Recirc Annoyance

[Porpoise Hork]

It's odd, because mine seems to flip to outside air, regardless of whether or not the temp (including on Max A/C) is colder than ambient.

Does anyone know how to access/remove the recirculation blend/damper door?
I looked in the service manual, but am unable to find it.

If nobody else has any ideas, I might have to be the first one to try something definitive.

It's behind the glovebox. Relatively easy to get to, but wouldn't recommend messing with it. Pretty sensitive linkages in there and could cause it to throw diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B1082 and/or B1081 if you disable the door.

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[jblc]

It's behind the glovebox. Relatively easy to get to, but wouldn't recommend messing with it. Pretty sensitive linkages in there and could cause it to throw diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B1082 and/or B1081 if you disable the door.

Thanks Yeah, i saw those codes in the manual, and that it was a damper sensor/etc. I'm mainly curious if it's possible to seal it a bit better, in case it was deliberately set to blend outside air even in recirc mode (and I can reduce that outside blend when in recirc mode)

 

[jblc]

Think Ford did this for mitigating the possibility of Carbon Monoxide poising. By allowing fresh air into the system the possibility of this happening is pretty remote. My guess is someone sued for dying this way and they forevermore changed the way the system operates

Interesting... If that's true, I don't mind the safety, but other cars I've tested don't have that much leakage. So I'm admittedly a bit skeptical that the current implementation is best, and that it's needed at highway speeds

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Thanks Yeah, i saw those codes in the manual, and that it was a damper sensor/etc. I'm mainly curious if it's possible to seal it a bit better, in case it was deliberately set to blend outside air even in recirc mode (and I can reduce that outside blend when in recirc mode)

You can thank Ralph Nader for the door not sealing 100% when on recirculate. Your best option is a carbon impregnated cabin filter like this one. It does an OK job on fresh air but will quickly pull out odors when on recirculate. Allegedly Ford is supposed to be releasing cabin filters sometime next year that are P95 HEPA rated or something like that for most of the model lines.

 

[jblc]

You can thank Ralph Nader for the door not sealing 100% when on recirculate. Your best option is a carbon impregnated cabin filter like this one. It does an OK job on fresh air but will quickly pull out odors when on recirculate. Allegedly Ford is supposed to be releasing cabin filters sometime next year that are P95 HEPA rated or something like that for most of the model lines.

I have one actually. But see this thread for so much leakage into the cabin from other sources that don't pass through the filter, that a HEPA filter doesn't actually help. IN this link I also run a separate high-flow HEPA filter in the car through an inverter, and it STILL doesn't work due to the large amount of air that comes in through other places.
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...ging-in-external-air.16512/page-2#post-343599

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I have one actually. But see this thread for so much leakage into the cabin from other sources that don't pass through the filter, that a HEPA filter doesn't actually help. IN this link I also run a separate high-flow HEPA filter in the car through an inverter, and it STILL doesn't work due to the large amount of air that comes in through other places.
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...ging-in-external-air.16512/page-2#post-343599

Hmm. Interesting, cause mine doesn't have this issue. The carbon cabin filter is more than sufficient when it's on recirculate.

 

[jblc]

Hmm. Interesting, cause mine doesn't have this issue. The carbon cabin filter is more than sufficient when it's on recirculate.

Interesting.... Is yours supercab, or supercrew? Also, how are you checking to know that the cabin air filter is sufficient on recirc?

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Interesting.... Is yours supercab, or supercrew? Also, how are you checking to know that the cabin air filter is sufficient on recirc?

It's a SCREW. As for checking, Just going off my or and passenger's nose/allergic reactions. When it is on recirculate from the start there is never any hint of outside odors at all. When it flips to fresh air and start to get a strong exhaust smell I switch it back and the smell is always pulled out within a minute or so and remains undetectable to anyone in the truck while it is in that mode. Now one thing to note is Ford replaced the entire under dash HVAC assembly about 6 months back when they thought it was the source of a small water leak. Not sure if the replacement unit seals better, but I don't remember it being any different prior to that.

Oh and one other thing I have done is put a layer of polyester fleece material over the cab pressure vents on the back wall under the window. I did that to reduce some of the wind/road noise they create. Covering them allows airflow out but may also prevent outside air flowing back in when the A/C is on recirculate.

 

[D Fresh]

Do any of you folks ever go outside?

Why do you want to keep recirculating the same old air over and over again? Do you never use your windows?

