the blend door with the upgraded one while I had it apart.
yeah its not that hard to get the dash out and do what you need to do its just a bit time consuming but my got you need a 7mm and 8mm a panel popper and a flat head screw driver its not like its some kind of crazy hard thing to do. make the time do the job right.
My new actuator keeps clicking non stop. Idk why. It’s a hassle to remove the actuator with the new updated metal blend door bc it add an extra 1/2”to the shaft and it won’t allow the actuator to drop. I’m probably going to cut a section out the vent if I have to take it out. I’m not removing the dash a 3rd time
My truck throws hot air as if coming off engine block no matter what temp setting i dial it to. Additionally, ac settings also blow same temp air. No engine temp abnormalities, spikes or fluctuations. Related?
My 2003 f150 heat just doesn't get warm,truck engine temp good Thought core dirty but water is clean.Someone suggested put a hotter thermostat.Any help appreciated.All vent changing functions seem to work accurately.
Honestly I have the same issue. Truck comes up to temperature fine (195 degrees) but I am not getting good heat out of the heater core. Seems like it might be a plugged heater core but I have not tried to flush it yet. What did you do to yours in order to try flushing it out? Hope you get it figured out! I'll post an update video if I get mine fixed.
Back flush the heater core, get both hoses off the core and put a funnel in the output hose and a long hose from the input on it and down to a pan. Hot water, and some detergent, or cleaner.
I need to know what is the tool I should use to cut this opening behind the glove box? I don't want to cut too deep and hit something..any advise from someone who has already made this cut with no problems is appreciated...Thanks
To answer my own question, we used this oscillating tool today to cut the access for the blend door and it worked fine, did a nice clean cut. did the cut the same way Ben did in his video.
Hi Ben,I don't know how to message you but I was hoping you could help me. My 2006 f150 a.c. just stopped working. I have no idea why but I do notice that the air recirculation button will not turn off when on max a.c.. The air recirculation button works on all other modes but the max a.c.. The air coming out of vents of max ac is actually warm. If I switch knob to coolest setting and not on a.c. it actually is cooler. Please help if you could...thank you Ben
So when the part works are we supoose to hear it. Mine i dont hear anything. The actulator i dont hear it mive.. then ac clutch was engaging on and off every 30 seconds idk if its suppose to do that but i pulled the relay and still blowing cold air.
You're my hero ha ha, I just replaced my heater core and I wasn't getting the heat I used to. Thanks for the informative video, now I can inspect that blend door better. Thanks
@@casebarreoltt5990 I don't think so amigo. The hole method is good for cleaning what you can, but it wouldn't give you the room to remove heater core. Its not too bad of a job to remove it, just take your time and keep track of the fastners.
Excellent explanation of this repair. Ford should have not had this design to begin with. Just have air flowing through both and evap and heater core at all times without the door. Just put a vacuum controlled valve on the coolant pipe to the heater core to regulate the flow and heat. Also build the dash to allow for heater core and evap replacement by removing only the glove box and not having to cut anything. Engineering should have talked to technicians.
What was your issue if you don’t mind me asking. I have almost no heat in the winter and it’s getting ready to be winter again so I’d like to have an idea of what to look at next. Any help would be appreciated.
@@katiechristine3880 no you can’t I had to replace my heater core last summer taking the dash off to have full access now me being a idiot didn’t replace my blend door with that fancy metal dorman one
Mine's stuck mostly closed, got great heat but it's stuck on defrost. (Mine doesn't run on vacuum so no leak being an issue.) It's either the actuator or pigtail connection. I'll just replace both. Truck almost 19 yrs old. Wouldn't be unheard of with either one failing at this point. Either way, whatever one crapped out, I can guarantee the other is not far behind lol
although there's an electric actuator there are still vacuum lines under the hood near the battery box by the fire wall that can develop a leak and cause the heater to default to defrost. I have not seen this but have seen a youtube video showing it.
