300 CE center vent

[jp*mc86]

Hi all, I have a problem with my center AC vent not allowing cold air to pass. I have very cold AC, thru the side vents. I want to repair the center vent right by the book when my finances agree. Question: Can I temporarily prop the vent open to allow air flow.

[whunter]

to Tech Help

[G-Benz]

Wow! I wish my indie could read this and interject...he just completed the diagnosis and repair of my A/C center vent problem. Fortunately, it turned out that I had inadvertently yanked off a vacuum line during an ambitious stereo install.

But he used a vacuum tool to determine whether the actuator pod was bad or the control unit, or the actuator flaps itself. You need to perform the same type of diagnostic tests to determine exactly what is actually wrong. Except for the pod replacement, the other repairs do not need dash removal.

My indie also did a "temporary" repair for a customer that did need a new pod. He removed the actuator flap, which allowed the air to pass through the center vents all the time (including heat). Dialing the knob in the center would shut off air flow, so that turned out to be a working solution. The customer saved the actuator flap so that at a later date when they decided to replace the pod, he would reinstall.

[Hal Steiner]

Tell me how to remove this "actuator flap" to get air to flow thru my center vents. I want the air but don't want to tear my whole dash out.
I have a good indy in State College that I would trust to perform the work
just tell me what to tell him I want done.

hal

[rocky raccoon]

To answer your original question .... Yes.

Witrh a/c on, push a piece of wooden dowel, say 1/2", through the center vent until you feel it contact the flap. An easy push will open the vent and you will get air flow. Removing the dowel will close the vent. You cannot open the vent this way without the a/c being turned on.

[Hal Steiner]

my car is a 94 e320 center vent difuser is only about 1/4 apart cant get
1/2 dowel in there.
How far inside am i going to feel resistance of flapper?
Should I place wood in left or right vent?
in prior post guy talkes about removing flapper so air is controied by vent air valve Is this really possible and if so how is this completed.
thanks

hal

[remotemark]

Before I replaced all the pods on my CE, I used a piece of wire coat hanger with the tip bent double to make it dull. I would turn on the a/c and then gently push against the flap until it opened. It would actually stay open so long as the a/c was on. That worked fine until the thing started making banging noises after about fifteen minutes. It about drove me insane before I paid $900 to have the dash taken off and all the pods replaced.

[hs_300e]

Originally Posted by G-Benz

Wow! I wish my indie could read this and interject...he just completed the diagnosis and repair of my A/C center vent problem. Fortunately, it turned out that I had inadvertently yanked off a vacuum line during an ambitious stereo install.

But he used a vacuum tool to determine whether the actuator pod was bad or the control unit, or the actuator flaps itself. You need to perform the same type of diagnostic tests to determine exactly what is actually wrong. Except for the pod replacement, the other repairs do not need dash removal.

My indie also did a "temporary" repair for a customer that did need a new pod. He removed the actuator flap, which allowed the air to pass through the center vents all the time (including heat). Dialing the knob in the center would shut off air flow, so that turned out to be a working solution. The customer saved the actuator flap so that at a later date when they decided to replace the pod, he would reinstall.

G-Benz,

Can you please let me know who your indie is? I live in the Dallas area and would like to contact him for the above said problem.

Thanks,

HS

[rocky raccoon]

for Hal Steiner

Use the biggest stick that will fit. Either side will do and will open both vents. On my car (560SL) I inserted the stick about 8" before I felt it touch the flapper.

Remember, this is a temporary fix to obtain a/c through your center vents. If you are going to leave it unfixed for a length of time, paint your stick black so it won't look quite so funky.

[JimFreeh]

You can also remove the black center vent (between the IP and the glove box/airbag) for better access to the flap and a more permanent fix.

A couple of phillips screws, and an allen wrench will address the fasteners.
It's all in the manuals.

Jim

[Tims450SL]

i used a black plastic hanger-cut off one curve end, slid it in, and they work! Cant see the plastic hanger cause i cut it off so it is just inside the vent. Sounds cheap, but thanks for the idea!