bomb in the glove box

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>From: wdonley@slonet.org (Bill Donley)
>Subject: Bomb in the glovebox
>
> Hi. I know this hs been addressed before, but the archives aren't
>available now. Car's a 87 5kcstq. I've got crazed ticking from the
>component in the glovebox. Is this the infamous stripped gears in the AC
>programmer? Goes away if I change temp settings. Trying to get the ac
>straight before summer hits. Thanks, Bill D.


That's exactly it - changing the temp stops the noise.

Visit the local u-pull-it junkyard and find a late 80s/early 90s GM large
car - Buick, Olds, Caddy - and get the climate controller box out of it.
Worth about $15 or so, tops.

The motor and gears are the same - bolts and wires right to your climate
control box. The actuating arm is different, so here's what you do:

First, pull the right side package tray and glove box.

Before removing the climate control box, run your climate control to full
cold (engine running). You may have to help the arm along if the gears are
totally stripped. You need to get the arm into the full cold position.

Shut off the car, remove the climate control box. Mark the position of the
arm on the box - use masking tape and a magic marker.

Gently pull the arm off the shaft - be careful, you'll need to use it again.

WHILE YOU ARE IN THERE: Check the flying-saucer shaped vacuum manifold to
make sure it isn't split. There's a hose which shoves against the 8 volt
regulator and its heat sink and breaks the solder joints on the PC board.
This hose must be shortened by about 3/8", and reinstalled. Check and
resolder the PC board connections under the regulator if needed. Shake the
PC board - all four solenoids should rattle - any that don't are bad (oil
swells the valves - not fixable). Steal replacement solenoids from the
junkyard GM climate control box you just bought to get the motor and gears.
Re-solder ALL solenoid connections, whether they look like they need it or
not.

Remove old motor, install new motor (without the GM arm - it is different),
connect everything EXCEPT the wire that goes to the arm, start car, run
climate control to full cold. Motor will operate, and rotate to full cold
position. (You might want to run it full hot to full cold a few times to
make sure the new motor works properly.)

Check actuator wire for full range of motion, lubricate if needed (it will
need it).

Remove climate control box, gently press your old arm onto the new motor's
shaft with reference to your masking tape-magic marker index mark,
reassemble everything, test. You're done. An hour's work, the first time,
maybe.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman

PS - saw a black TT "live" today - looks much better "in the flesh" than in
any of the ads or pix I've seen. I wanna turbo-quattro-cabrio TT, no coupes
for me, thanks.

MPA