AC panel door
AC panel door
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 570
Likes: 1
From: Austin Texas (area)
AC panel door
'81 F100 factory AC 6cyl
Looking to find out if there is a 'shortcut' to fix upper attachment part of panel door in the duct system. Shop manual has big/long procedure to remove plenum and then panel door, but I'm wondering if someone might have a better fix? I've tried looking from both sides in the duct, but even with a mirror, I can't tell just how/where the shaft comes attached to the upper part of the duct. Exploded view in the shop manual doesn't depict it. It does show something that looks like a hollow 'pin' that the shaft my plug into, but I don't know. When the door is activated, it closes ok, (meaning it directs air to the dash registers) but upon opening, it kinda 'leans' to the heater core side.....like the top isn't attached to anything. I don't think the hinge is broken, but again, I can't tell for sure. If someone has some experience on fixing this, I'd sure like to know it. Tearing apart the whole dash/duct, doesn't seem like much fun. I'm not adverse to doing some cutting or 'rube goldberg' fixes. Thanks!
Looking to find out if there is a 'shortcut' to fix upper attachment part of panel door in the duct system. Shop manual has big/long procedure to remove plenum and then panel door, but I'm wondering if someone might have a better fix? I've tried looking from both sides in the duct, but even with a mirror, I can't tell just how/where the shaft comes attached to the upper part of the duct. Exploded view in the shop manual doesn't depict it. It does show something that looks like a hollow 'pin' that the shaft my plug into, but I don't know. When the door is activated, it closes ok, (meaning it directs air to the dash registers) but upon opening, it kinda 'leans' to the heater core side.....like the top isn't attached to anything. I don't think the hinge is broken, but again, I can't tell for sure. If someone has some experience on fixing this, I'd sure like to know it. Tearing apart the whole dash/duct, doesn't seem like much fun. I'm not adverse to doing some cutting or 'rube goldberg' fixes. Thanks!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 570
Likes: 1
From: Austin Texas (area)
AC panel door
Well, now that I've gotten the thing apart I can see what happened. The panel door is attached to the lower plenum with a
plastic hinge. Each half of the hinge is attached to the other by plastic tabs.....similar to the way house doors were attached with strips of leather back in the olden days. There is no way to fix this 'hinge'. Over the years of open/closing it just wore itself out and the plastic tabs broke....what a cheap thing it is! All I can do is affix a stiff wire to the door and use it to seal off the register ducts. Depending on how I can do that, maybe I can figure a way to make a piano type hinge work. I tried finding any archives for this forum, but apparently they don't exist. I'm sure someone else has had this same problem in the past.....
plastic hinge. Each half of the hinge is attached to the other by plastic tabs.....similar to the way house doors were attached with strips of leather back in the olden days. There is no way to fix this 'hinge'. Over the years of open/closing it just wore itself out and the plastic tabs broke....what a cheap thing it is! All I can do is affix a stiff wire to the door and use it to seal off the register ducts. Depending on how I can do that, maybe I can figure a way to make a piano type hinge work. I tried finding any archives for this forum, but apparently they don't exist. I'm sure someone else has had this same problem in the past.....
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 570
Likes: 1
From: Austin Texas (area)
AC panel door
Local Ford parts dealer said they quit carrying this repair part....new door with hinge....back in 2001 and that it was used in later year trucks. They can't order it anymore, so I'm wondering if anyone knows of a place where these discontinued parts might still be available? I checked the motorhaven site, but nothing. Going through a recycle yard doesn't much appeal as a good source, since I'd have to 'harvest' it myself (hit/miss fashion) which isn't something I care to do. Getting at the one in my own truck isn't much fun in the first place and having to do the same thing in a junk yard.....nope! This repair part was available up until 2yrs ago, so there must be someplace that still carries it....seems like anyway. Help? Thanks
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
AC panel door
I just discovered yesterday that you can get to the blend door fairly easily by pulling the evaporator core from the engine compartment. I'm about to put a pic in this album that shows it.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 570
Likes: 1
From: Austin Texas (area)
AC panel door
**UPDATE** 19 Mar I found a company the specializes in buying out inventories of obsolete/outdated parts from Ford dealers(1950 to present). Luckily I have a Ford <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">shop manual</a> that has the old part numbers. Using that number I called the company and they had my panel door. Received it yesterday via UPS and its right. $15 for the door. Door has new hinge and sealer attached. Good company to do business with.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
AC panel door
It's much better to actually type the address and let it get censored out if that's what they want than to get around it like that. If it happens, you can still send it in a PM (I think) or an e-mail (for sure).
Let's see if it's still banned: http://www.GreenSalesCompany.com
***EDIT I guess not!
***
Let's see if it's still banned: http://www.GreenSalesCompany.com
***EDIT I guess not!
***