I doubt anyone will read this comment but another common issue is the vacuum lines that you can see running from the passenger side near the firewall in the engine compartment, I know in my case those lines were crumbling to pieces on a 2000 Ford F-150 and this was in combination with the actuator door issue so hopefully if anybody reads this they can also check those vacuum lines.
I’ve been watching several videos on fixing this issue as well so I’m hoping to be able to inspect my truck in the morning. If it is the hoses by the firewall what hose would I order to replace it? I saw a different video where they use a T of some sort to fix if but didn’t give a name or link to finding a part. Thanks in advance
Dude, your comment got me to relook at my 2002 Ford F150 and I found a small broken vacuum tube and repaired it and voila, AC blower air is coming thru the front vents again. This is after I had a number of mechanics tell me it was an actuator problem and hundreds of dollars to repair. So thanks for your comment!
@@johnplauche8139 right on! That's awesome brother, very cool that my comment was able to help
@@faniaandaya5571 the vacuum lines or the tubing is definitely not a hard to get item and any of the auto parts stores near you will definitely have what you would need to replace any lines that may have broken with age like mine did. The plastic T that you may have seen I think is a piece that splits the line off to another area and seems to only be on the F150s that have 4 wheel drive. I would definitely recommend to go down and talk to someone at o'reilly's or any auto parts store and they will be able to not only gets you the vacuum line tubing and connectors but they should be able to show you exactly where the vacuum lines go through the firewall right near the battery
@@AllGoodOutsideHow to you access the vacuum line that goes through the firewall?
Dude, the fact that you immediately said 97-03 are all the same just made you leap frog every other chanel in knowledge. Everyone goes on and on and might mention a vital piece of info like 15 min in. That info has a broski searching all around for a specific video when you just hit the nail on the head. I haven't event watched the whole video yet, but now I can't wait. Thx braw!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
True, yeah he did a huge favor
@@brandiveh
L
The blend door that you want is Dorman part# 902-220. It has the metal base that sits on the actuator and is considered the permanent fix. I like what you did only making two cuts. Glad I caught your video, Thanks!
Awesome camera angles and step by step directions
I tried this today and it worked 100%. My truck was stuck throwing either or but today I followed your steps and by the end I had my AC working like brand new. Thank you for your in depth videos not just in this repair but in electrical applications as well. Best of wishes and keep up the good work
Did you have to uninstall the actuator to get the door installed?
I have a 2002 F150 XL, V6. My heat has not worked for two years. I followed your very helpful video on inspecting my blend door. My door also worked properly, ruling this out as being my problem. The next thing I did was disconnect my heater hoses from the engine, I hooked a water hose up to one hose and ran water through the heater core discharging the water on the ground. I then hooked the water hose to the other heater hose and ran water through in the other direction, alternated this process a couple of times, reconnected heater hoses, topped off coolant level, started truck, turned heat on, when engine warmed up I had nice hot air blowing out of the vents. I hope this helps someone stay warm.
My Son's 2002 f150 5.4, we made the cut, inspected blend door all good there,new blend door actuator, new thermostat and coolant flush, heater core flushed, proper coolant level, burped in case of air in the system, flow restrictor removed from inlet heater hose, both heater hoses hot and near the same temp where going into the firewall. Heat is medium warm when set all the way on hot, it used to get hot but doesn't now but it will get warmer with higher engine RPM, could it be that the water pump impeller is worn down and not circulating the coolant like it should? anyone? Thanks
@@dddddd2100 hey dude that flow restrictor slows that water down so it stays warmer when it's in the system put that back in there or just deal with the cooler air
@@dddddd2100 Heater cores are the cooling system filter. If car manufacturers were serious about reliability, they would install filters or at least screens before the heater core and before the radiator. But as designed, every particle of rust or RTV or gasket fragments that can get into the cooling system will plug the heater core and the radiator. Backflush the heater core - coolant goes in from the water pump side and out the intake manifold side. Disconnect the heater hoses from the engine and using a water hose, run water in a reverse flow to force out the particles plugging your core. Alternate flow direction a few times to loosen the particles that are have been stuck hard in the core for years.
