JohnnyLightning
Active Member
- Thread starter
- #1
I have a 2020 Lariat, built in 7/2020. So I lucked out in having the bad style heater box. I have had a ticking sound that actually sounds like it came from behind the speedometer. It only ticked on some days. On the ticking days it would tick with a regular pattern and would decrease over 15 minutes or so and stop. I have had my head under the dash an watched as the blend door motor moved. There would be no sound and it worked perfectly. I saw a video was talking about the blend door hunting and chatering. So this morning when I heard the tick I dove under the dash board and was able to see the blend door chatter.
The videos that show how change the actuator aren't really clear. I just started taking stuff apart. The good news is that it is only four 8mm bolts and 3 screws. Bad news is how hard the screws are to reach.
For the next guy. I drilled a hole like the guy in video. I don't think placement is critical. You put the screwdriver in the hole and using your other hands fingers reach around the back of the structure you drilled a hole and guide the screw driver to the screw.
As bad as it is to unscrew the 3 screws installation is worse. My old blend door actuator was coated in white grease. When I took out the actuator the yellow cam thing came out too. There is only one way to get the cam on to the splined shaft. There is a little finger that rides in track on the cam. I had to set the cam back in place and get the little finger back in its groove before putting the actuator on the cam. It is very hard to see up there and you can really only go by touch.
One of the screws is a piece of cake. As soon as I had it in I put that screw in fast. The other screws took much longer. You are working blind and can only go by what you feel. It was helpful to have the other actuator in front of me as I fished around the back looking for the screw holes.
For the next guy, what I learned....... You need a magnetic probe to fish around and find the screws you drop. I wish I had a magnetic screwdriver to put the screws back. I dipped the screw driver in candle wax and stuck it to the screw for the install. Stuffing rags in the area between the front of the console and fire wall is probably a good idea. The magnetic probe saved the screws, but the yellow cam had me worried for a couple of minutes.
This is an annoying job. I can't say that it is hard and from start to test drive all cleaned up took me less than 3 hours. The part was about $80. My fingertips hurt and my knees are gonna be sore tomorrow, but better than the alternatives. I did not make either of these videos, but thank you to the guys that did.
The videos that show how change the actuator aren't really clear. I just started taking stuff apart. The good news is that it is only four 8mm bolts and 3 screws. Bad news is how hard the screws are to reach.
For the next guy. I drilled a hole like the guy in video. I don't think placement is critical. You put the screwdriver in the hole and using your other hands fingers reach around the back of the structure you drilled a hole and guide the screw driver to the screw.
As bad as it is to unscrew the 3 screws installation is worse. My old blend door actuator was coated in white grease. When I took out the actuator the yellow cam thing came out too. There is only one way to get the cam on to the splined shaft. There is a little finger that rides in track on the cam. I had to set the cam back in place and get the little finger back in its groove before putting the actuator on the cam. It is very hard to see up there and you can really only go by touch.
One of the screws is a piece of cake. As soon as I had it in I put that screw in fast. The other screws took much longer. You are working blind and can only go by what you feel. It was helpful to have the other actuator in front of me as I fished around the back looking for the screw holes.
For the next guy, what I learned....... You need a magnetic probe to fish around and find the screws you drop. I wish I had a magnetic screwdriver to put the screws back. I dipped the screw driver in candle wax and stuck it to the screw for the install. Stuffing rags in the area between the front of the console and fire wall is probably a good idea. The magnetic probe saved the screws, but the yellow cam had me worried for a couple of minutes.
This is an annoying job. I can't say that it is hard and from start to test drive all cleaned up took me less than 3 hours. The part was about $80. My fingertips hurt and my knees are gonna be sore tomorrow, but better than the alternatives. I did not make either of these videos, but thank you to the guys that did.
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