Hey Guys and Gals,
It appears from many, many posts that a plastic sprocket drive gear is broken in most cases where the blend door does not m,ove any longer and there is a clicking sound. See this:
https://sites.google.com/site/blenddoorford/

Dorman has a replacement for $24 to $45 and OEM is $100 or so.

Sites like this one below will reverse engineer and make one for us. Before I get a quote, is anyone aware of someone else here finding a replacement 2 cent gear? If not, I bet it will cost some dough to have one custom made, but I am willing to put $$ into the venture if others can help me and thus save yoursels some cash later.

Reverse Engineering -- gears delrin gears plastic gears bevel gears spiral gears worm worm gears spur gears helical gears phenolic gears stainless steel gears cast iron gears steel gears miter gears metric gears hardened gears heat treat reverse engi

ps - It seems that the famous video around that shows a metal pin fixing the problem is actually only useful if that drive shaft strips. It seems to be far more common that the internal gear is stripped..

Any comments?

 

I probably need one on my 02. Are they the same?

 

spend the $40. and get the aftermarket part. Reverse
engineering is very labor intensive and $$$$$$$

 

Did you follow thru with this idea?
Might be able to make a few bucks on it.
I have had custom gears made for work.

 

No,
I tried to buy a replacement from Rockauto and found out that I have a Limited version of the Explorer and for 1996 there is nothing they have. I ordered the 1995 and the 1997 version and neither worked and I got back my money except for shipping. So I got mad, removed the blend motor, dremeled off the bottom of the vertical drive shaft, exposed the "X" pattern on the bottom of the blend door drive shaft and made a manual lever arm that attaches to the drive shaft and now I shut off the blower, move the shaft to heat or cold and lock the lever arm. So I now have a functioning A/C Heater system, but with manual operation. It heats and cools just fine. And all for the want of a 2 cent plastic gear.... well too late now, I threw the old blend motor out in the garbage.

 

xxxxxxxxxx

 

Hey all...having problem getting heat inside my 1995/96 Explorer Ltd... after doing some checking...I replaced actuator...(the thing that sits on top of heater core housing that controls air temperature mix).

I popped off old one and took it to parts store...bought new one and installed it...the problem is that when I plugged it in, the display on climate control went blank.

Does anyone know what's going on with this?

 

Ck for blown fuses . If good, then disconnect the battery for a bit and reconnect . Turn on the key and don't touch the climate controls . That will allow the controller to re boot . Good luck . I Know that works on Town cars and Crown vics/Mercs . I just put a blend door controller on my wife's 04 Mount. No problems there .

 

Hey thank you. I'll try that and post the results.

 

Well darn it. That didn't work. System came on but shut down after engine warmed up.

 

If you have auto temp , as I understand, you need to pull codes .If controller is shutting down ,there is a problem in the system or a bad controller .

 

One more thing. Did your controller shut down before you replaced the actuator ,or only after ? If only after ck your install for problems, pinched wires , incorrect actuator , ect.

 

'04 Explorer Heat Problem

Can anyone PLEASE help me? I've lost my heat (fan & dash direction controls working perfectly) and am getting a constant clicking when I turn up the Heat/AC ****. So, following everyone's advice, I've removed the upper & lower instrument/steering wheel panels, the "center instrument bezel", the stereo, and the whole center console: not too difficult, even for a mechanical freshman like me (at least I have a decent set of Craftsman & Allen wrenches).

I've got two of the factory 8mm screws off the "actuator blend motor" but I'm stumped trying to get at the other two: I already have a new Dorman replacement actuator motor (Advance Auto, bought today for $57.50 -- they had 3 in stock, saying "this is a common Explorer problem") but I'm having a heck of a time getting at the other two screws. I've also removed the metal bracket next to the gas pedal and I used a Dremel tool to remove enough of the bottom of the main dash panel to get this far: this turned out so neat I don't think anyone will ever even notice it down next to the gas pedal -- and I don't care at this point because I'm just a screw or two from being able to install the new Dorman motor.

Can anyone PLEASE tell me how to finish removing the remaining screw or two so I can replace that crappy Ford actuator motor? I've been on unemployment for over a year and the last thing I can afford right now is Ford's quote of "about $700" to fix this -- I'm ALMOST there, but cannot get the OEM actuator off!

Also, THANKS to all you folks for the advice I've used to get this far: I'm ALMOST there!

 

If like my 04 Mounty. bolted on the side of the box by gas peddle , it was a bit tight . I have an 8mm flex head ratchet wrench that I cut short for these type of situations . I used it and my 1/4 drive flex head ratchet . About an hours work . I do have small hands though .

 

I did have to take out my center console and rear air ductwork . . I think to get to the last bolt .