That is a nice balmy day where I come from. If it makes you feel any better, I am going through the blend door fix and have no heat in the cab...Tomorrow's low is -22F :-)

dame man i feel sorry for you!!!
but no better for me...........

macattack671,

I was thinking about your issue this morning as I was driving to work in a nice toasty cab. Got my "nail fix" working last night.

Is it at all possible that the blend door got stuck in the heat position and then someone (like your brother that you got the truck from) fiddled with it, removed the actuater motor and simply left it out?

First of all, just looking through the glove box opening, do you see any little black plastic pegs protruding from the top of the plenum? If so, go back to post #5 (cgallen) of this thread and look at Fig 2. Take a dentist's mirror and look at the top of the plenum for what you see in Fig 2. You're basically looking for a hole into the plenum that is for the blend door movement. Also, do you have a plastic electrical connector staring right at you? If so, that is where your actuater motor is supposed to plug into.

If you can't find the actuater motor, I'm thinking it's been removed on you. If you know what it looks like due to all the generous pics on this website, you should be able to easily see it. Granted, I have a '98, so I don't truly know what you have/don't have.

I got my "blend door fix" working last night, hell yeah!

Thanks for the incredible help those have provided on this (and other threads). I think though cgallen's post (#5 on this thread) is as valuable as the "blend door fix" instructions themselves.

His post (through his diagrams) really illustrates the intent of what you are trying to accomplish and why it is possible that the fix may not work for you the first time. If you believe you still have the blend door attached don't give up just yet.

The first time I tried the fix, it didn't work, but what was interesting was that the small amount of heat I had before actually disappeared on me. This was actually my "pink elephant" because I was able to determine that in fact the door was at least still attached (and not laying broken off at the bottom of the plenum).

Once I determined that the door is still attached, it became just a puzzle from that point on.

What was a little confusing to me in the original "blend door fix" article was the image that was shown in step #5 . After having re-read the article I now get it, but it wasn't the most obvious for me at the time. The image shown was actually as it looks through the dentist's mirror, not way it actually sits (because everything is reversed in the mirror). I actually interpreted that image to be exactly the way mine looked because I was treating it as though I was looking straight down on it, not through a dentist's mirror.

In other words, my situation was such that the blend door was actually stuck in the "full cold" position, not the "full hot" position. The instructions that I followed to move the dial to "full heat" prior to un-plugging the actuator motor was actually the reverse of what I really should have done.

When drawing it out on paper (at my kitchen table) the way the hole actually sits (not viewing it through a mirror), I was able to place the actuator motor on top of the paper and see EXACTLY why it did not work the first time and why subsequent efforts would not work either (I did actually try the nail "diagonally" through the actuator pin as well).

So, when looking at how it needed to be positioned on paper (and holding the actuater motor overtop of the paper), I could see EXACTLY how the nail REALLY needed to be inserted. It actually needed to go through the actuator pin PERPENDICULAR to the way it had been installed in the instructions. It was either do that, or try to actually completely move the blend door manually by hand (through the hole for it) to the "full hot" position to synchonize my situation with what the instructions showed.

If anyone is having the same problems, I really suggest reading over cgallen's #5 post. It was his custom diagrams that really spelled it out for me...Thanks CGALLEN!!!

test
 

thanks for you help. but that's not it. from what i have read and Seen something is very different with my truck than the 2003 i was in at junkyard.
what i have and am having trouble with is a 1994 ford ranger 2.3l 4 cylinder.
but what i want to do now is "test how to post pic's here". here is the pic i took with my cell phone of the 2003 ford ranger i was in. and if this works right. i will post it again this weekend with a high diff digital pic of my truck plenum, so everyone can see the difference.
for now i just wanna warm up from work and try any theories this weekend.
thanks again for the help people


ps. cant get picture to show up,like i need this to worry about to...:-X09

It looks like the '94 Ranger actually uses a cable to adjust the blend door (that is probably why you don't see an actuator motor.
1994 Ford Ranger No heat

I would seriously suggest picking up a Haynes manual for like $20. For me personally, it is virtually useless because it covers 1993-2000 and I always find that the pictures and descriptions are way off because I think they based it off of one of the earlier years. For you however, you will find a number of goodies that really do apply quite nicely...

