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Topic: heater temp slide stuck -fix or replace?

in Forum: C4 Cooling and Heating Systems


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heater temp slide stuck -fix or replace? (1/4)
 12/28/09 12:26am
BATaylorEsq
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San Tan Valley, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
87 Red Coupe, not as pretty, had 213G miles, great running engine; got 20-21 around town, 27-28 on hwy; I got to drive a Vette, every day for 6 yrs. It was my first; so now I know what the fuss is all about. (Sold it 2015 for $3000, still ran great.)


Joined: 11/29/2009
Posts: 90

All summer, the AC worked fine.  Didn't use anything for 3 months (live in Phoenix), then tried to push the temp slide from Cold to Hot and it wouldn't budge.  Question is, when the temp slider on the heater/AC control panel on the C4 won't even move from the far left side, like it's bolted down, not like it's sticky, it doesn't move at all,  ... can that be something electrical or computer related, or only a purely mechanical issue (like it's broken inside or off track or something)?  Since it doesn't slide, it doesn't switch from cold to hot, thus, no heat in winter.  Not a big problem out here, like being without AC in summer is a big problem, but I'd rather have it work, if possible.  It sounds like I probably need a new control panel, and can buy a used one, but thought I'd ask if there's any easy check or fix, before I try to rip+replace.
 
Thanks for any tips, Bruce


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heater temp slide stuck -fix or replace? (2/4)
 12/31/10 8:51pm
BATaylorEsq
Standard Member
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San Tan Valley, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
87 Red Coupe, not as pretty, had 213G miles, great running engine; got 20-21 around town, 27-28 on hwy; I got to drive a Vette, every day for 6 yrs. It was my first; so now I know what the fuss is all about. (Sold it 2015 for $3000, still ran great.)


Joined: 11/29/2009
Posts: 90

Temp control won't budge, any ideas?
 
I don't dare tear and stare, without knowing what to look for.  If anyone knows of a repair man/shop in the Phoenix/Mesa/Tempe/East Valley area where I could get work done on my heater, I'd be interested in having someone fix mine.  
 
(The temperature slide on my dash unit won't move from the Cold side to the Warm side, it's just stuck.  I could use the AC in the summer, but can't use the heater now that it's cold in the AM, what Arizonans call "the winter." 45-50 degrees isn't much to whine about, but it would be nice....  BTW, I have an 87 coupe.)


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heater temp slide stuck -fix or replace? (3/4)
 1/1/11 12:09am
Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1985 Coupe-L98/Auto,Bright Red/Carmine. 1974 Coupe-L48/4speed, Medium Red Metallic/Black Deluxe.


Joined: 3/18/2009
Posts: 2230

I assume you do NOT have a Factory Service Manual for your car?
IF the slide itself is stuck, you can probably free it up easy enough, but you would need to remove the control panel from the console, so you can get to the "guts" of the slide, in the rear. This involves removing all of the little screws holding the radio/gauge cluster trim panel, as well as the screws holding the shifter/center console top on. The shifter console plate needs to be removed first, or the radio/gauge trim panel will not come off(without breaking it!).
Once the cover/trim plate is off, you will be able to see the screws holding the Climate Control panel to the dash. It's been a few years since I have been behind the dash of one, so I'm a little rusty on the specifics of what all might need to be removed/unplugged.
What usually happens is, the part that the slide actually attaches to will be what is messed up. If I remember correctly, the slide actually moves a circular control(vacuum switch) that simply directs vacuum to different hoses going to the different doors in the A/C plenum, and that's what re-directs the airflow thru the system. The circular switch there can get stuck in one spot from the grease used on them getting all hard.
 Hopefully, you can simply remove the climate control head, and free up the slide.  You may want to try to spray a little WD40 on it and let it soak a few minutes before trying to free it up. You'll want to move the slide side-to-side a little at a time...back and forth. If it doesn't look like it's going to move, or free up, the vacuum switch may be toast, and need replacing.
I'll dig my service manual out and see if it has anything better on this. If it does, I'll definitely get back with you sometime this weekend. It's supposed to get down into the low 30s here tonight....a heater is gonna be needed for us!
Hope this helps in some way, and I'll see what else I can come up with to help.



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heater temp slide stuck -fix or replace? (4/4)
 1/1/11 2:35am
BATaylorEsq
Standard Member
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San Tan Valley, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
87 Red Coupe, not as pretty, had 213G miles, great running engine; got 20-21 around town, 27-28 on hwy; I got to drive a Vette, every day for 6 yrs. It was my first; so now I know what the fuss is all about. (Sold it 2015 for $3000, still ran great.)


Joined: 11/29/2009
Posts: 90

Thank you.  You're so nice to reply on New Years Eve, yet.  You are right that I don't have a Service Manual, but may be able to borrow one from someone in one of the Arizona clubs.  Even without one, I feel brave enough to try loosening a stuck slide/vacuum wheel, if that's all it is, by removing the shift and dash plates and pulling out the climate control, as you described.
 
You're a pip, AA!

(Thanks, also, for posting this for everyone.  This may not be a big problem, but it may be a common one and your help could help a lot of us.)


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