f53 1999 heater leaking - how to dissmantle to get to the faulty radiator?

[Deznut]

Congratulations!...but this is a lot like plumbing in your house....you may have fixed the "easiest to leak" component first, but be prepared to find "new" leaks in the "circuit"...if you can find a shop that will lend you a pressure tester - or willing to pressure test your system before you go traveling it would be a wise decision...hth

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

Ok. Heater leaked as hell. Everything inside the plastic cover is wet, all the foam insulation on the moving blends destroyed. I've managed to find a shop that will make a repair of the heater core. I hope it will last. Now cleaning, gluing new foam, checking if all the blends work and sealing everything together.

Congratulations! Thats a lot of work. Hope you found a good radiator shop that does a good job for you.

[2psquared]

Cut the hoses and parts supply sell a splice piece. You won’t have a heater core but I’m not in a super cold area and if I need heat I turn on the propane unit heater

Originally Posted by Deznut

1) DO NOT pull on the hoses to remove from the "stubs"...remove the clamps and use a carpet knife ( hooked knife blade) to cut a slit in the hose and carefully "peal" them off the inlet and outlet stubs. ( if you pull on the stubs you risk pulling the stubs out of the heater core) here in the states we have some companies that offer a "U tube" that connects the two hoses and by-passes the heater core...the engine will still operate but you have no heater....basically you connect the two hoses together without a connection to the heater core. ( no more leaks , but no heat!)
OR
suggestion - think long and hard...
1) Do NOT pull on the hoses to remove from the "stubs"...remove the clamps and use a carpet knife ( hooked knife blade) to cut a slit in the hose and carefully "peal" them off the inlet and outlet stubs. ( if you pull on the stubs you risk pulling the stubs out of the heater core) Replace with new hoses and clamps if you can
2) think/plan real good ...cut the plastic housing ( on the engine bay/outside in such a way that you can remove the A/C coils and the leaky heater core ( from the engine bay )....you need to leave a "flange" on the cut edges so you can replace the cut out material with a piece of steel or plastic and use short sheet metal screws to attach the "new cover" using the "flange edge" on the old cover as a place for the screws to engage.
3) since the original cover is plastic you may be able to use a soldering iron with a knife edge to melt the old cover to gain access to the heater core ...if you use a saw/knife you must be careful not to cut the A/C coil or you will have excessive cost in the repair.
4) I have done this on old autos here in the states with success - it was either cut out the heater core from the engine side and fabricate a cover or or remove the dash board and all of the cables/connectors and electronics hoping that it will all function correctly once re- installed ( NOT likely)
Hope I gave you some "food" for thought - good luck

[16wrangler]

When all else fails I go to YouTube. There is a wealth of information there.

[jack_top]

Now I'm in a, process of checking if door blend works and I'm having a trouble with no 13. No 3 is motorized and it's opening and closing when I'm choosing AC flow or hot air to get inside the RV. But how should I test door no 13? There's no 'internal circulation' button to switch on, if I want the door to be in horizontal position (when it's flat, it's not taking air from outside). So I have a few questions.

1. What should I do to force door no 3 to open or close outside air intake?
2. How can I check, if a vacuum servo (16) is working?
3. How can I check if every part of a vacuum circuit is working properly?

There are 4 vacuum servo mechanisms and at least 4 different colors of vacuum hoses to operate hot or cold air flow inside the rv. Can I check those with OBD? How can I do it manually? What's the procedure?

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

Now I'm in a, process of checking if door blend works and I'm having a trouble with no 13. No 3 is motorized and it's opening and closing when I'm choosing AC flow or hot air to get inside the RV. But how should I test door no 13? There's no 'internal circulation' button to switch on, if I want the door to be in horizontal position (when it's flat, it's not taking air from outside). So I have a few questions.

1. What should I do to force door no 3 to open or close outside air intake?
2. How can I check, if a vacuum servo (16) is working?
3. How can I check if every part of a vacuum circuit is working properly?

There are 4 vacuum servo mechanisms and at least 4 different colors of vacuum hoses to operate hot or cold air flow inside the rv. Can I check those with OBD? How can I do it manually? What's the procedure?

Your door no 3 appears to be operated with an electric motor actuator. You would test it by plugging it in, ignition on and operate the dash control. If no joy, need a wiring diagram to prove out power, ground and control circuits. Problem may be dash control, actuator or wiring.

Testing the vacuum actuators is easy. Get a Mityvac or similar, handheld vacuum pump. Many auto parts stores loan them no charge with deposit. Connect a hose to pump and actuator. When applying vacuum, actuator will pull in. Release vacuum and actuator will extend. Mityvac can also be used to supply vacuum to the dash control to test the vacuum switch. Connect Mityvac to the vacuum reservoir (black plastic ball) to supply vacuum that would otherwise come from running engine.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

Now I'm in a, process of checking if door blend works and I'm having a trouble with no 13. No 3 is motorized and it's opening and closing when I'm choosing AC flow or hot air to get inside the RV. But how should I test door no 13? There's no 'internal circulation' button to switch on, if I want the door to be in horizontal position (when it's flat, it's not taking air from outside). So I have a few questions.

1. What should I do to force door no 3 to open or close outside air intake?
2. How can I check, if a vacuum servo (16) is working?
3. How can I check if every part of a vacuum circuit is working properly?