@bheckart We have the exact same truck. I have 199k on her. Same issue. No heat for 3 yrs bc I didn't wanna deal with dash. I'm trying his fix and yours. I'll keep it posted and would love to discuss other repairs you may have done. I just did a head gasket... Whew!
@@davidstewart1470what was your problem. I haven't had heat for 2 years. Flushed the system. All my controls work too control which way air flow's from vents floor etc ... But still no heat. I haven't cracked open the dash yet, and really don't want to. I can see the actuator working. Just doesn't blow hot air?? Any help would be great
Solid video. Nice to see younger men actually fixing shit not just complaining or making stupid tic toc videos. Keep up the good work great vid once again !
This man is an absolute genius! I only wish I had watched this video before taking the dash out to replace my heater core.
For heater core Dash has to come out , blend door is different story.
For him to be so young, he has put the season guy to shame.
@@cking4giveness337 yes. Unfortunately for a lot of these people they won’t understand that even if you wanted to cut through there, it likely won’t come out. You will need to pull the dash away for it to come completely out just like the heater core. The way the blend door and the backing piece to the blend door are seated against the heater core, it just doesn’t allow for them to come out so easily. You have to remove the top of that black box for it to come freely
Thanks so much! As a girl, I do alot of fixing myself and use youtube tutorials to do so.
You helped me so much to do this easily
thanks, thought it was heater core, but discovered heat will blow as hot as it's suppose to if put on 4 upper(ac) vents, you saved me tons of time, cash, and cussing and throwing tools.
Thank you. I'm educating myself after paying way too much for labor and unnecessary parts. AC didn't work.
So here I am 😊
I have been avoiding fixing my heat because I don't want to take my dash apart. I'm glad I came across your video and will be attempting this. But I'm going to check that motor first! I will give an update after I have finished my repair.
Saved me some money. Found that my blend door and actuator work and I was gonna change the door. Turns out it’s my heater core. Atleast I found
The problem first instead of dumping unnecessary money into it
In trucks that age and model, issues can also stem from a bad head unit, which would not let my air change from defrost to vent 100$ from Amazon, it can also be a heater core blockage which was my case the second time I had issues, which was a costly fix because it couldnt be blown out, and now this issue which is an awesome find to be able to get to it without the dash removal! Good job!
Great job on explaining the fix. You were concise and to the point!!!!!! No jibber jabber talk.
Great video! Im a boat mechanic.This save a lot of heartache!
Thanks Ben I've seen lots of ways to do this ,your way was simple, I have heat it's just when I turn the knob to max heat it starts popping and it drives me nuts, I'm headed to the homedepot. For a dremel and will attempt to get rid of that popping and your explanation was on point easy to follow you word for word again thanks 👍
before doing this, makes sure both sides of the hoses going to the heater core are both hot. This would mean no blockage and is easy to test. They are above the #4 cylinder going into the firewall
great video btw, the two cuts and removing the bolt is genius
Did this on my 98 f150. Works great. If u ever did a heater core in one of these u will appreciate this hack whether u took apart the whole dash or u pulled the dash back as a unit.
Well done kid and very well done strait to the point and dead on point and extremely well explained pls keep on with more man your a natural 👊😎🤘
Very helpful video.. I have had NO heat because everyone wanted $1,200 and up for repair. I have been using a small heater that plugs into the cig lighter outlet.
Glad it was helpful! What was the problem in the end?
After cutting the door where I could see everything was working great I decided to ordered a heater core it has not arrived. I will post the results this week.
@@BenjaminSahlstrom Heater Core.
How is that little heater?
