04ctd

IDK if this will help, but after I did the doors in my mega, one of the motors stripped out a white plastic piece (like a spacer) and I had to remove the spacer to get it to work properly.

the stanchions were too tall with the white piece removed, so I had to trim them down, also, to get the motor directly on the HT door arm.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...eaters-281733/

jumper

Check your A/C charge before you dig into the dash.

I thought I had a blend door issue on mine. I have the dual control unit and the passenger side would only go warm to hot with A/C on; driver's side seemed fine.

Turns out that I had a low A/C charge due to a leaking fitting and it affects the passenger side first due to the evaporator design. Quick fix and A/C is working great again. Glad I caught it before I toasted the compressor and drier.

b1mmuo27

I had no defrost on my 03, I took the entire dash out & found a donar Laramie. Not as hard as you think. Replaced my box with the diner & made sure all doors & actuators were working. Also replaced my dash as it was cracked on top. Total time was 2 weeks but I had to find the cause first by removing the dash then realizing I wasn't going the route of replacing the doors I found the doner I truck.

mattn124

Hello;

Bringing a new question to an old thread. First --- THANK YOU to the whole community for this excellent information!!

I recently bought an 03 2500 Quad Cab ST; the air did not change positions when i bought the truck, but it was "fixed" by the dealer before I took delivery as per our agreement. I think however they "fixed" it was a poorly done job; as it always made strange noises when changing position and after 4-months it completely quit working.

I plan to remove the entire housing and replace ALL doors with this product: https://www.blenddoorusa.com

Due to me lack of faith in the previous repair, I plan to get a complete housing/box from a salvage yard, rebuild it on the bench, and swap it in(and reduce downtime of the truck as well)

My questions are:

• What all model years can I swap the entire box from?
• Is this the same from the 1/2 ton trucks?

There are a lot of 1/2 ton trucks in the boneyards, hardly any 3/4 ton and virtually zero Cummins truck to pick over

Might be nice to have all new actuators too, unless anybody has figured out a way to test them on the bench?

Thanks again for this awesome thread!!!!

--Matt

Jeff in TD

Personally, if I were going to discharge the AC, drain the coolant and all that, I’d just order new housings. They aren’t that expensive. That way you’d know you have the new style, and no one’s cigarette smoke or pet odors.

mattn124

Jeff;

Thanks for weighing in. I just assumed that these parts were all obsolete.

I tried finding the correct parts online in a few places, but nobody could confirm what housings will fit a 2003.

Do you have a good source for parts you would recommend?

I'm still not opposed to a used housing, I'll clean it all up real good on the bench, replace all the foam-seals, etc.... But new is usually better.

Jeff in TD

Been a while since I’ve messed with one, but they are popular trucks and it is a common problem.

Googling around it looks like a variety of on line parts places have them. Might also search by part number. Then check
out reviews of vendors you are considering.

Nothing wrong with used parts per se, but it is a significant amount of work to pull the center stuff, a pillars, column, dash, coolant, refrigerant to get the case out...

mattn124

Thanks Jeff.

Yep, I'm planning for the truck to be down some for this job. But I want it done right. To make matters worse, now there is something rattling around in there, probably the piece of the defrost grill the dealer broke off when "fixing" this truck.

I don't know what kind of repair they could have performed that was only temporary, maybe JB-welded the end of the doors to the actuators,, or they might have cut up the housing to get to the doors instead of taking it all the way out. I'm planning on keeping this truck a long time so it is worth it for me to fix it.

I've decided to go the route of used parts. I'm willing to bet that any year from 03-09 will fit. There are part number differences between those years for various parts on the assembly, but the replacement door-kits are all the same for those years. I'm betting that the entire housing will fit from year-to-year (and if not I've got my original to take parts from as needed). Plus I like the thought of having spare parts when done.

I did find a local 1/2 ton truck a guy is parting out that is a 2003. I'm going to go look at it, might just take the heater box from that one The dash looks identical to mine in pictures,


Anybody find a way to test the actuators on the bench? I'd really like to make sure it is fully functional after assembled and before I put it in the truck.

Jeff in TD

I think they are all the same, except there was a change towards the end where the tabs on the case that engage with the coupler part were made stronger. They were intended to limit the motor travel, but if they don’t, it breaks a door.

AUGIE DOG

I'm fixin to repair my blend doors and going with the Blend Doors USA.Has anyone used this company and were you happy with the product? Did it fix the problem
these trucks with the heat and ac function?
Thanks
Augie Dog

marathon

Used HeaterTreator, no problems.
While you're in there check the heater core. Mine had a seeping leak and I would have had to tear everything apart again.

mattn124

Hello;

I finally got around to this job like I mentioned a few message ago.

