The best part about the way this guy makes videos is that he shows us how to do the mechanical part but the real fun part is watching him express his emotions.
Thank you for making this a damn near unabridged video. So many repair videos like this are clipped and sped up to make it impossible to follow. You're a real one.
Awesome! Thank you. The sound effects and your personality are entertaining. I’ve always loved the south and the people who are from that “neck of the woods” so to speak lol 😂. Great video 👍🏻
I just finished this actuator replacement on a 2004 Grand Marquis. It was a bear. Tips I learned: You don't have to take the dash loose if you a hammer and chisel to split the old actuator in half which allows you to see the actuator retention screw closest to the fire wall. Removing the radio did not help a bit; it did not help me see anything or allow light on the actuator, so don't mess with radio removal. A ratcheting 8mm box end wrench is required to removing screws securing the actuator. Using a long kitchen butcher knife to remove the insulation above the actuator was critical to getting the actuator re-installed; I tried unsuccessfully for an hour to line up the actuator before I removed this insulation. The replaced actuator refused to function until I recalibrated the Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (ETAC) system, which is really easy to do. God bless RU-vid videos for DIY repairs like this.
Splendid video, man. I had this issue on my 04 Ultimate LS Edition. Fortunately, one of my co-workers used to work for Ford. The way you tackled this project was the same way my co-worker tackled it. My co-worker said that he learned from an older more experienced technician on how to replace the blend door actuator without having to take the dash entirely apart. Great video!
I tried this method first. The way that was successful for me was to pull the dash. You can find a video showing. Also when buying your new blend door actuator make sure you get the right on there are two. One for the police (P71) which is manual. I didn't know this and put the wrong one in and had to do the job twice
Great video. Very detailed. As you pointed out, your video shows you all the little stuff nobody else bothers to show us. Thank you for taking the time to make this. About to go attempt it myself
I'm so glad you made such a memorable video -- i.e. the wasp attack, the unrepressed frustration, and the fact that you dropped the exact same duct screw behind the exact same kick panel 2 years and 9 months BEFORE I DROPPED IT TODAY. 😅 Yours was just one of numerous videos I had watched before starting on my Grand Marquis blend door actuator, but when I suddenly needed to find out how to remove that kick panel without breaking anything along the way I immediately remembered your video & fast forwarded directly to your instructions. What a break. Thank you.
I’m glad it helped you out John! I try not to edit out the struggles to keep things representative of the real world scenario. Every job isn’t all peaches and cream. I only really edit if my frustration goes beyond comical and I need to compose myself. Lol. The job, as it happens…that’s what I try to show. Thanks again for the kind words and thanks for watching and commenting!
THANKS FOR THE VIDEO!! Was able to successfully change out the blend door actuator in a 2003 Grand Marquis. Your video was the only one that showed me how to test it afterward. Can't thank you enough!
Wonderful video. very helpful. Many thanks. Just want to point out it is much easier to do with the glove box removed. (2) 7mm bolts on the bottom hinge.
Camera fell at 21:24 and still no cussing. I congratulate you. Just went thru this job today in my backyard. Went with the guys video that shoved a piece of wood in there. I wear XL gloves. I needed to find a Japanese kid to get in there. Had a "Imperial Tool 127C Ratchet Wrench". I cut a piece of 1/4" square @ 5/8 long and attached a 5/16" socket. Ground socket with only 1/8" depth left for screw hex. That gave me about 1" total height of tool with socket. 90% of the job was messing with getting those screws off and back on. Thanks for the video. (I think I did do some cursing). Ha
Lol, thanks! I use some creative alternatives to profanities at times...helps me maintain a shred of sanity and not descend into a sea of rage! 😆 I wear XL gloves too, I couldn’t get my meat hooks in there too well to fiddle with those back bolts...I salute you! Your comment about needing a Japanese kid to get in there reminds me of a scene from the movie “Snowpiercer”! Haha
@@carportshenanigans5918 One more thing I will mention. The 3 screws that attach the extreme upper dash to the firewall area. Sure enough that metal clip with threaded hole was gone from the passenger side. I felt in behind some insulation up there and felt it with my fingers. Poked a magnet down in there and retrieved it. Then used a mirror and flashlight to see where to attach it . Didn't want any squeaks like you said. Thanks again and have a good life.