@@prentisgoodwin848 did the heater core fix the problem?
saved people tons of cash that the dealer would charge. good job
Great video for doing it yourself. Thank you. Seeing the door opening and closing was excellent.😊
Son's truck is 2000 having AC problem. Was told it was that door. You just saved me a ton. Thank you
Awesome advice man. I tapped on the outer black housing down low that covers that motor and heard the motor kick in and operate the door. Maybe faulty connector or linkage in that area is dirty. Thanks again!!
looked a t a bunch of different vids about this this is by far the most sensible, best explained and filmed version. Great lighting and explanation. Going to go work on this now. Excellent job buddy
Thank you and I hope your project goes great!
Awesome video man glad I found it. Having issues with my heat where I'm getting none but ac is doing great. Are you able to check the core from there as well?
Manufacturer should watch this.
Great instructions and got to the door, but the door wasn't broken. The actuator didn't budge either. My best guess is the door was stuck, or could be a faulty actuator. I will replace the actuator just because. Anyway, great video and AC is blowing cold again!
Im to late to help this poster.
But once you had the core exposed, using a digital laser thermometer makes it easier to identify plugged areas of any radiator type core.
Just find the cold spots on the core.
Where there's no coolant flowing through its not as hot. You can use the palm of your hand in a pinch.
Hi hardhead, maybe you can help steer me.. My 2004 Ford Van just sat for 2 weeks while on vaca. Before blend worked np. Got back, it started right up, but no blend or AC at all. Only Defrost heat works fine (at idle and under load, any situation really), just won't blend. Thought maybe blew the blend/AC fuse (15amp #13 on the panel) but nope.. not sure where to start. Thinking something is just sticking.. any help or point in the right direction greatly appreciated.. Thanks
check the vacuum lines under the hood near the firewall where it goes into the cab. The A/C is designed to default to defrost mode whenever you have a vacuum leak. (especially when the throttle is applied/hill etc.) It may also be a cracked vacuum canister located behind the battery. There is a good video on YT about the very same vacuum lines I speak about. I know that the "non-electrical" mode selector works the HVAC on these trucks. @@127Lasher
Thanks!
Dude you are a genius! .. Worked like a charm.... Thanks a MILLION!!!!!!
Good most vids show cutting it in half cutting like you show much better in case have change heater core thanks best video yet on this A+++
Man you just saved me 400.00 in labor cost God Bless Your Life
Mines not producing Cold air. Compressor is always cycling, no AC leaks, has freon, and even on 60, the air is always burning hot. Has to be this. Thanks for the video
Scott Skinner did your ac work afterwards?
Saved my ass thanks so much man, those cuts were not in vain haha
Looking for an easy way to replace my heater core in my 1999 F250. You got any suggestions?
Its amazing how the designers make these things so mechs have to do so much work just to get at things for bigger profits. Its like buying cheap printers but they bend you over when it runs out of ink!
Can I change out the heater core through this access panel
Great job! Just what I was looking for to try and solve the problem with my truck! I will come back again when necessary.
Thanks for your well demonstrated video trying to help neighbor with his 08 will see if it is similar.
Glad to help!
Good one Ben. So, you're more than a do-it-yourself electrician (I've seen some of your wiring videos). Good tip on repairing that door.
Your awesome Dude! I’m gonna go fix my heat!
Appreciate this video because I almost took apart my whole dash just for some heat!!!🤦👍
Two questions have you flushed your heater core? And do your vent functions work? I.e. panel, floor, defrost? I had the same issue along with the air function being stuck on defrost. Flushing the heater core and following the fill/burp(purging air) procedure fixed my lack of heat and replacing the orings on the digital climate control panel fixed the defrost only! Hope you figured this issue out.
Hey Jimmy, any ideas on the defrost only problem with a none digital system? (2004)
Truck sat for 2 weeks, was working fine before, started right up, but won't blend or AC now.. replaced blend fuse, but nothing.. assuming something is just stuck, but who knows.. thanks for any info
Thought this was my problem but realized my radiator cap is pushing out coolant and it over heats a bit, so I now know I got air bubbles in there would need to try to leak out the air and see if I still don’t have heat then it’ll be this.
