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Thread: Blend door actuator replacement write-up

  1. #1
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    Blend door actuator replacement write-up

    Here's my experience. Hopefully someone finds it useful!

    This job was not nearly as bad as I had made it in my mind after reading many threads, and seeing pictures of Marauders torn apart. It took me a couple hours, but most of that time was spent a) getting the screws out of the actuator, mainly the back screw, and b) getting the passenger side vent ducting back in.

    Here's a quick rundown of the steps I took:

    -Moved passenger seat all the way back (attempt this before disconnecting battery, hehe)

    -Disconnected battery

    -Removed glove box. Two screws

    -Removed dashboard trim. Comes up from the side of the dash in between where the door and dash meet. Just unsnaps all the way across. I unplugged the clock and set it aside. You can also unplug the rear defrost control if you want to get it competely out of the way.

    -Remove the passenger side vent which now has its one screw exposed.

    -Remove airbag. Four screws total: Two under the dash, two on the front of the dash. It comes out easily after you pop out the white trim christmas trees that are holding the wiring harness in place. Unplug and set aside.

    -Remove the two screws from the back side of the a/c ducting. You may have to lay in a really awkward position to get to the screws (this is where moving the seat back comes in handy). Now pull that ducting away from the vent opening.

    -Take note of the white harness christmas tree plugged into the vent. There are several of these throughout this procedure. Just pull them out. I found it easier to use a door trim tool to remove the two that were holding the airbag harness in place. Yank hard on the ducting closest to the center of the dash. You will have to really jank on it to make it come away. Remove this piece and set aside.

    -I also unplugged the ECU harness because they were getting in my way later in this procedure, so you can do this now. Just move them aside so you have more room to work

    -Pull the weatherstripping up from the passenger side door sill, and just peel it up enough to remove the kick panel, and windshield pillar trim. All Also pop the door sill piece out.

    -Pop up the piece of dashboard trim that runs along the front of the dash just under the windshield. It's held in with clips and can be popped out with your fingers. Start from the passenger side edge of it. There is one harness connected to this piece that you will have to unplug in order to completely remove the trim piece from the car.

    -Remove the three screws that the previous step has revealed: One center, one left, one right. These help secure the dashboard to the body.

    -Remove the larger bolt that removing the kick panel has removed. It is on a stud with a tab that's connected to the dashboard, part of what holds the dashboard in.

    -I placed the shifter down in first (so chalk your wheels when you do this)

    -Pull gauge cluster away from dash, no need to disconnect

    -Pull on the dash from the bottom, just enough to move it back away from the windshield a an inch or two. The way I did it was to pull it out enough that the tab that was bolted onto the stud is now sitting on top of said stud, so in effect the stud is holding the dash out a bit. Just enough room to allow you to access the rearmost actuator screw.


    Ok.. you're ready to remove the actuator.

    -Remove the harness that is plugged into it. Do not bother using a ratchet for the screws. It will only fit on the frontmost screw. Use a ratcheting wrench that is reversable, and has an angled head on it.

    -I should note that my actuator was only held in with three screws. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've read on other forums that theirs were also held in with only three screws.

    -The screw closest to the windshield is the biggest pain. I had to cut away some of the insulation to make it easier to access. I used a razor blade to do this. YMMV, but this allowed me access. It took forever to get this one out. The ratchet was able to be moved enough to just click once, so it took a lot of turns.

    -The other screw that is closest to the dash was the other one that mine had installed. The one missing a screw was the one deepest and hardest to reach, so I am really glad it wasnt included.

    -Your screws are out, now remove the actuator. Check your blend door movement with the small rod to ensure it is moving freely, and that you are dealing with an actuator problem and not a heater box/blend door itself problem.

    -I replaced my actuator with only two screws: The one that is the most exposed, and the one closest to the rear of the dash (directly behind the radio) - I dont think it would have been worth it to get that third screw installed closest to the windshield, and honestly it takes so little effort to turn the blend door that only having two screws provides sufficient leverage for the unit to operate. YMMV. If you are not comfortable reinstalling only two screws, then attempt reinstall your third screw.

    -You can probably power on the car right now to test everything, but I put mine back together before testing.

    The re-assembly is just a reverse of the above. The only tip I have to offer is that when you are reconnecting the ducting, you may have to use your foot to push the ducting back onto the center airbox piece that it connects to. This step is where I did the most cussing. It will take some finaggling to make it go, but I got it and there are no problems.

    Sorry for the lack of pics. I wanted to get in and out and get this done, so I didn't take any, except for one during the middle of the procedure.

    Hope this helps someone! Don't let this job intimidate you. It's really not THAT bad. Again, a ratcheting wrench is a must unless you just enjoy punching yourself in the balls.



    Last edited by ReefBlueCoupe; 10-12-2010 at 12:47 PM.
    Black 03 Marauder
    93 Reef Blue Mustang LX Coupe - LQ9/T56 Swap underway

  2. #2
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    Good write-up. I always hear that changing the acuators are a huge PITA.

    2003
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  3. #3
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    Nice work!

    I hope I don't have to do it myself - I'm getting too old for under the dash contortions!
    My recovery time for that stuff is like three or four days!! LOL

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackened300a View Post
    Good write-up. I always hear that changing the acuators are a huge PITA.
    Me too. It's why I wanted to do it this long (failed in May or June) I almost paid a friend (trim guy at local Ford dealer) $100 to do it because I can't stand stuff that pisses me off, and this job looked like it would.

