"Bandit" (2bandit)
06/24/2020 at 19:08 • Filed to: crustang
4
36|
"Bandit" (2bandit)
06/24/2020 at 19:08 • Filed to: crustang | 4
| 36 |
Update: I’ve ordered a similar-ish vacuum actuator out of a modern Ford van and I should be able to modify it to fit. Time will tell.
On a drive yesterday I noticed I wasnt getting any air flow out of the center vents in my new mustang, figured it would be a simple issue like a disconnected vacuum line so I decided that would be the first thing I fix on the car. It was not simple. I tracked a vacuum leak to the heater/defrost door vacuum diaphragm which though you can easily touch it with the radio removed, you can’t service the part unless you remove the entire dashboard. That sucked so hard.
I got the part removed and it ended up being filled with seeds and nut shells, somewhere along the line a rodent must have lived in the car? Or things fell down the dash board? I dont know. Then I found out that Ford doesn’t make replacements, nobody does! I can’t find the part anywhere, not even used on ebay! So now I have the dashboard removed from my new car and no viable solutions to my problem.
Ugh.
I would like to commend this guy for his excellent guide on removing the dash
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
hillrat
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:31 |
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How is it even possible that you can’t get a part for a Mustang? Ford has sold literally millions of them.
Is a junkyard a viable option?
Tapas
> hillrat
06/24/2020 at 19:34 |
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So now another mustang d ashboard has to come apart? Y ikes
lone_liberal
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:35 |
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Good news! You get to practice removing the dash again and you get to do it in a junkyard! Huzzah!
Jim Spanfeller
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:38 |
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This reminds me of the time I had to fix a broken aluminum triangle that holds the wiper in place on my Thunderbird... some idiot broke it by using a hammer to put the wiper back on, and nobody makes a replacement part for it because, well, the only reason you’d ever have to replace it is because you’ve been a moron and hit the darn thing with a hammer. I ended up having to JB Weld it back together. I imagine it wasn’t nearly as hard as removing the dashboard, though, and I have no idea how you’d go about fixing that part on your own. You may just have to spend a day at the junkyard harvesting that piece from another car :/
facw
> Tapas
06/24/2020 at 19:44 |
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Yeah, but I assume it’s way easier to take apart if you aren’t worried about breaking fragile 20 year old plastic parts.
Urambo Tauro
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:54 |
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Ford calls that a “vacuum control motor”, but I don’t think that’s going to help you avoid a visit to the junkyard. Is there any hope of cleaning the old one out?
Also, wow that is a great guide you linked to ! I’m bookmarking that, just in case I ever have to pull mine apart.
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:58 |
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Few automotive experiences suck harder than removing the dashboard. I usually remove the front seats first...
Not even on eBay? How hard did you search? I don’t think eBay has ever failed me in that regard.
M.T. Blake
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:58 |
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Can you repair the part?
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> hillrat
06/24/2020 at 19:58 |
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At least he wouldn’t have to be careful about extracting the replacement.
CompactLuxuryFan
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 19:59 |
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Hmm not even a dealer could get a hold of one? Looks like a pretty generic part that would have been shared between a bunch of Ford models, no? I googled “Ford vacuum control motor” and quickly came upon this: https://www.ebay.com/i/222813064578?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=222813064578&targetid=915852593453&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031961&poi=&campaignid=9343999104&mkgroupid=96003384673&rlsatarget=pla-915852593453&abcId=1139336&merchantid=101645468&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiqeo8NOb6gIVkYbACh2rcQbFEAQYAiABEgIIrfD_BwE
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> CompactLuxuryFan
06/24/2020 at 20:01 |
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> lone_liberal
06/24/2020 at 20:01 |
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But he doesn’t have to be careful.
Just Jeepin'
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/24/2020 at 20:03 |
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Once again, Jeep ownership to the rescue. Dash removal is a cinch.
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Bandit
> CompactLuxuryFan
06/24/2020 at 20:15 |
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Yeah that one and the one for the Ford Grenada are the closest matches I found. I ordered a similar-ish part off a newer ford van that it looks like I can modify to fit.
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Bandit
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/24/2020 at 20:16 |
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Closest I can find is for the 70s Ford Granada https://www.ebay.com/i/372447599015?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3D7c0585ae80bd4e6fb2281087b25ca56f%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D9%26rkt%3D30%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D222813064578%26itm%3D372447599015%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2386202%26algv%3DDefault I bought a similar-ish part for a modern ford van on amazon, hoping I can modify it to fit.
You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 20:25 |
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Seeing that is already broken, maybe you can fix the one that was full of seeds? Worst case scenario, it still doesn’t work after you try to fix it, best case it does work.