I NEED HELP FIGURING OUT WHAT IS WRONG. Please help if you can.

Here is what I did

• Drained coolant, evac'ed refrigerant
• Removed entire dashboard ( pulled off and set on front seat)
• Completely removed HVAC box from truck
• Bench-built a different HVAC box (also from an '03) with all new doors from HeaterTreater (all of the doors)
  • Bench tested all actuators with the 9V battery harness as supplied from HeaterTreater
    • All actuators moved in both directions while on bench
  • Also put in a new heater core and AC evaporator while there
  • Installed rebuilt HVAC box, reassembled the whole truck

The results:

• I get strong airflow out of the vents when set in re-circulation mode
  • Also good airflow when set to vents/floor in recirculation mode
• When I move from recirculation to non-recirculation all airflow stops completely, does not come out of ANY location
  • The blower motor does not stop, it is still moving air but no air coming from vents, defrost, or floor
  • I am able to visually see the recirulation door move and it moves when I change the selection on the controls
  • I am able to feel the "vent door actuator" move by reaching into the dashboard (after I took some trim pieces off)
  • I can't see or reach any other actuators with the truck assembled.

**Why would I lose all airflow in the cab when moving from recirculation to non-recirculation? Especially considering that I did not change the position setting at all (both vent-only setting right next to each other on the **** with the only difference being recir or not-recirc) --- Where is this air going, the blower does not stop blowing but nothing comes out any position.

***Is there some type of re-calibration procedure that needs to be done? FYI --- my control assembly is only about 6-months old.

For added bonus, my AC compressor is not kicking on at all, I am unable to charge the system.

I've given up for the day. I unhooked both batteries and will let it sit overnight, will mess with it after work tomorrow if i get time.

Thank you in advance for any and all replies!!!


--Matt

FMB

That is a lot of work to end up with no fresh air. The Recirc door swings and blocks off either the interior air grill or the exterior air grill. While swinging between the two, the fan will draw air from both until one or the other is blocked off (a second or two). So, If you see/feel the door swinging and blocking off the interior grill, and you are getting no air flow at all, then your exterior air pathway is blocked (#4 below). If this job took more than a day, 'someone' may have placed a rag in the exterior air pathway to prevent mice from entering the cab??? Anyway, check the fresh air pathway for blockage.

As for calibration, the '03 manual states to follow the calibration procedure (which I don't have) after installation of new doors. Your "no flow" issue isn't a calibration issue, IMHO, but a blocked fresh air intake issue.

As for your AC compressor, I have no help for you, sorry.
Back to morning brew . . .


This is from an '03, I think your's should be close or the same.

mattn124

FMB;

Thanks for the response. I was doing it for more than just fresh air. Some of my doors were broken a couple months ago and it would not change positions. When it finally went to defrost a couple months ago I left it alone so I at least had defrost during winter months.

I'll check that location for an obstruction, but I really don't think that is it. The job did take 2-days, but I did all reassembly in 1-day and I am confident there was not a rag draped over that part of the housing upon installation (but worth a look)

I probably did not explain well enough, there is air movement; I can hear the blower loudly and I can hear air moving around in the housing, a tiny bit of air seems to "bleed" out of all locations when it does this, but it does not flow out like it should. Almost like the mode doors are moving to the wrong position and not giving a pathway for air to flow.

Is there a possible position the mode doors could go into that could block airflow?

Yes, I'm stumped on the AC compressor as well.

I thought about HVAC control unit in the dash but I replaced that just a few months ago when this problem first started.

FMB

No worries, Matt. I understood your first post. I wasn't too clear at the beginning of my post, what I meant to say had to do with no fresh air, not the whole job or reason for the job.



There is no single or combination of door positions that would restrict air flow to the vents (not an HVAC expert, but stayed at that hotel once). The only condition I can think of that matches your issues is a blocked fresh air plenum.

There is a different possibility, although extremely remote, that could hamper your fresh air from entering your AC unit. This issue would present itself only if you were testing your airflow with your doors/windows fully closed.
If;

1. Mode is Fresh vs Recirc,
2. Doors and windows closed tight,
3. Fan on high,
4. Little or no air flow from the vents.

This could indicate a blocked Body Vent, located behind the rear seat. Think of this as the fan getting fresh air and trying to blow it into a closed container. BUT, if there is little to no air flow with a door or window open, the Body Vent isn't an issue. Good luck going forward.
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