Almost certain this will fix my issue. Great vid thanks for posting.
What is involved in reinstalling a new door? If you have a video please share. Thank you
Can i replace the heater core making a hole on dashboard with out pulling out the halle dashboard
Hi Ben, Very well done instructional video; easy to follow and understand!
I have a slightly different issue: My heat and air work but hardly come out of the vents. I had this issue when the truck was a little over 1 year old. Dealership said the 'vent door was rusted & stuck closed'. If it's the same issue again, how do I un-stick vent door?
Thanks Ben, looking forward to your instructions.
its a completely plastic door it can't rust closed unless the motor goes bad, more then likely the cheap plastic tab on the bottom of the door that goes into the motor broke off, its a bad design they never recalled and made a fix for so we have to deal with fixing it.
Check your blower motor and blower motor resistor.
Great Idea--I thought of doing what you did but did know exactly where to make the cut on the ventilation box. this was a great help. I do have a question. with respect to the heater core---which line in the engine compartment is the water flow in and which is the flow out. Is the passenger side heater core pipe the flow-in or flow -out? Keep making the video's.
If your standing at the front of the truck looking at the heater hose on the right side under hood is input . obviously left is output.so best way to flush out heatercore is torun water thru output draining out input hose (back flushing)
Most generally heater cores have two size hoses, the smaller diameter one should be the out flow... it's been a general design like that for many vehicles.
Does cutting out the black plastic like this give you enough room to clean the ac evaporator? Or can you cut it out bigger, more to the right? Thanks
BEN LIKE YOU THANKS FOR SHARING YOU-were helpful { an aspect i wasn't thinking about} was doing a traditional heater rpl though i did connect some to watch the blend door move thanks
Thanks for the video !!! I just change my blend actuator switch and is the same they mix tha air hot and cold so I working on it but thanks again I think I got it
I couldn't find the link anywhere for the tool you used for cutting on this page can you post the link you referred to in this video on this comment please and thank you btw great video!
It is called a plunge cutter. $20. at Harbor freight.
It worked pretty good 👍. Thank you.
I'm restoring an 83 f150. Is the fuzzy foam supposed to turn to sand if I barely touch it lol? Or is it supposed to be a spongy material?
First 30° morning of the year, have been switching from heat in morning and ac in evenings for the last month. Today everything frosted over I go out start truck adjust to heat, floor & defrost. Click pop click pop click pop sound in the cab. Switching to off position didn’t stop it! Is this the blend door? My truck is very low mileage and in fairly great condition I hate like hell to cut into the heater box if it’s the motor actuator part? Any thoughts?
My 2010 Has those cold symptoms. It’s nice to know the American manufacture still doesn’t care enough about us to fix any of their problems on newer models
Very good job explaining the solution. Thanks. This will save me a lot of time and money.
I have a 2003 F150 lariat that is stuck only able to use defrost evand when you kick Max air conditioner it will only come out of the defrost.
I took it to one shop and they said it needed a new control head which is $500.
Do you have any good suggestions.
Nice job mine I have to put the air ac full blast and it doesn’t seem to cool the cabin enough
Good luck! It's not super fun project but you'll get it I'm sure.
so i have an 03 f150 and i guess the heating coil or core went out also was leaking ant freeze or something and stunk really bad did a bypass just for now can i replace the healing thing this way or?
Good idea, I have a 2007 Ranger that needs a new door. I see where it hinges on the bottom of the plenum. Have you done any of these? Thx.
Nice! I changed my heater core a couple years ago, and my heat just quit working and again. I'll get it semi warm when I'm moving, but it'll slowly turn cold. Temp guage is solid, so I'm thinking this door is my issue
Was it the blend door or something else? I still am having low heat output and the blend door works fine. So weird. Let me know what fixed your issue!