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Bandit
> You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
06/24/2020 at 20:30 |
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Tried to, sadly there’s a hole in the rubber diaphragm on the inside of the part
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You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 20:31 |
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Try a bike tire patch kit, or maybe even rubber cement and a bike tube.
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lone_liberal
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/24/2020 at 20:48 |
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Junkyard etiquette would be to be as careful as is reasonable, but yeah, he can break shit this time.
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> lone_liberal
06/24/2020 at 21:15 |
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That just may be the most patently absurd statement I have ever read on this board... The etiquette part...
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 21:17 |
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Well, I wish you the best of luck on that. I'm definitely no expert on the subject of Ford vacuum motors.
jeepoftheseus
> Just Jeepin'
06/24/2020 at 21:42 |
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Whoa whoa whoa now... I have removed the dash to replace a leaking heater core twice so far this year in my TJ. The second replacement has also failed and I am planning to remove the dash for the THIRD time for this bs in the next week or so. It’s not terrible but it is still a solid six hour job with practice and the dash is made up of brittle sun exposed plastics that are old enough to legally buy alcohol . They don’t make OEM copper heater cores for early TJs anymore and a warranty on a $40 part is useless when it takes the better part of a day to replace it.
Whew, I’m sorry that it all came out that way but dammit did I need to vent. Thank you Oppo and OP I feel your pain. Try an aftermarket AC kit company and give them a call to see if they have an actuator that meets the specs. Also, heavy equipment AC retrofit companies may have an option.
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Just Jeepin'
> jeepoftheseus
06/24/2020 at 21:44 |
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I suppose I haven’t removed my dash in its entirety, but I’ve had most panels off within a few minutes. I’ll just have to hope I never have to remove the rest.
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jeepoftheseus
> Just Jeepin'
06/24/2020 at 21:54 |
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Again, I must apologize for my rant but it sure did feel good to type it out. You are right, most of the panels can be removed with a screwdriver in a minute or two. Removing the whole dash “chassis” to get at the HVAC box is not exactly difficult but it most certainly an exercise in patience and organization. Thank heavens for forums and for garage fridges filled with beer.
I cannot imagine the PIA is has to be in a vehicle that you can’t just pull the doors off of and stand up in (with the roof off) to pop the whole thing off of the firewall.
If your LJR is your forever vehicle then buy an OEM copper heater core, if available, and put it on the shelf until the time comes.
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Just Jeepin'
> jeepoftheseus
06/24/2020 at 21:55 |
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At this point I think it depends on whether I can get a reliable transmission. It’s not much fun to drive right now.
dumpsterfire!
> Bandit
06/24/2020 at 23:18 |
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I feel your pain- I pulled the dash on my 94 mustang to cut into the airbox from the rear to replace the heater core (alternative approach where the A.C. doesn't have to be disconnected). Not a lot of fun
pip bip - choose Corrour
> Bandit
06/25/2020 at 05:38 |
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get the part number from Ford and see if it fits other models perhaps?
MonkeePuzzle
> Bandit
06/25/2020 at 09:29 |
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looks like good 22nd day of used car ownership to me! you never know how dirty a used car is until you strip it down some and really get in there with a shop vac
MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> Bandit
06/25/2020 at 10:13 |
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Looks very similar to the ones in my 85 Jaguar. Which I became familiar with when replacing the heater core last fall.
Tripper
> Bandit
06/25/2020 at 10:17 |
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Wow what a fuckass thing to have to do to get to that little guy!
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jeepoftheseus
> Just Jeepin'
06/25/2020 at 11:01 |
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I’m sorry to hear that it is still giving you issues. I once heard that the reason we Jeep drivers wave to one another is out of the pure excitement we have for ourselves and one another that both of ours are running and driving at the same time.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> jeepoftheseus
06/25/2020 at 11:14 |
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“They don’t make OEM copper heater cores for early TJs anymore”
You sure about that? I found these:
https://www.radiatorexpress.com/Product/heater%20core/jeep/1999/wrangler/base/40l-l6/222957/1431777
https://www.radiatorexpress.com/product/heater%20core/jeep/1997/tj/sahara/40l-l6/222957/1441725
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jeepoftheseus
> Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
06/25/2020 at 11:26 |
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Ferris Bueller you’re my hero!
Each time that I have looked everywhere was out of stock. I have not ordered from them before, have you?
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Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> jeepoftheseus
06/25/2020 at 12:14 |
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I’ve never owned a Jeep, so I can’t say I have.
RacinBob
> Bandit
06/27/2020 at 11:15 |
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Man - I would snap up that ebay motor in a heartbeat and weld or glue and bolt that longer arm on from the present actuator in a second!
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RacinBob
> Bandit
06/27/2020 at 11:17 |
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PS - you could always install an old fashioned choke cable to actuate it and call it good.......
Or better yet just have it open all the time......