97 XJ sport, Just got her up and running. She had been sitting in a field for 4 yrs. Everything with the heat and a/c works except the defroster. I can hear the air change tone behind the dash when it switched frrom floor to defrost but you cant feel any air at the windshield. The kicker is that the little def. vents on the sides for the door glasses have plenty air flowing through them. Only thing I can figure is the duct is clogged some how. Does that seem reasonable? Short of disassembling the entire dash area is there a way to check this? Also when the a/c is on i get good air from the center dash vents but very little from the sides. Is this typical of these models or could that be related to my same issue?
thanks

 

You don't feel any air at all in the defrost vents?

I'd guess some little creature has built a home somewhere in there.

 

not through the one at the windshield

 

Its not enough for me to feel with my hand anyway. I can feel the heat and I just laid a papertowel over the vent and it does move slightly but I thought it should blow harder than this.

 

A leaf blower directed down and into the defrost vents may loosen the blockage.

edit* wear a dust mask, if there is mouse pee/poop in the vents you don't wanna breath it!

 

^YouTube video if you do this please.

 

No fear of that. Even if it did dislodge an obstruction its still in there to block something else up.
Besides compressed air is much easier and neater than a leaf blower.

 

I have compressed air (60 gallon) but prefer using the leaf blower, more volume, less pressure. If you remove the Blower Motor Resistor http://www.cherokeetalk.com/forum/f6...acement-11133/ there would be an exit for the debris. Read further down on the thread linked and someone tells how to check the vacuum actuators for defrost, vent, ect.
Good luck!

 

Well Daddtcat thanks for the link. I was able to find some info on that thread. Discovered my problem, but like most it cant be simple to fix. The tab flor the door that connects to the actuator is broke off.
Looks like someone tried to glue it before. So after two hrs or disassembling the dash to gain access to the part I realize that I have to remove and disassemble the heater box to fix it, if I could even fix it w/o replacing the entire thing. I have a feeling my defrost will soon be controled by a piece of stiff wire protruding through my defrost vent.

 

Sorry to hear the bad news. Alittle mouse pee and poop would of been easier. If it's the blend door (and I think it is) there are alot of threads about it breaking. You may find some help by searching "blend door".
Good Luck!

 

Its all back together now with a small piece of wire sticking out the def. vent. Works like a champ!

 

Well done! Now it's a one of a kind XJ with working defrosters!