@@BenjaminSahlstrom Has your cooling system been opened? If there is air in the system, weak heat is usually the first suspect. To bleed air air out, turn the heat on full hot, then warm the truck up with the pressure cap off. squeeze the upper radiator hose and you'll see air bubbles come out. give it a few more squeezes and more comes out. Repeat till no more air comes out. Now add more coolant untill it's at the correct level. Heat should be nice and toasty now.
@@tsherwoodrzero I am going to try that for sure.
By the way... what ended up being the problem with it? That away if the blend door or blend door motor isn't my issue either, I'll know what to look at next?
Thanks man you save me a lots of money
Excellent video. Not sure if this is what's going on, so any info would be helpful. My 2004 Ford Van just sat for 2 weeks while on vaca. It worked perfectly before I left. Got back, it started right up, but heat won't blend and AC won't turn on. Getting normal good heat from defrost only. Anyone have any ideas? Guessing something is sticking from the truck sitting for a couple weeks.. Thanks again for any help or info.!
Btw, also checked and replaced blend door/AC 15amp (#13 on panel) fuse per owners manual, and wasn't it
Thanks buddy, 👍friend of mine has a problem with his 2001 f150. And it sounds pretty much that kind of problem, because it gets heat normally in front. Radiator has been cleaned up thermostat works well, and the blows a lot cold air, but non heat...I believe its going to be very helpful 👍 thanks for the video 👍
Hi, can you replace the heater core using your sequence ?
Would I be able to completely remove the blend door using this method and be able to get to the heater core without removing the dashboard I've got a 97 and the heater core recently went out and I really don't feel like taking the dashboard off.
Good job, young man!
Believe it or not.. there is 2 guys in N. Carolina that can drop the dash and install a new heater core, put the dash back in..in 45 minutes. They have a video on here. Took me 2 days lol. A pain in the ass. Btw I replaced the blend door with the upgraded one while I had it apart.
Yeah I heard of those guys too! Very impressive.
what do they charge and where can i contact them?
Where they at so they can do mine
yeah its not that hard to get the dash out and do what you need to do its just a bit time consuming but my got you need a 7mm and 8mm a panel popper and a flat head screw driver its not like its some kind of crazy hard thing to do. make the time do the job right.
My new actuator keeps clicking non stop. Idk why. It’s a hassle to remove the actuator with the new updated metal blend door bc it add an extra 1/2”to the shaft and it won’t allow the actuator to drop. I’m probably going to cut a section out the vent if I have to take it out. I’m not removing the dash a 3rd time
My truck throws hot air as if coming off engine block no matter what temp setting i dial it to. Additionally, ac settings also blow same temp air. No engine temp abnormalities, spikes or fluctuations.
Related?
Blend door actuator located below the dash In center of the transmission hump. You’ll have to remove duct in order to swap out
Nice video thanks I’m go try on my truck mine only blows cold on bottom
My 2003 f150 heat just doesn't get warm,truck engine temp good Thought core dirty but water is clean.Someone suggested put a hotter thermostat.Any help appreciated.All vent changing functions seem to work accurately.
Honestly I have the same issue. Truck comes up to temperature fine (195 degrees) but I am not getting good heat out of the heater core. Seems like it might be a plugged heater core but I have not tried to flush it yet. What did you do to yours in order to try flushing it out? Hope you get it figured out! I'll post an update video if I get mine fixed.
Back flush the heater core, get both hoses off the core and put a funnel in the output hose and a long hose from the input on it and down to a pan. Hot water, and some detergent, or cleaner.
Ty. That looks like what my problem is on my fordf150 truck I'm going to try it. 👍👍
Is there only the one actuator or also one for the passenger and driver side?
Just one below dash and in the center of transmission hump
😊👍very good video thank you for your time and experience 🙏😊👍
Could the heater core be replaced by cutting that hole the way you did it? Would there be enough room to get it out and put the new one in?
