Blend Door & Cabin Air Filter

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Now that I have taken care of the LIM / UIM gaskets and I moving on to smaller (but still prevalent) issues with my 1998 Park Avenue. I am only getting cold air out of my passenger side vents and after doing some research I believe my first move will be to replace the blend door actuator motor. Does anybody know next steps I should take to tackle this? And should I replace the left or right blend door actuator motor? Also, I read another post of this forum that suggested replacing the cabin air filter at the same time because that may be a (small) part of the problem. Does that sound like the right idea?

Here are the parts I will likely buy to get this project done. Do they look right to you guys?

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=FIL4874_0066957347

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TEAADA126_0394128722

-or-

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TEAADA111_0394128723

Thanks again for all of your help, I am sure listening to your advice has already saved me well over a grand.

 

[Kevandkaye]

what year? I'm assuming 1997 up because of the style of HEPA filter you listed. If the filter is choked badly, it may effect the air flow, but most likely the blend door actuator is the culprit. You'll have to do some back bending acrobatics with the seat fully to the rear for the filter. I won't lie, it's a bitch! When you get the cover off (just to the right of the gas pedal), you'll need to slide the filter out in the interlocking sections one at a time, same in reverse.

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Good call Kevandkaye, my car is a 1998. That filter sounds like a great way to spend my day off. Just two more questions:
1) Should I replace the right or left blend door actuator?
2) What is the procedure for replacing whichever one I need to replace?

I really cannot postpone this project any longer, the temperature down here in South GA topped out at over 90 degrees yesterday... A/C is now a necessity.

 

[Kevandkaye]

Never having the need to have done this, I can only attempt to help on that one. I first would locate and expose the blend door actuator so you can see it first, then run the fan through all the motions and see if it is operating before taking it out. it has a square nut on the backside you should be able to see moving. Search for links on this without being year specific...... You should at least then know which is temp and which is blend side. Also a funny side note here... Mine was not working last year on my way to Florida, got pissed off, pulled into a rest area and yanked out the glove box. I found a travel napkin box was wedged behind the glove box (apparently since before I even owned the car) and was bowing the airbox in just enough to block the actuator's movement. Had a happy, cool trip after that!

http://www.ehow.com/how_7186039_replace-blend-door-actuator-buick.html

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Well I am glad you had an easy fix, especially on the road to FL. That would be a horrible trip to make with no A/C. So I just got done poking around under the dash. I yanked out all the pieces of the cabin air filter, it was absolutely disgusting. There was all kinds of leaves and dust coming out along with it. Hoping that the problem was simply a clogged filter, I tried running the A/C without the filter... no improvement. My next step was to gain visual access to both blend door actuators so I could watch the white screw move as I changed where the air blows. I did this and now am even more confused... neither of the white screws on the driver's or passenger's side moved when I changed to air flow or fan level. Does this mean there is some other electrical component bad somewhere? Or is it possible that BOTH blend door actuators are bad?

 

[Kevandkaye]

If you can get one out, easier one first, lay it free and see if it works on it's own. On my truck, the actuator for the defrost/vent/floor went bad. I took it out, let it hang, got nothing. When I removed it and opened it up, the board on the inside of it was smoked. hope it helps somewhat. Also, is there a fuse or relay to check? Is the display giving you positions, and working from top to bottom? I believe you said it was the passenger temp not working right? Maybe someone with more experience on troubleshooting them will chime in. You may be able to read resistance across the slider control for the passenger side and see if it's changing outputs....I just don't want to send you on a guessing venture!

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Okay, the driver's side blend door actuator looks easiest to remove so I will start there. I will look into the fuse box and see if any are blown or not completely connected. Also, the passenger side blows cold air and the driver's side blows lukewarm.

 

[Kevandkaye]

when you get it out, see if the door moves freely with no obstructions.

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Well I just got through replacing the passenger side blend door actuator. $140 and 3 hours later I still have the same problems.

 

[Kevandkaye]

If the actuators are the same numbers (lucky shot), swap the other one oput with the one you took out... have you done all the checks possible as far as the damper doors and controls working the actuators? Wish I could tell you more....

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

I just replaced the driver's side blend door actuator as well (due to some advice from a mechanic at my local Buick dealership). Still no A/C. Does the fact that I cannot control the air flow have anything to do with my issue? Air will only come out of the front facing vents no matter if I select windshield, front, or floor on my electronic control module under the radio.

 

[bigsky]

I just replaced the driver's side blend door actuator as well (due to some advice from a mechanic at my local Buick dealership). Still no A/C. Does the fact that I cannot control the air flow have anything to do with my issue? Air will only come out of the front facing vents no matter if I select windshield, front, or floor on my electronic control module under the radio.

The 97+ Parks have four actuators: the 2 air-mix (temp control), the mode actuator (directs the airflow...yours not working?)(located next to the driver air-mix actuator), and the air inlet actuator (provides outside/inside air to the blower).

But, maybe your "Heater and A/C Programmer" is bad? This is accessed through the glove box and controls the actuators. It is a small rectangular box, and behind it is the BCM-Body Control Module).

After the programmer is replaced, recalibrate the actuators by turning ON the ignition for three minutes.

Maybe can try turning off the car after turning off the HVAC. Disconnect the negative battery cable for a while...15 minutes?? Reconnect, turn on ignition and see if the system just needed a reset??

EDIT: Maybe the mode actuator is the culprit; from the manual: When temp is commanded full COOL, the mode door is held against the air entrance to the heater core (no heat transfer occurs). When the temp control is moved from full COOL, the air-mix doors allow air to flow through the heater core as commanded by the temp control. [paraphrased]

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Thanks for the info bigsky. I have been searching around on different auto part websites and cannot find a "mode actuator" anywhere. And I have also thought about the Heater and A/C programmer, the only reason I have yet to buy one is that the cheapest I could find was $240 from RockAuto.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raf...6848&partkey=85841&a=FRc1019876k85841-3652504

 

[bigsky]

Maybe could pull the Mode Actuator and look for a part number on it.

The parts list I have does not show or list the mode door actuator. There are different part numbers for the left and right air-mix, and air inlet actuator...but the mode actuator is not even in the picture of all the parts...??

Maybe it is the same part number as one of the others? The mode door actuator is just to the right of the driver air-mix actuator, and looks like it too...

There is a "sticky" thread in the LeSabre forum which shows the pictures, but does not list the part numbers.

 

[HotZ28]

Click Here for part number, price and description. BTW, any part numbers not listed, are no longer available from the main GM warehouse.

 

[crusin_in_the_bue]

Welp I believe number 51 is the mode door actuator that I am in search of... and of course it is no longer available from the GM warehouse. Maybe I should start hunting around some junkyards to see if I can find one on a donor PA.