    It doesn't really require any special mechanical skill, just patience.

    Quote Originally Posted by Krytin View Post
    Nice work!

    I hope I don't have to do it myself - I'm getting too old for under the dash contortions!
    My recovery time for that stuff is like three or four days!! LOL
    I'm 30, and my neck is still sore!
    Black 03 Marauder
    93 Reef Blue Mustang LX Coupe - LQ9/T56 Swap underway

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by ReefBlueCoupe View Post
    you just enjoy punching yourself in the balls.


    IBCBT

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zack View Post


    IBCBT
    ^^lol!^^

    good write up, have to save this one in case


    ~But, it makes it a lot easier when he is manscaped.~ Haggis
    ~Cool, I can have one of those strangulation orgasms without the strangle.
    WIN WIN!~ Zack
    ~Who needs to stop? I just wanna gooooooooooo ~ -Matt-

  7. #7
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    Im working on this now

  8. #8
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    Yes, definately a job where you have to sit back and take some breaths and be patient. If you lose the calm = turns into PITA.

    I took an old Taiwaneze socket (have a drawerfull of cheap/freebies for making custom tools) and ground 4 flats on it. Slipped the socket over the BDA & on the screw with left hand then used open end wrench and slowly turned socket 1 flat at a time with wrench in right hand while holding socket in place with left hand. Was wishing I had one of the ratchet wrenches with the short sockets that slide in them for this job - oh, well made do with what was available! Thanks to FBM & his diagnosis over PM and a few hours mine was fixed in March. Hope it is a 1 time need!

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
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    Delivered 9/19/2002
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  9. #9
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    Do you gotta take the radio out aswel??? Cause im kinda stuck here????

  10. #10
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    Where is this blend door located??

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by airjordan2k8 View Post
    Do you gotta take the radio out aswel??? Cause im kinda stuck here????
    No, radio stays put. All work done thru glove box opening once everything moved out of the way & dash shifted.

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
    Conceived 8/6/2002
    Delivered 9/19/2002
    Adopted 8/10/2011
    Trilogy 242 - Self Installed 9/9/12 (0-60 5.5 sec)
    Pioneer 6x8 Front
    Legacy 600w 6x9 Rears
    JL 6.5 SubWoofer
    K&N CAI
    Window tint 50% rear/35% front
    FBM CHMSL with Strobe mod 7/1/12
    DR Deep Aluminum Trans Pan
    Sparta FOMOCO Racing 8.8 Girdle
    Mo's Dyno Tune
    Gorilla Nuts - The System
    Ford Racing 4.10s, 31 spline Cobra carrier & axles 7/1/12
    Powder Coat Axle Housing 7/1/12
    CME HP Rear Control Arms & Watts Link 7/1/12
    ______________________________ ________________

    Rex "SC Cheesehead" Weinbender 11-14-13
    Ed "Baaad GN" Linthicum 8-6-2014

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by airjordan2k8 View Post
    Where is this blend door located??
    Put your hand on a/c vent to right of radio. Now think 10" toward grill of car & you have the location of BDA...

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
    Conceived 8/6/2002
    Delivered 9/19/2002
    Adopted 8/10/2011
    Trilogy 242 - Self Installed 9/9/12 (0-60 5.5 sec)
    Pioneer 6x8 Front
    Legacy 600w 6x9 Rears
    JL 6.5 SubWoofer
    K&N CAI
    Window tint 50% rear/35% front
    FBM CHMSL with Strobe mod 7/1/12
    DR Deep Aluminum Trans Pan
    Sparta FOMOCO Racing 8.8 Girdle
    Mo's Dyno Tune
    Gorilla Nuts - The System
    Ford Racing 4.10s, 31 spline Cobra carrier & axles 7/1/12
    Powder Coat Axle Housing 7/1/12
    CME HP Rear Control Arms & Watts Link 7/1/12
    ______________________________ ________________

    Rex "SC Cheesehead" Weinbender 11-14-13
    Ed "Baaad GN" Linthicum 8-6-2014

  13. #13
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    Aug 2011
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    Euless, tx
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    504
    Preciate all this info finally done but one problem one of the lil wire thingy connected to the airbag broke now the airbag light is on is it ok if i drive the car like this??

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by airjordan2k8 View Post
    Preciate all this info finally done but one problem one of the lil wire thingy connected to the airbag broke now the airbag light is on is it ok if i drive the car like this??
    Working on your own car is great.... isn't it?

    Sure you can drive it... the airbag probably won't work tho......
    “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
    Ronald Regan

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    is to kill them, keep on killing them, until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat."

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  15. #15
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    My .02, dont use Dorman brand Actuators, I bought 1 it lasted about 3 months, then got another and could tell as soon as I put it in that it was gonna go bad soon as well. It seems the motor doesnt know when to stop and just keeps going making the gears want to pop off the shaft. I then went and bought the factory motorcraft part and while it looks the same the motor/gears work much much better.
    Black 2003 300A Marauder Build Date 06-02 100K Miles
    Bought used 05/07/11

    HID Morimoto Mini Projector Headlights (built myself), HID Morimoto Matchbox Projector Foglights, Pioneer Z140BH Headunit w/Pioneer 3 way speakers, XM Radio, backup cam, GMRS radio installed, LED backlit gauge cluster, tint, McGard & Gorilla locking lugs (all of them), Cooper RS3A tires, dead pedal, 4.10s, MO's Tune, 3" Fuel Filter.

    00 White CVPI (KTA Car)

    1995 Chevy Suburban K1500

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