Ian

Hi all,
Well, its gone from bad to worse. When I turn on the heat in the cab, the heater motor makes a loud buzzing noise and doesn't blow very hard. It only happens when I have it at the highest level (starting to happen at the one below it now too). If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, it would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Ian

Ian

anyone have any ideas about this problem? is it a component that needs replacing in the heater motor, or do I just have to replace the whole motor?
Thanks,
Ian

XLR8R

This is on your 2000?

53 willys

his sig says HAD 2000

and HAVE 2003

FMB

Couple of questions, Ian.
Does the fan run at all the different speeds and sound like it should?
Does the air flow change from floor to vent to defrost when you change it, but it just doesn't blow much?
Does it seem it is blowing about 10% or less of the air it should be blowing?
(last big tip-off) When the fan is blowing and you change it from Fresh to Recirculation Air, the fan noise does NOT change at all?

If the answers are Yes, Yes, Yes and Yeah, then it sounds like you have a busted Recirculation door. When that door breaks free, it drops onto the air input side of the fan and blocks it really well. A little air gets by, but not much.

The repair includes pulling the dash partially out and replacing the $40 part. I did this in my driveway and the repair lasted a few months. The second time I went in it took less than 5 minutes but now I don't have a recirc door nor have I missed it.

The other alternative is taking it to the dealer or AC shop.

If you are interested in doing the repair yourself, I'll give you some tips after I vote tonight.

Ian

Yup, this is something I'm gonna be doing myself. The tips would be much appreciated!
Cheers,
Ian

FMB

Congrats. First thing to do is go to hemitruckclub.com and download the maintenance manual for your '03. It is a large download and will provide you with lots and lots of reading.

Basically, you will disconnect both batterys then start tearing apart the dash. Take note of the warnings in the manual about the air bag computer as you don't want to get it in a bad mood.

The book wants you to take out the steering wheel and the column. I found (after some advice here) that you just have to unbolt it from under the dash and lay the wheel in the driver's seat.

I put all the parts I took off/out and put them in the back seat. That left room on the front seat for my laptop with the manual which I referred to often.

When the book said to take the entire dash out, I chickened out and only loosened it greatly. With the right side lifted 4-6", I could reach in and take out the little computer module that is in the way of taking out the recirc door actuator. It wasn't easy. Once it was out, I took out the actuator.

Somewhere along the line, after reading where the AC fluid had to come out and the lines disconnected and the whole AC unit had to come out and be placed on the bench, I decided I would try to reach the recirc door through the internal air intake. To do that, I had to take a hand saw blade and cut out the grid. This grid keeps little dogs and cats from the cab area from getting into the AC fan area. I don't have little dogs and cats.

So, that is what I did. Once the actuator and the grid was out, I reached in and worked the door out. The new door went in with some white grease and everything went back together. I did have one problem though... I didn't have any leftover parts. Not even a screw. What's up with that? This job probably took me 6-8 hours in my driveway. I sure wish I took pictures along the way, I would certainly share.

OK, so the dash is back together and I remember where I read in the manual that the actuator "Learns" where the stops are and is self calibrating. I have not been able to find that passage since. My door lasted about 4 months and broke again. I took out the glove box, reached in the grid hole (no grid) and pulled out the busted door. Took me about 5 min beginning to end. Now, I have no door. I havn't had one since about March this year. Don't miss it. You might call the dealer and see if they have to program the doors to not bust, and if so, not power up your AC till you get them to do their thing.

Are you going to do it this weekend? Good luck, I'll be around.

Ian

Right on, thanks for the walk through. I'll hopefully tackle that the next nice weekend we get. hopefully it goes ok. and thanks for the link to the service manual too, thats what I've been looking for

moterhead

I don't have the problem, but have read many posts about it.

Question: If one removes the recirc door, is the unit then in recirc mode or vent mode? Vent I'd guess.

If one intends to just do the remove, would it be possible to simply remove the glove box, cut out the plastic grid you mentioned and pull the busted door out? If that's possible, then, IMO, that's the way to do it!

Perhaps mine is still intact because I never use the recirc mode. I imagine using it is what breaks it?????

FMB

I guess it would pull from whatever is easier which IMHO would be the cab therefore it would be recirc. But... the only thing keeping it from sucking in fresh air from the outside vent would be finding a place to put it. You can only pressure up so much before it decides it easier to recirc that try to pack air. I don't have any problems with the air being too moist, I suppose if I did I could turn on the A/C or open a back window.Good question. I guess I would take out the glove box and see if I could get a hack saw blade up in there to make the 6 or 8 small cuts in the grid. Don't expect to get a whole hack saw up there, just the blade. Well worth a try. Hmmmm.... since I could get my hand in the box I suppose you can go up there with a small pair of dikes and snip the grid instead of sawing them. Either way, gloves is the way to go to keep your hands from being cut up from the cut up grid.

moterhead

It's my understanding that modern automotive heating/cooling systems have cab venting provisions. That all modes of operation other than recirc are flowthru type. If that's the case, then there isn't a problem with "where to put it" as you've said.

XLR8R

I thought only F**d made things that work great as long as you don't use them...

FMB

The point I was attempting to make was it is easier to recirc than to use fresh air, if the fan had a choice in the matter (IMHO).

Follow the air in a working system. In Fresh Air Mode, the air flows through an exterior vent, through ducting, through the fresh air grill at the fan's air intake chamber, gets spun till its dizzy, heated, pushed through the vents and into the cab. The air that enters the cab forces air close to the body vent to exit the vehicle thorugh that vent.

Friction affects flow. More friction, more affect. In Recirc Mode, the traveling, dizzy air does not have to travel through the exterior air intake vent, fresh air ducting and exit vent (not a lot of friction loss but losses all the same).

In Recirc Mode, the air enters the fan intake chamber through a grill less than a foot from the fan (much like the fresh air, but not through ducting and additional grills). It is not only drawn in because of the fan's suction but it is also being pushed into the recirc gril becase it is being displaced by the air pushing into the cab from the heater (much like the air is pushed out the body vent in fresh air mode).

Now, this all makes sense (to me) when the truck is sitting there in the driveway or at the stop light. Once you put the truck in motion, I don't know what the effects are of wind speed. Does it pressurize the fresh air intake and take suction on the cab body vent? Does it hinder the flow? I don't know. I don't have access to wind tunnels to test this nor enough GAD.

If you are still reading this, it is suspected that we don't have a life. Where's our sign???

My heater keeps me warm and my A/C keeps me cool; that is what's important. My recirc door keeps its place of notoriety on the shelf in the garage. One of these days, it will hit the garbage.