Community Forums

UsualSuspect · 12-22-2014, 09:18 AM

In my quest to find out why the front heater blows lukewarm air, I discovered the water hose at the inlet is at 175 degrees. I am thinking the problem must be in the heater assembly that is buried in the dash area on the passenger side of my 07 Excursion DP. Anyone ever try and get to the heater assembly? If so, how did you get the dash apart, or is there an easier way to get to the heater assembly? My thought is one of the doors may not be opening as it should. It is a Denso unit.

glarnold · 12-22-2014, 09:33 AM

Have you tried lifting on the dashboard?

ga traveler · 12-22-2014, 10:04 AM

We were a fleetwood dealer. On most of the Fleetwood products you got to the heater by removing the panel in front of the passenger seat that goes from the dash to the floor.

UsualSuspect · 12-22-2014, 10:07 AM

I tried lifting up, but it is screwed down or attached to something, did not want to force it. There is not enough room between the door to the fuses and the rest of the stuff shoved under the dash. My thought is to remove the the fuse area, then see if I can't feel around and see if I can find how FW built the dash, maybe get the kickboard off above the front entry steps. Just hate reaching into the abyss.

98FPA · 12-22-2014, 11:56 AM

I agree with ga traveler. On my 98 Pace Arrow I had 4 screws in the corners of the driver's side kick panel in front of the seat. It kind of hard to find the screws but I eventually I did, you may be able to see a carpet seam between the doghouse and this panel. After your remove the screws this panel can just be pulled out. Since your MH is quite a bit newer it could obviously not be the same. My heater blower, etc. was also a Denso.

UsualSuspect · 12-22-2014, 02:21 PM

I will give it a try Friday, see if I can get in there by removing the kick panel. Hopefully it will be easy access.

mchero · 12-23-2014, 07:42 AM

Keep us posted on your progress.

I don't get ANY hot air on my 07 Discovery. Looks like I might need to get to my heater valve as well.

RM

UsualSuspect · 12-29-2014, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ga traveler

We were a fleetwood dealer. On most of the Fleetwood products you got to the heater by removing the panel in front of the passenger seat that goes from the dash to the floor.

I am still trying to figure out how on earth to get the dash apart to get to the heater. The kick panel on the passenger side has the entry step cover that folds down. I removed it, and cannot find any screws holding the kickpanel on, and it is attached about as solid as it gets. There is a lighted grab handle mounted to it, so I am thinking that panel has to come off somehow, the light can't last forever. I looked at the dog house, opened the door, and they crammed so much duct and wires in that space, I am surprised you can get to the fuse block under there. I doubt if I found how they mounted the dog house if I could cram anything else in there.
Finally was able to get the duct diagrams from Fleetwood. According to them, the heater only has ducts going to the vents on the floor, and defroster. The duct diagram shows only A/C at the dash vents. Not sure how accurate this is, but that may be why I don't feel any heat, wrong vents, or maybe I have to have the heater set to blow to the feet or defroster, and it is operator error.

mchero · 12-30-2014, 08:25 AM

When the engine is warmed up to temp and you have the heat on full blast are BOTH hoses under the hood hot or just one?

My dash has a center piece that hinges out exposing the fuse panel & such but that's as far as I have gotten.

UsualSuspect · 12-30-2014, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchero

When the engine is warmed up to temp and you have the heat on full blast are BOTH hoses under the hood hot or just one?

My dash has a center piece that hinges out exposing the fuse panel & such but that's as far as I have gotten.

The hose on the right is hot, the one on the left is luke warm. Looking at the Denso documentation, the right is the heater inlet. My thought is the heater hose on the right would not be hot unless I have water circulation. I tried to measure the hose as best I could, it is not a straight shot from the block to the heater inlet up front, and it is almost 46 feet from the rear to the heater inlet, so if there were blockage, or not circulating I doubt it would get hot at the heater core inlet I have there now.
According to the Denso documentation there is a cable that runs from the dash controls to the heater that controls a door that open or closes. I am thinking the cable is not adjusted right/hooked up, or there is a problem with the door that opens and closes for heat/no heat. I will get in there, may have to run down to a friendly Fleetwood Dealer and ask how the kick panel is attached and how the heck to you remove it.

mchero · 12-30-2014, 10:09 AM

Yep, Same issue on my rig! One side hot, other hose cold. I also have the cable running to the valve. I can't really see the actual valve though. Will have to get to it from the dash side.

I have read a few posts that had described an "air pocket" or "air lock " at that valve & bleeding the air out corrected it.

mchero · 12-30-2014, 10:18 AM

When I was looking at my dash I noticed the 3/4 round plastic "trim" between kick panel and top of dash. Perhaps my screws are under that trim..

I'll have to post some PICS later today.

UsualSuspect · 01-04-2015, 08:27 PM

I saw those also, may try and pop the plastic trim junk off. We were in 25 degree temps, and I finally resorted to removing the dash controls and pulled on the cable, and hot air, so I know it is the cable not being adjusted right.
I also found that Fleetwood did a poor job with the defroster ducting on mine, it is not insulated at all, and runs outside the cap, so there is tremendous heat loss as it is exposed to the cold exterior air, and to top it off when you are moving you get to factor in wind chill. Not sure how to fix that yet, probably end up wrapping the ducts with some type of insulation.

stink · 01-06-2015, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UsualSuspect

In my quest to find out why the front heater blows lukewarm air, I discovered the water hose at the inlet is at 175 degrees. I am thinking the problem must be in the heater assembly that is buried in the dash area on the passenger side of my 07 Excursion DP. Anyone ever try and get to the heater assembly? If so, how did you get the dash apart, or is there an easier way to get to the heater assembly? My thought is one of the doors may not be opening as it should. It is a Denso unit.

Pm me a pix of your dash as I changed my heater core twice. They might be similar enough to dissasemble the same. Do you have a slide lever on the heater controls for temp? Mine has the lever and five or six mode buttons and a lever for fan speed. If you have the lever for temp the cable may have slipped in its mount causing the blend door to be out of adjustment. When you remove the lower trim panel you can see the mount on the top of the heater box. The control head is held in with four screws and can be pulled out just enough to see the cable mount.