There are 4 vacuum servo mechanisms and at least 4 different colors of vacuum hoses to operate hot or cold air flow inside the rv. Can I check those with OBD? How can I do it manually? What's the procedure?

Re reading I confused no 13 and no 3 a bit. No 13 is operated by no 16 with vacuum. It is called recirculation, often abbreviated to "recirc". Often controlled by a button, but may be controlled by vacuum switch operated by slide lever.

A picture of your dash control, front and rear might be helpful.

[jack_top]

Originally Posted by code2e

Your door no 3 appears to be operated with an electric motor actuator. You would test it by plugging it in, ignition on and operate the dash control. If no joy, need a wiring diagram to prove out power, ground and control circuits. Problem may be dash control, actuator or wiring.

Testing the vacuum actuators is easy. Get a Mityvac or similar, handheld vacuum pump. Many auto parts stores loan them no charge with deposit. Connect a hose to pump and actuator. When applying vacuum, actuator will pull in. Release vacuum and actuator will extend. Mityvac can also be used to supply vacuum to the dash control to test the vacuum switch. Connect Mityvac to the vacuum reservoir (black plastic ball) to supply vacuum that would otherwise come from running engine.

Perfect, I have one of these at home for a motorcycle brake fluid. Do you think the vacuum would be sufficient for servo to work?

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

Perfect, I have one of these at home for a motorcycle brake fluid. Do you think the vacuum would be sufficient for servo to work?

Should be enough to operate the actuator. You can test your handheld pump by blocking off the inlet, pump a vacuum on the gauge and see if it holds without bleeding off. If yours won't do it, go for the loaner at AutoZone or wherever.

[jack_top]

Originally Posted by code2e

Re reading I confused no 13 and no 3 a bit. No 13 is operated by no 16 with vacuum. It is called recirculation, often abbreviated to "recirc". Often controlled by a button, but may be controlled by vacuum switch operated by slide lever.

A picture of your dash control, front and rear might be helpful.

Yes you're right. It is a recirculation but I don't have any button to operate it I've read that Max AC is operating the recirc door https://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/any...il-299969.html

In my rv it's not working when switching to Max AC. Can the problem be that I'm checking it while the cover of the cooler and hater radiators is open? And still without the heater? I'm wondering if there are some additional sensors (fe. no2 - resistor or 28 - thermostat, photo above) that only when sensing heat or cold in closed casing switches the vacuum pump.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

Yes you're right. It is a recirculation but I don't have any button to operate it I've read that Max AC is operating the recirc door https://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/any...il-299969.html

In my rv it's not working when switching to Max AC. Can the problem be that I'm checking it while the cover of the cooler and hater radiators is open? And still without the heater? I'm wondering if there are some additional sensors (fe. no2 - resistor or 28 - thermostat, photo above) that only when sensing heat or cold in closed casing switches the vacuum pump.

Max A/C would require the recirc door to be closed. If your Max A/C is a location on a sliding lever, it is operating a vacuum switch. If it is a push button there would be a vacuum control it operated. In any case, operation of the recirc door is by vacuum. Vacuum is only present when engine runs or you supply it with handheld pump. I would verify operation at the actuator first, then from dash control and last from vacuum ball. All it takes is a pinhole leak to lose vacuum. The gauge on the pump will tell you if its holding or leaking.

[jack_top]

Originally Posted by code2e

Max A/C would require the recirc door to be closed. If your Max A/C is a location on a sliding lever, it is operating a vacuum switch. If it is a push button there would be a vacuum control it operated. In any case, operation of the recirc door is by vacuum. Vacuum is only present when engine runs or you supply it with handheld pump. I would verify operation at the actuator first, then from dash control and last from vacuum ball. All it takes is a pinhole leak to lose vacuum. The gauge on the pump will tell you if its holding or leaking.

Is there a source point where vaccum is coming from the engine to the vacuum reservoir? It would be the first point to check I think. V10 triton.

[jack_top]

So, I've checked the vacuum servo and it's working OK when applied to the outside vacuum pump. It is not working when connected to the vacuum line of the rv. How should I proceed? I think I have to find a source of the vacuum in the engine compartment first. Where is it? Then, how do I check if a vacuum reservoir is working properly? Any thoughts?

[code2e]

Originally Posted by jack_top

So, I've checked the vacuum servo and it's working OK when applied to the outside vacuum pump. It is not working when connected to the vacuum line of the rv. How should I proceed? I think I have to find a source of the vacuum in the engine compartment first. Where is it? Then, how do I check if a vacuum reservoir is working properly? Any thoughts?

The source of vacuum from the engine is the intake manifold. Likely using nylon tubing with rubber hose tips like the one you found on the actuator. There may be a "vacuum tree" threaded into a port in the intake manifold itself. Vacuum tree describes a metal fitting with male pipe thread into manifold and several male nipples, looking like tree branches. Some years/models used vacuum nipples that were part of the throttle body on top of the intake.

There should be a vacuum diagram label on the left valve cover, facing the outside. Should be visible from outside, looking over the driver front wheel. Wipe it clean and take a picture to use while looking at top of engine inside.

Ultimately, the engine vacuum connects to the black plastic ball out front. Ball stores vacuum for use by dash controls.