On my ‘97, the blend door would go to full heat occasionally upon start up and not move unless I unplugged the HVAC control unit to reset it. Determined the blend actuator was wearing out and replaced it following this guy’s demonstration. I was dreading having to drop the dash once again and was so glad I got to avoid that. Problem solved, although with one less screw. Won’t make a difference.
Hey Dude, I did mine today and kept thinking about how frustrated you got but you said just muscle through. You were right! Instead of getting scared, I pushed through. Thanks again!
That’s awesome! Glad to hear you got it knocked out. If one of my videos helps even one person, that makes it all worthwhile. Thanks for commenting back with your success story!
You really helped me and great job. I am older and really don’t like fighting jobs anymore so I appreciate your help. I cut the back loops like you did and kept the back screws loose just enough that I could get the loops under, like you did. BUT I could not get the one front screw you cannot see in and I did not want to cut the front loop and fight getting all three cut loops under the loosened screws. I tightened the visible front screw tight. It works great BUT IMPORTANT-The Blend Door Acutator DID NOT work until I put the EATC into self test mode. I have CODE 25 coming up and my vacuum motor for the defrost does not work and that could throw the CODE 25. IF ANYONE does the vacuum motor job and has any advice please direct me to a video or website. Great Job Mr Carport…you get a gold star and a gold wrench for this one.
Thank you for showing us. Your idea in installing the new actuator makes sense, but God you do have to have a lot of patience like you said. This would take me a long time in my case. It is an awesome and interesting video. Thank you again,
Had to do the actuator on my 2008 Crown Vic. This video saved me a lot of time and frustration. BTW that same J clip fell off mine and spent a few minutes looking for it too. 😊
Yeah, that J-clip definitely threw a little curveball my way, as you could probably tell, patience was worn thin by that point! 🤣 I’m glad you found the video useful! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I have to change mine in my 03 grand marquis and this video has definitely made me believe I can do this myself. I just hope it gets rid of the annoying knocking sound in my dash
There is a way to do it without breaking any tabs. It requires going across the dash and loosening the entire width. It will slide far enough out to access all the attachment screws. This method dictates more trim to be removed, but no duct work. I done two this way, and there are a couple YT videos I referenced a couple years ago to study for the job. The first time was about 2 to 2.5 hours, the second took about 1.5 hours. And I managed to stay fairly calm throughout the process. Good luck to anyone doing this task. It's never easy.
Hey Tom, thanks for watching and commenting! I figured showing my frustration may add a little comic relief to a lengthy video, lol. I couldn’t find any videos documenting what you described, but if you could link one in here, I’m sure anybody viewing this could find it helpful. Plus I’d really like to see it done that way... I’m doubtful because those back screws seemed to be almost under part of the firewall/insulation, making any access with the box in place close to impossible. BUT I have NO problem being proven wrong there, I welcome it! Lol. If it helps someone do a better job, I’m all for it.
Great video! Had to do a heater core on my wifes 02 Mercury. In order to get the back screws out the air box has to come out which makes the blend door motor a breeze.
Thanks! Pulling the dash was not on my list of things I enjoy doing, lol. I’ve heard people talk about cutting out some of the insulation on the firewall to get to those back bolts, but I don’t think that would’ve helped much. Like you said, easy access to those bolts definitely requires pulling that air box/plenum out.
@@carportshenanigans5918 I did use a sharp utility knife, made a ~~6" long slice on insulation, used a 1/2" X 1" wooden stick X 2 feet long and packed that insulation back out of my way. Used a metal coat hanger with a hook and pulled back in place when done. Challenging job but worth it to have that blend door working.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I’d wish you luck but wishing an abundance of patience for you would be more useful! Lol. Good luck, don’t rush it and you’ll get it.