Maybe you guys should look at a SCUBA setup for when you exit your houses.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Do any of you folks ever go outside?

Why do you want to keep recirculating the same old air over and over again? Do you never use your windows?

Maybe you guys should look at a SCUBA setup for when you exit your houses.

Unlike Colorado, the air quality in Houston sucks in general... Then there's the humidity... Oh not to mention there's only about 2-3 weeks out of the year that the temps/humidity are nice enough that you can drive around with the windows open and not melt.

 

[D Fresh]

Unlike Colorado, the air quality in Houston sucks in general... Then there's the humidity... Oh not to mention there's only about 2-3 weeks out of the year that the temps/humidity are nice enough that you can drive around with the windows open and not melt.

I live in the Denver Metro.

This is 7 years ago, with no additional help from wildfire events.

If a little bit of fresh air disturbs a person's driving pleasure, I just don't understand how they can function in daily life.

Like how do you go to work, take a hike/walk, obtain foodstuffs, go fishing, mow your lawn, have a cookout, or really do anything?

And if it really is a product of the local environment, why on earth would you stay there?

 

[Porpoise Hork]

And if it really is a product of the local environment, why on earth would you stay there?

Not by choice that's for damned sure.

 

[jblc]

Do any of you folks ever go outside?

Why do you want to keep recirculating the same old air over and over again? Do you never use your windows?

Maybe you guys should look at a SCUBA setup for when you exit your houses.

Some areas of the country (like where I am) have dangerous levels of smoke for months on end. This is not an exaggeration; such toxins in the air are known to cause cancer etc.
I think it's totally warranted to want to breath clean air when driving; being exposed to smoke during that time is (obviously) undesirable.

See the earlier parts of the thread, which talks more about this.

 

[D Fresh]

Some areas of the country (like where I am) have dangerous levels of smoke for months on end. This is not an exaggeration; such toxins in the air are known to cause cancer etc.
I think it's totally warranted to want to breath clean air when driving; being exposed to smoke during that time is (obviously) undesirable.

See the earlier parts of the thread, which talks more about this.

There is literally nowhere in the US where the climate is so smoky for months on end, every year, to warrant your concern.

I'd break down the numbers for you but for some reason you want to be very vague about where you're from.

Suffice it to say that even if in the worst area of the US west, even Kansans have it as rough as you.

It's a total exaggeration.

If it were as bad as you say driving should be the least of your concerns. You should be more worried about the other 20-22 hours of the day.

Do you sleep in a SCUBA mask?

 

[jblc]

There is literally nowhere in the US where the climate is so smoky for months on end, every year, to warrant your concern.

I'd break down the numbers for you but for some reason you want to be very vague about where you're from.

Suffice it to say that even if in the worst area of the US west, even Kansans have it as rough as you.


It's a total exaggeration.

If it were as bad as you say driving should be the least of your concerns. You should be more worried about the other 20-22 hours of the day.

Do you sleep in a SCUBA mask?

Before answering, I don't appreciate being made fun of.
I'm not sure why hate replies exists... Why would someone take issue with someone else trying to minimize their own exposure?
It's confusing to read posts like yours: it seems you're saying that since 100% of toxins can't be eliminated, it's not worth trying to reduce at all.
I don't understand that perspective, but I respect others' perspectives, so I'm not going to make fun of yours...

"There is literally nowhere in the US where the climate is so smoky for months on end, every year, to warrant your concern."

Yes, there are locations like that. I will withhold my information on a public forum. However, there are MANY places where there is smoke for 6 months of the year, at 150+ AQI for much of it.
This is first, due to wildfires in late summer and fall, then, throughout the winter due to wood burning.
In these cases, for prolonged exposure outside, many people do wear a mask since it's unhealthy. It's a personal choice to do so or not, even though many people are okay with breathing unclean air


"If it were as bad as you say driving should be the least of your concerns. You should be more worried about the other 20-22 hours of the day."
It would be nice for you to not rush to judgement, nor try to impose your ideas on what I should be concerned more about, as this thread hasn't mentioned anything about my overall day; the rest of my day doesn't relate to my questions about the Ranger.

"Do you sleep in a SCUBA mask?"
But to humor you as a way to point out the oddness of your comments, I'll drop a hint that there is magic advanced tech available to the public called an air filter ?...which also happens to be one of the topics of this thread.

Anyway, this post is about our vehicles being leaky and recirc not working. I'd like to keep discussing that part

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