Cost to do w123 center vent
 

Hi,

On my 82, I only get a little air through the center vent with AC on. It all comes out the sides.

Vacuum is strong and the car holds it tight for a long time. I assume that either the center flap is stuck/broken, or the actuator has something wrong.

Has anyone paid to have the center vent actuator replaced? It sure seems based upon reading dmorrisons posts in the wiki and other threads, that it makes the most sense to pull the dash.

But what kind of cost am I looking to pay from an indy to do that?

I may just wedge the center vent open and wait until I need an evaporator or heater core given what I expect the cost to be. Would I do any damage if I was to wedge the center flap open more? I am hesitant to disconnect it from the actuator arm for fear of not getting it back together in the future if I so desire (at least not without removing the dash).

Now on my 240D, I get no air from the outer two vents at any time or combination. What does this mean? Am I in need of an actuator repair or is it something else?

Any thoughts? Thanks!

You can check the actuator by removing the glove box and pulling vac on the actuator itself. This will tell you if it's vac issue or not. It's a little tight but you can do it.

Is your 240 all manual or does it have an automatic climate control? If it's all manual the only reason they wouldn't be getting air is if the hose fell off the back. If it's ACC then you've probably got vac problems. There is an actuator on the side wall in the driver's foot well. I think that is the one that controls those vents. It might also be the one that is buried way back up against the firewall.

the 240d is a manual climate control system.

I just had the dash out of my 240 this weekend. Not sure these pics will help any, but here is what's under your dash. There are no actuators on the manual climate controls. It's all controls from cables or levers. Also make sure the vents themselves are open. Just ruling out the obvious. The twist open and closed.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...0&d=1283616058
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...9&d=1283616050

Andrew, your 240 I guess doesn`t have A/C by the void on the right side.

I have 2 units I have pulled out of 2 different 240D`s. one has the twist knob for the a/c and the other has the temp wheel for the a/c.

The twist knob unit has 2 vac pods, one by the blower, and the other on the left end.

The temp wheel unit has only one Vac pod at the blower motor end.

One might have come out of an 80 or 81 and the other out of an 82 or 83, don`t remember i`ve had them so long.

Charlie

How the hell did you get the dash out without taking out the center console? I thought it had to be pulled before the dash!

- Peter.

Nope. I've pulled several dashes now and never removed the center console.

Charlie I do not have AC:D and I love it. One less thing to worry about.

I played around with my controls to see exactly when the side vents blow air. It's only when you've got the fan speed knob on the second setting and the center vents closed with the slider knob. I think I jsut can't feel the air flow when the fan speed knob is below the second setting.

On the 82 be prepared to fork over some $$$ for labor for a $80 part. 6-8hrs?

yeah so I should likely wait until I need an evaporator or something else... Or try to do it through the glovebox...

Any thoughts on damage to the vacuum-tightness if I prop the flap further open (to just control by the center vents closing mechanism)?

If you want to prop open the vents I would pull the vac line off the actuator by getting through the glovebox and plug the line that goes to the acc unit. Then you're not loosing any vac, and you can pull the vent open and leave it that way.