Thanks man
Unfortunately no. You have to pull the dash. There are some good videos about it.
Put a new accuator in today. Blend door still hung up. Climate control unit? Blend door will turn without the accuator connected. Any ideas.
I need to know what is the tool I should use to cut this opening behind the glove box? I don't want to cut too deep and hit something..any advise from someone who has already made this cut with no problems is appreciated...Thanks
Anyone use this tool for this job? www.harborfreight.com/variable-speed-oscillating-multi-tool-63113.html
To answer my own question, we used this oscillating tool today to cut the access for the blend door and it worked fine, did a nice clean cut. did the cut the same way Ben did in his video.
Did you have to remove the actuator to replace the door, or is there enough space to slip the new door in?
Hi Ben,I don't know how to message you but I was hoping you could help me. My 2006 f150 a.c. just stopped working. I have no idea why but I do notice that the air recirculation button will not turn off when on max a.c.. The air recirculation button works on all other modes but the max a.c.. The air coming out of vents of max ac is actually warm. If I switch knob to coolest setting and not on a.c. it actually is cooler. Please help if you could...thank you Ben
So when the part works are we supoose to hear it. Mine i dont hear anything. The actulator i dont hear it mive.. then ac clutch was engaging on and off every 30 seconds idk if its suppose to do that but i pulled the relay and still blowing cold air.
I did upload a video also
I did upload a video.. i did attempt ur trick but got injured 😅
Very precise , short. Great info .
You're my hero ha ha, I just replaced my heater core and I wasn't getting the heat I used to. Thanks for the informative video, now I can inspect that blend door better. Thanks
I need to replace my core. do you think the hole cutting trick would allow access to remove and replace the heater core?
@@casebarreoltt5990 I don't think so amigo. The hole method is good for cleaning what you can, but it wouldn't give you the room to remove heater core. Its not too bad of a job to remove it, just take your time and keep track of the fastners.
Do you have the link to the blend door?
Excellent explanation of this repair. Ford should have not had this design to begin with. Just have air flowing through both and evap and heater core at all times without the door. Just put a vacuum controlled valve on the coolant pipe to the heater core to regulate the flow and heat. Also build the dash to allow for heater core and evap replacement by removing only the glove box and not having to cut anything. Engineering should have talked to technicians.
What was your issue if you don’t mind me asking. I have almost no heat in the winter and it’s getting ready to be winter again so I’d like to have an idea of what to look at next. Any help would be appreciated.
Quick question, could you replace the heater core using this method?
We're u able to get a reply for this?
@@katiechristine3880 no you can’t I had to replace my heater core last summer taking the dash off to have full access now me being a idiot didn’t replace my blend door with that fancy metal dorman one
Wow, nice video! Thanks for making this
Mine's stuck mostly closed, got great heat but it's stuck on defrost. (Mine doesn't run on vacuum so no leak being an issue.) It's either the actuator or pigtail connection. I'll just replace both. Truck almost 19 yrs old. Wouldn't be unheard of with either one failing at this point. Either way, whatever one crapped out, I can guarantee the other is not far behind lol
although there's an electric actuator there are still vacuum lines under the hood near the battery box by the fire wall that can develop a leak and cause the heater to default to defrost. I have not seen this but have seen a youtube video showing it.
Nice truck heat fix
That make sense why my heat start workin after I bang on the dash and then 1hr later it stopped working again. now I know what to do to fix it lol
Question can you change it to the old style to the dummy 3 climate or no that's impossible?
What is the kit for the blend door?
Gotta love it, thanks BK .So.Pines N.C.
Did you use a reciprocating saw to make the cut through?
Use a Feintool tool. (Plung saw)
Awesome video!!👍👍👍👍
You are a -NATURAL- at making how-to- videos !!...thank you soo much!..ill be watching your new ones.👌