For my blend door fix, I didn't bother looking in it because I knew it would be useless for me. For you on the other hand, it looks like it could be gold...

A little help (I would assume these instructions imply that you still actually have a blend door intact):

Heater Control Cables - Check and Adjustment

Check
1. Move the control lever or turn the control knob all the way from left to right.
2. If the control lever or control knob stops before the end and bounces back, the cables are out of adjustment.

Adjustment
3. Squeeze the tabs on either side of the glove box door to disengage it, then let the door hang down to provide access to the control cables.
4. Working through the glove box opening, remove the cable jacket from its metal attaching clip on top of the heater assembly. The cable ends should remain attached to the door cams and/or crank arms at this time.
5. To adjust the temperature control cable, set the temperature lever or knob to the Cool position and hold it there.
6. Push gently on the black cable jacket to seat the blend door (push until you feel resistance).
7. Reinstall the cable to the clip by pushing the jacket into the clip from the top until it snaps in.
8. To adjust the function control cable, set the function control lever or knob to Defrost and hold it there.
9. Pull on the white cam jacket until the cam travel stops.
10. Reinstall the cable to the clip by pushing the jacket into the clip from the top until it snaps in.
11. Run the system on High and actuate the levers, checking for proper operation. Readjust if necessary.
12. Install the glove box door.

Good job Paraaronoid! Hope this helps macattack. Glad to see you fixed yours!

so that is the blend door that my temp control lever controls? i appreciate your help bro,but that's what I've been saying all along.i always have the Haynes book with every vehicle I've owned(even though for heat it doesn't get tec. enough)and the cables are fine. but that's why I'm stumped....what the _ _ _ _ it could be??????i don't think the ac should have anything to do with it? and the water pump's working. I've always thought a water pump ether works or doesn't work. man I'm just at a loss
and was hoping like hell i might find an answer here.
but i am very grateful of the time you have all taken so far to try and help.....

wont let me...... delete

the help i got
 

hey everybody,
i went out and got a dc/ac converter to use to plug my small heater into my cig. lighter
that should at least keep me nice and toasty, in the mornings.
hate to say it. but I'm just going to give up on what ever is wrong with my heater.
I'm selling my ford ranger 2.4L XLT. for $1,500.00....any taker's????????

PS. thanks "98range" & "paraaronoid" for all your help. may god bless you and your's
"keep it between the line's, and alway's check your rearview".........:-partybud

Check this out! ...


Fixed my blend door with a staple remover! - Ranger Power Sports Forum

Hey all -

I purchased the new blend door from Oreilly's auto parts. $10.99. I have the old blend door out and it was broken where it meshes up with the blend door acuator.

My question is will the new door be able to have enough play to pop the bottom pivot in? I can feel the top part op blend door in the top hole with one hand while trying to get bottom pivot in place. I dont want to break off bottom pivot. Do I need to be more forceful while trying to get the blend door in? Thanks for all the help in advance.

wiring diagram for harness of blend door actuator
 

I'm looking for the wiring diagram for a 98 ranger for the blend door actuator, I believe someone has replaced this harness at one point in time and believe its wired wrong I do know the positive and the negative wires but need to know the rest of the wiring. if anyone know where i can find this diagram it would be of great help.

Thank you in advance,

Kevin

Did the nail fix this morning. Took me 30 minutes and part of an old 1/16" drill bit. Used a couple of drops of Cyanoacrylate glue from my RC airplane hobby shop. Works like a champ. I once again have full control of my heat and air. Don't have to use Max air for cooling either. Thanks for saving me $1000.00 plus. Great fix

I can't take credit for any of the fixes or workarounds that exist regarding the Ranger blend door. All I do is pass along information that other people have provided.

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear you fixed it. :-X22