Hi all,

Read through various threads but I dont see any that actually discuss the symptoms of a bad blend door or actuator. I have a 2004 F150 SuperCrew FX4. 5.4L. A/C takes ages to cool the truck. 20 minutes or more if I am driving down the freeway, never gets cold enough if I am in town stop and go. But I take it to the shop and they point a temp gun at it and say "look it is blowing 45 degrees...no problem". But on the road, when it has been in the sun, it isnt blowing 45 degree air. My wifes car takes 5 minutes from "sitting in the sun, baking cookies on the dashboard" to "OMG where is my parka". My truck takes a lot longer (and sometimes never gets cold). I had the Freon (or whatever it is called now) drained and replaced with dye (to see if I have a leak) at the shop and it didnt help (and no leak). Everything checked out they said. So now I am wondering if my blend door is stuck. I still have air blowing - but it is on and off cool and there doesnt seem to be a huge volume of air. Sometimes it is cool, 10 seconds later it isnt, then it is, then it isnt. But it is never "cold". Does that sound like a stuck blend door? Or is the blend door "all or nothing"? Any advice or experiences would be helpful before I cut the hole behind my glove box to check it out.

Thanks.

 

Do you have the digital climate control? What happens when you turn it all the way down to 60 deg?

I had to replace the actuator in my 2008 FX4. Symptoms were very slow reactions to changes in temperature. The temp in the truck would get higher and higher, then suddenly the blend door would actuate and a rush of cold air would come in. Now that I've replaced the actuator, the temp is much more consistent.

I have no experience with this kit, but it looks like it might help. http://www.heatertreater.net/magento...150-04-08.html

 

THanks Mletchworth - no, the climate control is a dial still in my year of truck. Dial for hot/cold and then another dial to tell it where to send the air (defrost, Max AC etc). I have had the truck since it was new, and I live in Las Vegas, so I dont recall this was an issue when I first bought it, but it has been an issue for years now. I dont drive it much so just dont worry too much about it. But time to get it fixed.

Thank you for the link. Will Google the HEaterTreater and see if there is more info on it. I dont see much on their website. Never thought about a bad control **** either. I just dont have the cash right now to take it to another A/C shop and have them charge me $500.00 and not solve the problem. :-)

Thanks again

 

Here's a sure way to find out if the blend door is bad. If you are handy with tools and can do minor work, that is. Take the heater hose off of the heater core from under the hood. Take the heater return hose off of the engine and put the heater hose on the engine outlet. It basically means that the hot coolant is making a circle and not going thru the heater core. Now drive the truck. On the 2004 SCrew I had, I put an quarter turn valve inline with the heater hose and in the summer would just turn the hot coolant off from the heater core. Dropped the temps by 15 degrees at the dash and it cooled off quick.


The above "fix" for mine cost me a quarter turn valve, 2 short 1/2" nipples, 2 hose clamps and short piece of hose- less than 10 bucks.

 

My blend door was cracked and not working right, it would not completely shut. Symptoms that when I changed temp on the dial I would notice a difference but it would not get hot. It would get "warmer". But never great.

 

Just changed the secondary actuator on an 08 F150 that had basically the same issue. It fixed it.

 

My ford fiesta 1.5 diesel 2014 a.c is opposite.



It throws 6 degree celcius air at idle while 11 to 12 degree air at speeds on highways.



Fan motor replaced. Still same opposite behaviour.



Thanks. Please help

 

I would consider checking the condenser cooler to make sure it is clean, you can use something like Coil Kleen. Then check the levels with gauges.

Finally check the compressor clutch.

It sounds like the compressor might be short cycling at highway speeds or slipping.

 

I am not sure how the feista system is setup. the f150 uses a 3 actuator system. the one behind the glove box on the passenger side controls the inlet air, the one in the middle controls the outlet selection and the one above the gas pedal controls hot or cold. if the compressor is kicking on and off (short cycling) you probably have a Freon issue as suggested by manual f150. if that isn't it you could take a look at the one that controls the hot or could selection. if your car is equipped with secondary cooling fan for the engine make sure it is functioning properly/ engaging.