ATC Issue

[Tiggie]

Of course, the ATC in my Wagon isn't working properly. Here are my symtoms:

- Hot air out of the dash vents (the ones used for vent and a/c) all the time, regardless if the system is on or off.
- The more the load increases (vacuum decreases), you get more hot air out of the vents.
- Something is constantly moving down there in the heater case, squeaking as it moves. Maybe the blend door (reason you get more heat and hotter heat going up a hill?).

It's like it's stuck in the vent position and the blend door is stuck on heating. The defrost position still works, but its still hot air.

What do yall think is wrong?

[Tiggie]

Somebody move this to the HVAC forum. I forgot all about it.

[gadget73]

Moved.

You have a vacuum leak somewhere, and a fairly major one. Check the soup can first. Usually they rust out at the seams. If that holds vacuum, check the thermal blower lockout (that thing in the heater hose) to make sure its good and the vacuum lines don't leak there. If they do, just unplug them and seal the lines off. Next thing to check would be the check valve on the firewall vacuum tree, but I'll bet its either the soup can or the TBL.

Oh, squeaky in the dash is the fresh/recirc door moving around. Its on the passenger side, easily visible if you take the cardboard down. Its the only door you can see really easily without looking for it. Oil the hinge a bit and it'll stop sqeaking.

[Tiggie]

Thanks Gadget. I'll take a look at it when I get back home in three weeks (final exams suck). I didn't notice any vacuum leaks and the car is getting 24 MPG, but I really didn't look that hard. It's a rust bucket car, so the can being rusted is a good possibility.