Thanks for including the codes, that was huge! Loosening the dash and propping it with 2x4s, huge! Note: On my 04 Grand Marquis, does not need a screw on the farthest and hardest to get to tab, it's just a snubbed point where the screw hole would be. Also I found two 7mm screws on inside part of the 1st trim to be removed, they do absolutely nothing on my car, spare screws? Huge! Cause I lost a screw into never, never find it land. Possibly there with someone's 10mm socket. Great Vid, Huge!
Great video. I have a 1999 and I have 3 unnecessary screws in my duct work. They put an inaccessible one toward the front of the Car. I had to split my duct while wrestling it to get to it with a ratchet wrench
Great video. Probably the best I've watched on this job. I will be tackling this on mine this Saturday. Will have you pulled up on my phone as reference for sure! Thanks man! Also what is that little fancy ratchet you use?
Sorry I’m responding late, did you manage to get the job done? The one little ratchet I’m using is made by Snap-On and is pretty pricey. The other one I’m using used to be sold as a little set through Matco but I believe has been discontinued. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some “cheap” off-brands that looked nearly identical.
I got lucky my friend as a fleet mechanic and worked on a bunch of these Crown Vics for many years he removes all the bolts out of the dash except the ones on the driver side then he wedges the right hand side of the dash out away from the firewall about an inch which gives you a little extra room then he uses a side terminal battery tool to take out the bolts.
Dropping screws, sockets, etc. into tight dark places, that’s why it takes me four times the amount of time as most RU-vid videos would have you believe.
Hardware and tools dropping into no-man’s-land is the bane of my existence! I like to include my goof-ups in the videos when I can because I want people to get a “real-world” look at the job, but sometimes time constraints get in the way. Lol
great tutorial. i went out this morning to get mine done and someone had already been in there and the vent was cut and duct taped. had the whole job done in a couple hours
Yes! Patience is a must when working on this. If you're like me even with the dash pulled out it still was tight. And there is no room to camp out there. I left some DNA in there along with the famous 10mm socket!!! But I got it done but not without dropping some xs
I finally watched up to 20:13 as I stopped for the night after only getting the first and easiest bolt out. Couldnt figure hiw anybody could get those bolts off in the back. Well now I know and yeah I normally try to do everything correctly but sometimes you have to throw in the towel and do what ya can. So glad I saw this video because I really didnt want to remove all of the dash for just 2 bolts
You can get to the bolt by the firewall if you tear the insulation. It'll give you about another inch of room to put a socket and rachet back there to take the bolt out
Always see people so terrified and intimidated by this job. I went to the junk yard and practiced on a vic and it took me about 15 min to get the heater box out.. easy peasy
This video didn't exist a couple of years back when I did mine. The videos that did have folks pulling the whole dash. I wound up doing this exact thing.
Taking my Vic cross country and moving to the desert in Phoenix AZ there is no way I am going to be without A/C any longer and I suggest having wrenches with a ratcheting capability it will save you a ton of grief and time and also make sure to try your part before you put your whole dashboard back together I had 2 defective actuators before I finally got one that worked.
Thanks for filming this! I did everything the same way, and removed the glove box too. I haven't been able to get the left front actuator screw out though! One video, a guy cut out part of the dash and used a long extension to remove the 3 screws. I've tried a wrench as well as a socket wrench to get that front left screw out to no avail!
It is a pain. There is really only one easy one to get to. The ones by the firewall just weren’t happening for me. If you’re “front left” is the same as my “front left”, it’s doable but frustrating as can be. If you absolutely can’t get it, don’t be afraid to simply break the actuator off. It will break at the mounting tabs...it just feels so wrong! Lol
That back one you can't Hey, break it of old actuator. Once you pull broken tab off losen the screw a bit then for the new one grind off the tab a bit and slide under screw, fasten down other 2 and your set. I did this to my LSE about 4 years ago and will have to do my kids Marauder soon.
