Need Help With HVAC Mode Door Actuator Removal (Page 1/1)
V8Steve JUN 30, 12:17 PM
This is an 88 car and the Mode Door Actuator is behind the radio.

I've read every post and watched the one video regarding the difficult removal of this actuator behind the radio. The doors do not move and the actuator seems dead. The other day I swapped an 87 controller in with no improvement. So today, I used the 88 factory manual to probe and check all five wires on the plug. The various modes and voltages all check out and everything leads to a faulty Mode Door Actuator.

I read about the use of locking forceps and curved needle nose pliers but I can barely get that actuator out far enough to even look at the difficult parts closely.

Does anyone have any positive experience with this? If necessary, I'll remove the dash but I'm not sure if that will get me anything. I don't mind cutting open an access port but it all seems so tight.

It's summertime and, after a 5 year rebuild of this car, I want to drive the car.....but no air coming out of vents with new blower. I'm pretty sure all the mouse nests are now gone. I removed them from the evaporator box under the hood and also under the air inlets below the wipers. As long as that actuator does not work, I'm stuck with no airflow.

I read even more threads today and it seems like the best way to tackle this is to remove the dash. Hopefully this will provide access to the heater box where I'll cut an access hole to the actuator linkage. After that, patch the hole and reassemble. I've had the cluster, gauges, and console apart so many times it should be simple to remove the dash.

Any help would be appreciated.

------------------
88GT 355 CI Sequential Holley Multiport , AFR milled 180, Dyno'd at 427 HP, 320 WHP
anderson@gdsconsulting.com

[This message has been edited by V8Steve (edited 06-30-2020).]

hnthomps JUL 01, 11:28 AM
I pulled mine a couple of years ago with the dash still installed and was able to get the controller out far enough to unplug the two electrical connectors as well as undo the cable associated with the door actuator assembly.

Note that this response is for the HVAC controller unit on a 1988 with A/C. I have not removed a dash recently and do not specifically remember the part you are having an issue with. Based on your response, we are talking about different parts and I apologize if there was any confusion.

Nelson

[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 07-04-2020).]

V8Steve JUL 01, 12:34 PM
Nelson,

Thanks, so what time are you coming over? :-)

Maybe yours was different? This one has only one connector with 5 wires and no cable. It's behind the radio, slightly off center to passenger side. There are two link arms inside, secured by some sort of clip.
cam-a-lot JUL 01, 09:43 PM
Is the actuator motor even avaiable still? Mine is strating to make a loud "pop" sound when going from the "Off: button position to AC or vent. So I will probably have to do the same work sooner or later.

If you are successful. can you take some pics and post it here?
Duck 1 JUN 29, 12:44 PM
What power leads did you check and what voltage should each one read. My blower motor works fine but I do not know if the blend door is working or getting power. Any help or diagram would be most helpful.