87 300sdl a/c
 

Ok:singer:

My ac does not come out of center vents... it comes out of the side vents and the windshield vents and the rear.

At night the condensation appears on the windshield and during the day, in Florida's 95+degrees temps, the a/c isnt near cold enough for satisfaction.

What can i do to make the center vents blow? and Should i charge my a/c? i have a couple cans of R-12...

Thanks for the help. Frankee.:)

It most likely vacuum related (leaks) or the most common vacuum pods diaphrams are shot.

How do I get to the vacuum pods and how do I fix them?

You've got a bit of work ahead of you.

The best thing is to access the switchover valves which sit in a row next to the climate control unit on the right side. You'll need to remove the carpeting and kick panel on the right side and then carefully remove the carpeted transmission tunnel piece to access them.

The horizontal port from each valve goes to one..........or more than one........of the vacuum pods that operate the doors. You'll need to check each horizontal port with a Mityvac and see if they hold vacuum. The tests that don't hold vacuum indicate a pod that needs replacement.

If you get the tests done and provide the results for which pods don't hold vacuum, we can guide you to where they are located. Usually, it's the dual pods for the main door and the defrost that fail and leak vacuum. The entire system doesn't function until the leaks are corrected.

You can get to the valves, by removing the glovebox. Pull up on the center pin, then remove the outer speader.

Likely, you will have to remove the entire dash to get to the pods. Plan on spending the entire weekend doing this.....

Not overly difficult, just a lot of stuff to R and R.

I know, I just did an evaporator core on my wife's 95 E320.

Jim

The switchover valves are nowhere near the glove box on an SDL.

You don't need to remove the dash to get to any pod on an SDL.

...........different vehicles...........be careful on the suggestions..........

Brian is right on the SDL. Different animal. The switch-over valves can be accessed just by removing the floor carpet, then one screw on the passenger center console kick panel left foot side, then bending it slightly and pulling it downward. No need to remove anything else. Not even the glove box.

But Brian...... just how does one remove the center vent pod on the SDL. I have looked at it for years and can't figure it out. I can see it, touch it, feel it, but can't figure out how to remove it.

All other posts involve other models but not the SDL. HELP ME !!!!!

Thankfully, by the gods of M/B, the center vent pod is functional on both SDL's.

I think you need a child with very strong hands to remove that pod. I don't think I can do it.

Are you positive that it won't hold vacuum?

sadly, yes. Went directly to the pod with a mighty vac and it doesn't hold vacuum. It seems that no one has a way to get it out. Been searching for years. checked the hose from the pod to the switchover valve,....it good. Checked the port on the Sw. over valve and it draws up to 21 in in vac depending on the position of the temp dial in cool configuration.

I'm doing it from my memory............I seem to recall that you cannot get your fingers on it...........it's in a recess............to rotate it and release it from the bracket.

But, it only needs to rotate about 10 degrees for it to release.

So, what about a large set of pliers that can reach in and grab the outside of the pod? They would need to be large enough to open up to the diameter of the pod...........about 2"...........and the thickness of the jaw must be small enough to get in the space..........but, I think that such a tool would work for you. The plastic on the pod is quite strong for such an operation.
b

OK the pliers makes sense because these pods on the SDL are suppose to be "bayonet style. Not screws or rivets to the bracket. Meaning they just twist and release outward.

But, how do you access the actuator rod on the door flap ?? I.e., get it off and then back on again ? How does twisting the pod release the the rod ?

That seems like that would be the difficult part. It seems to be inside the plastic vent surround. I may be wrong here but no one has an answer on that.

One thought would be to just remove the pod, some how and try to access the the flap rod, if one knew how, and wire it (pull it) permanently open and use the sliders to open and shut the center vent.

Not an elegant fix but no one, I mean absolutely no one on this whole site, seems to have a better alternative.

Cannot comment with any intelligence since I have not done it.

But, there might be a possibility of removing the actuator rod after the pod has been released from the bracket. You'll have quite a bit of movement at that point, and, maybe, you'll get lucky and can pop it off. Getting it back on might be a hopeless task, however.

Just for laughs, here's a pod pic on the SDL. Wouldn't ya know that little piece of dash is right in the way.

Ok. say that I remove the vacuum pod and replace it, does it automatically take hold vacuum or do I have to create a vacuum with the MityVac?

Frankee,

What I would do is before you install it, Pull some vacume on it just to see how it works. No need to pre-vac it. When you take the mighty vac off, it will release.

PLEASE>>>PLEASE take some pictures so the rest of us can see how you do it.

You will have gone where no man has gone before you. Into the inner reaches of the unknown. Into the abyss of the CENTER VENT !

You will be the hero of this Forum. Deserving of all the accolades we can bestow upon you.

This of course, will only occur if you actually don't chicken out.