the way i did the removal of the original actuator was I removed the 2 front screws - the one closest to you with a 1/4 inch ratchet and 8mm socket, then the other front further to the left with a small 8mm ratcheting wrench via my finger tips lol, then I took a big flat head screwdriver and stuck it under the actuator itself and pried upward til the two back loops that have the 2 rear screws going thru it snapped... didnt damage anything else and it came right out.. notching out the two new rear tabs on the new actuator really is the only way to install the new one... with the two rear screws installed prior.... then just put in the two front ones... good luck peace
I did a1959 F100 Grand Marquis frame swap, I replace that thing 3 times in less than a year, the Parts Store ones will not last as long as the original, so now I have a hidden choke cable with nob connected to the blend door under the dash. The Climate control works fine, and ice cold in the f100
That looks a little like too much fun for me a little hesitant with taking it to the shop but damn.......The rough part was when you lost the J-clip, I had to rewind about 4-5 times😂 then you and that damn wasp 😂 ....overall great tutorial
Thanks for the video. God bless you sir! Don't be like me and fasten the dash back before putting the duct back in. Do it before fastening the dash back in.
Me too! I didn’t react as strongly as I felt! Lol. I’ve learned to be calm, move slowly and deliberately. Sometimes in this southern heat they can get REAL aggressive and I’m over here like, “ chill dude, it’s hot, we’re all pissy!” Lol
Great video. Did you have a problem getting the foot of the actuator lined up with the damper rod while putting it into place? How did it work? How tight did you have those back screws while slipping the cut loops under them? I ended up breaking a part of the duct getting it out but it is a small piece and I will have to figure out something so be careful doing this. I think you can do this job without taking out the dash but those J clips and everything else falling are really bothersome. I am going ahead but for some time I thought I would leave the acuator out and move it manually for each season. Hope all goes well. If you want I can give an update.
It went back together SOOO much smoother than it came apart. I didn’t touch the back screws at all and I thought it would be a problem, but it slipped in snuggly and everything lined up first try. Maybe I got lucky on that part? I can’t guarantee it goes that smoothly for everyone. If you’d like to update us on your experience when you’re done I’d appreciate it. Everyone is a little different and some people may have tricks that work better for some than others. Thanks for watching and commenting!
i've just done it.. It was really so stressful so hard to get to that 3rd screw i just broke it, and the actuator went off... I did success removin the front 2 screws but the unreachable one was so annoying, my hands are covered by scratches, i installed the new actuator by 1 screw only in order to make it easy in the future if it's went bad again.
This job is a sumbitch. I managed to get to the point where the duct gets removed tonight and ended up cutting it up and pulling it out in pieces. Fortunately, the Blend Door Actuator appeared to bring Heat for the first time in 3 years but probably because I learned how to do a EATC Self-Test and also disconnected the battery for the airbag removal.
Saved me mad skrilla. Only thing I did different was cutting a small hole in the plastic under the top dash trim piece which made the screws in the actuator much easier to access. (From the top)
Glad to hear it! I’m going to have to look into this hole in the dash trick for the next one I come across. When I looked up videos, I couldn’t find any showing that, but people keep talking about it.
So after spending 2 days on side of the road by what I'll now call Mosquito Gully after my 99 MGM died after running real rough for about 100 yards where I started by cleaning the IAC then new fuel filter then new fuel pump then sucked out the clog in the rear line and still not getting fuel my mechanic neighbor (I got roped towed after AAA contractor made me wait 6 hours then refused to tow because I didn't have registration receipt that we're not required to have in car) said "Fords have a fuel cutoff switch. Should be in your trunk." There it was. Big red button like a B Bunny cartoon. Started right up. Still haven't slept or eaten but now have to change the BDA. Glad I watched these videos to the end. I can't wait to break the bad one. Would you recommend putting washers over the back plastic loops you clipped?
Thanks was not an easy job for this 68 yo I did 2 things alittle drifferent . Put boards down by bottom dash stud helps hold it up or down also didn’t take vent tube off till I pulled dash out I could get my fingers on them hissing screws ty again
Try one thing first. Disconnect batter, wait a few minutes and reconnect battery. Turn ignition to run. If your lucky you may hear the gears turn and the blend door may close. Just worked for me. Then turn on stereo and listen to Alan Jackson. No more Mercury Blues for me.
