Yes you can just prop it open.
That's the way mine is blowing right now.
Just get a dowel small enough to fit through the vent grill. Use a flashlight to see the flap you need to open.
A little force will be needed but not too much. Just go be feel and you should be fine. Place it far enough in the flap so it remains open. Use just enough rod so it does not stick out of the vent.
Easy enough to remove come colder temps. if desired.

Where is the link on here for the exactly this job? If someone could post it, that would be awesome! Also where do you buy the pods? Are they called Pods? LOL

Yeah I feel for the original poster on here, 105 degree heat and a/c only coming out of two vents suuucks...

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78 Datsun 280Z
86 Peugeot 505
01 Subaru Outback

“Owning a car is like owning a dog. Every now and then, it craps on the carpet — but it’s still your dog.” - Jeremy Clarkson

This isn't an answer to your question about propping it open but just a suggestion here..Have you first confirmed vacuum is getting to the pod?..Did you isolate it? I ask only because you also mentioned the foot pod not working either and i'd hate to see you pull the dash only to find something else like a mouse chewed through a vacuum line up stream. Also is the same line feeding the foot pod because if a leaking pod is on the same circuit closer to the source that could be robbing vacuum to the center pod?

Detailed pod replacement threads are in the diesel forum, do a search.

Also, you should be able to get to the vac manifold to test each pod with a Mityvac type tool by removing the lower panel at the passenger knee area. Not sure if the opt airbag is in the way as none of my cars have them.

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Thank you Tennman! That was exactly what I had wanted to know. The center vent cannot even be removed unless the airbag is removed, thus trying to fit my hands into the airbox to change the pod is impossible (for me).

I will test the the others as soon as I replace my bad EHA and figure out what exactly is wrong with my central locking system.

Thanks again guys.

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1991 Mercedes 300TE (Current Girlfriend )
1994 Mazda Miata

I just replaced all six pods on my '91 420SEL W126 and did not need to pull the dash. The passenger side air bag is a snap. Just unhook the negative battery cable.
In the center bottom of the dash on the passengers side up through the metal sprial duct is the attachment bolt.
Use a 10mm socket and long extension. You'll know if its the right one its a long bolt about 7". The air bag "pod" will fall right out. Remove the two plug in wires. Done!
Reinstall in reverse order.

I have been looking and studying the system that is on the car over the past few days after hurting myself weight lifting and not being able to do much of anything else. When I replaced my vacuum foot pod, I pressed the floor button on my climate control module (and every other button for that matter).
NOTHING HAPPENED!
There was no change in the airflow, it still just came from the side vents and the defrost. So I tried pulling on the footwell flap, because I can just get my fingers into the vent. I have a very strong vacuum holding it in place. That being said, it may be possible that I may not have a pod problem at all, it may well be my climate control module.
I plan on taking the car to a yard and pulling several of the modules I had found earlier.
Just how common is a failure of the push button console?

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1991 Mercedes 300TE (Current Girlfriend )
1994 Mazda Miata

If there are other vacuum leaks, there won't be enough vacuum to overcome the springs and open the footwell pods (or any other). Mityvac it.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I will post my mityvac results when I return from vacation.
Thanks!

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1991 Mercedes 300TE (Current Girlfriend )
1994 Mazda Miata

Took me about 1hr 30mins to remove the top dash (leaving the center console in place) as the picture in post #3 shows. It really is not difficult at all.

Remember just because you had vacuum at the footwell pods, does not mean it is not the center pod. A torn diaphram will mean it cannot hold vacuum. The fact you HAVE vacuum means the top hose that goes into the engine bay is functioning fine.

I think the pod is toast personally.

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^+1 on the pods

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Great picture of the VacPod internals.

My 126 didn't blow center vents, but a few hours with a Mit-y-Vac and I determined I could hear each and every pod work and hold air.

I pulled the electric vacuum switchover valve assembly and 2 of the vacuum switches were bad. Changed that for $20 ebay part and now ALL the vents work correctly.

BUT... I also found my "Feet" flaps and rear vents still didn't work.
Turns out whoever was in the dash last managed to disconnect the pod from the actuator arm for the Legroom vents. And the rear vents are push-pull cable control which was just sitting there disconnected! Laziness.

Print out the diagrams and do some solid detective work before a big tear-down. It paid off for me.

Tj

The thing about those pods is if you have ONE that is torn, as soon as the valve opens it, it robs vacuum from the other pods creating havoc. Test each pod individually. I dunno about W124, but W126 valve bodies are subject to bad solder joints. I posted a how-to here on fixing that a few months back.

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

For those of you out there that see this comment, I posted a long video on how to remove the W124 dash and how to replace the vacuum actuator pods for the climate control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SU6CFb0W7s

Just trying to spread the word. Note that there are only 2 PN's left of the 6 PN's that are available from Mercedes or aftermarket. On the dual diaphragm pods you can buy one of the two pods that are available, remove their arms (white plastic just snaps it on), and you can take off the old arm from the old pod and transfer it to the new pod. NOTE: This trick only works on the dual diaphragm pods. Last resort you can get just the rubber diaphragm inside the pod that you can replace at a place called Performance Analysis in Tennessee, although you can't order on their website. You have to call them. Their part numbers for the two different diaphragms are 2010 and 2020. On the W124 and W126, you can use one of their diaphragm on the "center" pod, which is a single diaphragm. They are inexpensive, not sure how long they will be in business from the conversation I had with them. . Get a bunch and store them the rest of your life!

I did it on my 560SEL without removing the dash. Very long hemostats are a must. And the little hex screw heads holding the base of the pod in is a weird size. 5.5mm I believe. - Mike