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Old 07-22-2002, 12:34 AM
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FlagstaffSVX FlagstaffSVX is offline
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A/C Mode Motor?

Okay, so I have been running the entire summer without A/C. Infact, my heater has been stuck in the on position. The local shop said it was my "Climate Control Mode Motor." The thing is... does the mode motor switch between A/C and the heater, or is it just the servo that switches between the levels? Ever since I bought the car I have had to manually move the lever to get it to switch between floor, vent and defrost. The mode motor is $150 and I'd rather not shell it out if it's just going to end up blowing hot air in my face instead of the floor.
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-Craig Lowthorp, Flagstaff AZ
'92 LS-L, Black on White, 136k SOLD
'92 LS-L, Black on Silver, 120k SOLD
'01 Legacy Outback, White,
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  #2  
Old 07-24-2002, 06:33 AM
SVXtypeR
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Arrow If it's the motor I'm thinking about...

(a small black box located just above your passenger's left foot under the dash) that motor is what redirects airflow around the heater core and simultaneously through the cooler (with the a/c "on")

I had a problem with this a few years ago (kinda long, but maybe relavent)...

Over a period of a year, my A/C would blow warmer and warmer, tried refilling with R12 (I have a 92') and no dice, finally I got no cold air at all. Come to discover that my expansion valve (located just inside the firewall inside the a/c core itself) had self-destructed. Had it replaced and the unit recharged (circa $600). Could *slightly* feel cold air but not much. While looking around under the dash, discovered that the screws that held the air mix door had come out, so when the system went from hot to cold, instead of the *doors* moving, the *entire motor assembly* would spin in place. After two screws (50 cents, Home Depot) were inserted, the unit worked flawlessly.

Lesson learned: if the air-mix door is stuck in the "heat" position, your blower will blow across the heater properly but will keep the a/c core shut off air flow. So if you turn your a/c "on", the compressor will kick in, and the a/c core (specifically the expansion valve) will literally *freeze itself to dealth* because there is no air blowing across it to carry the cold air away to the passenger compartment!

A good way to check this is to start the car poke your head under the passenger side foot well and take your HVAC control from hot (85deg) to cold (65deg). If you see the little black box next to the transmission tunnel spin around, you have this problem. You can screw it back in to fix the door problem, but if you still get cold air, you expansion valve has probably comitted suicide.

As a side note: since we have had blistering conditions here on the east coast, one of the "hot weather mods" I have made is to put a valve just before the heater core (I'll post a pic soon). When the weather exceeds the high 90's, I shut the flow of coolant to the heater core so the a/c can work to it's fullest and the system will not "fight itself". The whole job took 10 min and cost less than $15. The difference is nothing short of incredible (especially with good ol' R12)
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Old 07-25-2002, 09:35 AM
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FlagstaffSVX FlagstaffSVX is offline
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Wow TypeR, thanks for all the info! I'm going downstairs right now to check it out.
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-Craig Lowthorp, Flagstaff AZ
'92 LS-L, Black on White, 136k SOLD
'92 LS-L, Black on Silver, 120k SOLD
'01 Legacy Outback, White,
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Old 07-25-2002, 10:00 AM
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FlagstaffSVX FlagstaffSVX is offline
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I think I found the "mode motor" that the mechanic was talking about, a little black box (little being 1"x1"x2") and it has two or three screws holding it in place. It doesn't spin when I change the climate controls, infact, I can't get it to do anything. I tried pushing the little bars but they wouldn't budge. I guess I'll just buy the part from the mechanic and install it myself. Thanks again for the help, it was greatly appreciated. See you around the forums!
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-Craig Lowthorp, Flagstaff AZ
'92 LS-L, Black on White, 136k SOLD
'92 LS-L, Black on Silver, 120k SOLD
'01 Legacy Outback, White,
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