Clearing the codes through the HVAC control head is a bit quicker and easier than disconnecting the battery. I had done that trick for just over 2yrs! 🤣 It was definitely overdue for replacement, to say the least.
Whats the first thing Ford bolts on the the car frames. The heater core and AC assembly. Took me 2 days to change the heater core on a 1986 thunderbird. Thats with a factory manual.
Man, I wish I could come across another ‘80’s T-bird/Cougar that needed a heater core for a video. It’s a 2-3hr job if you know the tricks…step 1, ignore factory service manual! Later model cars actually have some serviceability built into them compared to 80’s Fords.
How did you took a out. That screw behind the Vent? That didn't show on your video clip? Show me how. I been Try to get my out and It been so stressful. Thank
Thank you so much what a great video I'm not sure I feel comfortable doing this kind of repair what would you estimate the cost of having a mechanic do it for me thank you so much
Thanks for your comment, as for shop pricing, that can be tricky as labor rates vary wildly. The part will most likely be marked up to $75-$100 and you should expect somewhere around 6-8hrs labor as labor time is for removing the whole dash. I’ve seen labor rates vary from $60-$120/hr. So, best case scenario, $360 in labor, worst case, $960 in labor.
Should be basically the same if it’s equipped with EATC. Ford was stingy with the Panther-chassis in terms of improved designs and new technologies. They didn’t change much over the years.
since you ended up snapping off the blender from the two bolts that are hard to get at, do you think this repair can get done the same way without pulling out the dash? BTW, great video!
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes the job CAN be done without moving the dash, but it does make it easier for me to get my fat meat-hooks in there. 😂
How did you get the two bolts out in the front??? Even with a 2 x 4 in the dash, I'm still having trouble getting a ratchet even on that bolt closest to the radio.
It’s a royal P.I.T.A. Once you do get a socket on it, you’re lucky to get 1/16th of a turn on it each time. That’s the most patience-challenging part of the whole job. Best of luck!
Hey man I watched this video yesterday, got mine apart the same way(99 mgm ls), and I also can't get the back two screws, but I can break it off either. You use a pry bar or something??? Really would like to just get the screws out but Ford engineers blow lol
I was able to pop it off by hand, you could do it carefully with a pry bar. Supposedly there is a video showing how to get those bolts pretty easily from under the upper dash trim(near the windshield). People have been telling me about it, but I haven’t found it and I keep asking people to link it and it hasn’t happened yet. Good luck!
I just replaced my control module and literally the next day it's stuck on heat. I can hear clicking from behind the dash in that area. Is it possible this is the cause?
Hi again, can you please help me!!! 😢😭😭 I have a automatic 1989 Ford Crown Victoria LTD 5.0 302, I have the EFI version if that matters. I need a fuel pump and assembly but every single one on every site Ford included has parts MISSING. Which specific complements should I absolutely be getting? I have the pump that goes in the tank. For example there are assemblies that have no fuel pressure sensor, wiring harness, sending unit etc. They are all missing something. I also sent you a pm on fb!
This job is not for the faint of heart let me tell you... I have a question sir. I just plugged in the new actuator to the harness with the car off before mounting it with the screws and I wanted to see the little arm move.. turned on the car, tried to change the temperature from 60 to 90 and nothing? the little arm on the bottoms side of the actuator that moves the blend door itself didn't move...is that because I have a bad motor aka got a dud? (it is a new OEM ford part), is it because I have a bad fuse?, (everything else on the A/C system works) or is it because i need to do the EATC self-test and clear the code because its not sending anymore power to the actuator thus putting it into like a limp mode ? I am kind of frustrated with the whole job... but if you can point me in the right direction IT WOULD BE SO APPRECIATED lol thanks brother great video
Yes, I was getting both codes 24 and 25. Also, trying to go change the temperature rewarded me with an annoying clicking sound and no temperature change.
That is weird, maybe it just failed electronically. Once it sets those codes, the system will stop trying to operate the blend door actuator. Clearing the codes will allow it to try again.
@@carportshenanigans5918 I have a 98 crown victoria. Whenever I turn my ac on, mines blowing out hot air, and the cold air is blowing on the outside... what could that be?
