Heater core replaced, flapper door problems
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From: South Carolina
Heater core replaced, flapper door problems
Okay, after replacing the heater core, I don't have any defrosters. The only place I have air flow is through the vents. No matter where the selector switch is. With the heater core cover removed I can see the flapper door that controls the air flow between vent and defrost. When looking inside, I can see what appears to be a broken edge back by the mtr attaching point. It looks like a plastic flexible hinge that has broken. Not a pivot rod where the door would be attached. My door is free floating. When the selector switch is in the vent position the vacuum motor pulls on it, it will close the flow off to the defrosters. But when I switch to defrosters, and the vac mtr pushes on the door, it looks like it's not hinged. It moves about half way and stops. In my feeble mind it needs to be hinged...right? Any help???
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Barnesville, Minnesota
I have the same exact problem my vent works but when I switch to the heater nothing happens. I think its doing the same for the air conditioning I hear the pump turn on but there is no cold air. I hope sombody has some info. Here is a link I found a little helpful. Havent got to try it yet.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ghlight=heater
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ghlight=heater
Last edited by bryanswens; Sep 15, 2006 at 12:44 AM.
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Wow, this must be a common issue. I'm tackling the same thing on my truck tomorrow. I have boo-koo air (a/c, warm) thru the dash vents, but can't get anything to come out of the defrost or floor vents. I had planned on pretty much taking the whole dash apart. I'll advise if I come up with something useful
Dave
Dave
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Ah well, I figured as much and had planned for this anyways. Hopefully after I take it all apart, I can make it work again or find a replacement
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Eureka, KS
I had to do this on an 84 Chevy p/u I had. The piece that bolted to the flapper that the arm hooked to was broke. Of course you could never find that part anywhere.
Hopefully it's just something simple.
Hopefully it's just something simple.
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From: Puyallup, WA
Originally Posted by MSC
Okay, after replacing the heater core, I don't have any defrosters. The only place I have air flow is through the vents. No matter where the selector switch is. With the heater core cover removed I can see the flapper door that controls the air flow between vent and defrost. When looking inside, I can see what appears to be a broken edge back by the mtr attaching point. It looks like a plastic flexible hinge that has broken. Not a pivot rod where the door would be attached. My door is free floating. When the selector switch is in the vent position the vacuum motor pulls on it, it will close the flow off to the defrosters. But when I switch to defrosters, and the vac mtr pushes on the door, it looks like it's not hinged. It moves about half way and stops. In my feeble mind it needs to be hinged...right? Any help???
You do not have to take the whole dash apart to replace this flapper, but it is more involved than the heater core which is simple on these trucks.
David
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Hey all,
I'm not trying to hijack the thread, just attempting to be helpful.lol. Anyways, I loosened the dash on the LH side, and I took a few pieces of the ducting off and now have a clear view of the broken hinged flapper door. It has two screws but also a couple of rivets holding the old plastic hinge on. I'm going to use a couple of small hinges and rivet them on to the flapper door and the housing to see if this will work. The flapper door only needs to move about 45 degrees to make a diversion.
I also took the opportunity to vacuum out the ductwork and came up with spare change (enough for a mcd's double cheeseburger) some nuts and screws, a lighter, a house key and key ring, plus lots of leaves and other unknown gunk. I'm sure this would cause a system not to work well, as it would block the doors from closing fully and sealing.
If the hinge idea works, I'll post an update
Dave S
I'm not trying to hijack the thread, just attempting to be helpful.lol. Anyways, I loosened the dash on the LH side, and I took a few pieces of the ducting off and now have a clear view of the broken hinged flapper door. It has two screws but also a couple of rivets holding the old plastic hinge on. I'm going to use a couple of small hinges and rivet them on to the flapper door and the housing to see if this will work. The flapper door only needs to move about 45 degrees to make a diversion.
I also took the opportunity to vacuum out the ductwork and came up with spare change (enough for a mcd's double cheeseburger) some nuts and screws, a lighter, a house key and key ring, plus lots of leaves and other unknown gunk. I'm sure this would cause a system not to work well, as it would block the doors from closing fully and sealing.
If the hinge idea works, I'll post an update
Dave S
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Joined: Feb 2006
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OK, done with it. The hinge idea "works" but if you want to do it right, get the correct part. I now have full defrost which was my main concern. Its a two person job to drill holes in the flapper door 'cuz the dash will be in the way. I only took the left hand side apart. Rivets won't work because they cause a bind at the hinge point. Anyways, for a temporary fix, I'm happy with it
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