I can't seem to get the ducting out. There's taped together bunch of wires to the right of the part that goes into the vent and it seems to be mated to the duct work somehow.
Great video but I decided I definitely don't have the patience for this job. Very tedious, at least for me. Ive succumbed to calling my mechanic, and its going to be very, very expensive.... Do you reccomend an actual ford motor sports replacement? Ive read nasty reviews of some other brands. Fyi, I have a 2003 Mercury Marauder
buddy thanks for video, no cursing very hard to do, your bless and I thanks you for not cursing hope you share many other video to watch, can you show that fancy little tool that can help .
I turned my heat on mine on for a day. Had not used my heater in a few years. When I turned my A/C back on I heard a tap tap tap tap tap a few seconds apart. Then it stopped and my heater was still on. Now it does not tap or anything when I try to turn the A/C on. Even if I turn my whole climate center completely off there is still some heat coming out. I live in a tropical area so needless to say I am very very hot trying to drive around. I can live with no heat. Any ideas what I have to do?
3-4hrs is a good estimate. A lot depends on your patience, ability to work in spots you can’t see and your available tools. It took me about 1.5hrs start to finish with many breaks and goofing around with the camera.
@@carportshenanigans5918 yes I did 024 & 025 by pressing defrost button.i checked the operation of the blend door & it moved freely. After installing the unit it went through it's self check sequence one time and it worked but stopped. I'm baffled.
Have a question..will the blend door stuck on heat keep the compressor from engaging?..I'm working on a 96 crown victoria and only hot air blows through vents..I bypassed compressor and crimped heater hoses and blows cold if I do that.
No, it won’t prevent the A/C compressor from running, it just blocks off the airflow through the evaporator. Crimping the heater hoses like you did, stops the heater core from putting off heat, and with the A/C running it can actually cool the air in that plenum.
Next time drop the steering wheel and other side of the dash...its only a few more screws that you would have had to take out..it actually saves time instead of fighting with the 2 back screws and having to cut the new actuator..but thats your car..just never saw it taken out this way but great idea!
@@BeatzByDuvv there's a couple of youtube vids that'll show you how to swap out the o-rings in the EATC, which I have thought about....not costly at all....but if if you want, you can purchase aftermarket refurb units for as cheap as $150....of course, any fix is based upon whether you have good vacuum coming from the engine (no leaks) here's the o-ring fix vid: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PtfucNa6R_o.html here's a refurb unit that is spruced up with new o-rings, and displays fixed - seems doable for the price! www.ebay.com/itm/03-10-CROWN-VIC-GRAND-MARQUIS-EATC-CLIMATE-AC-HEATER-CONTROL-6W7H-19C933-AA-08/202405494315?fits=Year%3A2010%7CModel%3AGrand+Marquis&epid=1623026602&hash=item2f204ebe2b:g:jeoAAOSwQxReXYP4#vi-ilComp
scales57 I actually replaced the o rings Saturday with no luck. I believe I damaged the unit somehow when I closed the cup holder/ash tray that was full of coins. A new (refurb) unit is the next step for me. The vacuum lines are fine though.
Plz help me...I removed the 3 screws up top of the dash and the 10mm inna passenger corner and the 15mm on drivers side bottom plus the brace in the middle were the tranny tunnel is..the sob will not come out enuff to put wood in it like u did.....whatelse am I missing...????
@@carportshenanigans5918 finally got the new actuator in, I managed to get 3 screws back in it, I cut the bk driverside corner only.. I used a 1/4 in ratcheting wrench and a 8mm nut driver held by a magnet, couldnt budge the dash like u did but I took everybolt out that I could possibly find, shook the hell outta it also lol.. Went to clear the eatc and an 052 code popped up for a solar radiation sensor ??? Idk what its for either but its grounded supposedly, the actuator was from ford so it shouldnt be bad, but I got to button up everything tomorrow, keeping my fingers crossed..ill probably start by resetting the computer....thanks man
Happened it me today my ac was working but I had to recharge my battery I put it back on and now it’s blowing hard heat when I have the ac idk what to do. 01 Vic Lx
