I have found 2 companies that have replacement blender door kits.. One is the Heater Treater and the other by JGC Parts. I think I will need to use one of these as my heater is blowing luke warm. I just purchased this Jeep and I wasn't aware of the problem until after I sealed the deal. Both claim to fix the problem permanently. Both are installed through the glove box rather than removing the whole dash. One, the Heater Treater claims that their product was the first on the market and is superior to the other one, but they don't state who the other one is made by. It is also considerably higher priced than JGC'c. The Heater Treater also has a network of installers if you don't want to do it yourself.
In any event . My question is obvious. Since is problem is rampant and as one provider says, inevitable, how many of us have used either product and perhaps would be willing to share their experience with the rest of us. I have also read about some DIY solutions out there as well, and I really don't whish to address them here.

 

Hold on a minute! The blend door only sends hot air to the different outlets you choose, not the temperature of the heat. If the shaft is broken, it sometimes blocks the blower fan so you only get a slight flow when the blower is straining it's guts out. Try this, put your selector on recirculate and see if you get blasted with hot air (the temp builds slowly as the car warms up). if you do, there's nothing wrong with your blend door. The problem is with coolant flow thru your heater core.

JMHO, I'd go with Heater Treaters. They've been doing this for a long time.

I had a similar problem with my WJ this winter. When the outside air temp was like sub-zero, I only got lukewarm heat with my blower on high. The engine wouldn't stay up to normal temp either. Now that it's warmer outside, everything works right. I think the air was so cold, the heater just couldn't heat it fast enough. My blower resistor failed so I only had high blower. People also tell me my WJ is unusual because the blend door still works at 155K.

 

Essentially its blowing cool air in all settings. When I put it on recirculate I get maybe a VERY slightly warmer difference in temperature. Its noticeably warmer, but not hot air, not even much warmer air. Not heating the air in the car, but I can feel a little warmth when I put my hand to the vent. The vehicle is in California. I am in Hawaii and won't get back to it for a few months to pull the stepper motor and check out the door.. Presuming I need to change out the blower door, trying to figure which product is better based on real life. Both sites sell their products well though JGC's is laid out better so the process is easier to understand.


While I am here. Is it possible to change out the heater core without removing the dash as well? I get a faint smell of coolant when I switch on the heat for a brief period of time. No visible leaking inside. Not into removing the dash. Its either stop-leak or for sale. I actually just bought it but was not looking for a labor of love type vehicle..

 

I think you have the word blend and mode mixed up. Blend door controls temp. Mode door controls outlet.


Are those kits the ones that involve cutting the hvac box? Just pull the dash. It is a pretty simple job on a wj.

 

This is just my opinion, but it sounds to my like the PO had a heater core leak and tried to fix it with stop-leak, only to plug the rest of the core. As I said before, if the heat goes where you want it, as in windshield, floor vents, dash vents, combinations thereof, your blend door isn't broken.

 

lol. That is the mode door. Blend door controls the temp.

 

Check the temp on the heater hoses. If the inlet and outlet are near the same temp, it is unlikely the heater core is plugged and you are on the right track with the door problem.

 

You see, this is why I need a schematic drawing of what is inside that black box and how everything works before I rip the dash out. So you're saying my blend door works, but is not shutting off completely? It leaks heat in the summer but will control the temp in the winter.

 

Maybe this will help: http://www.heatertreater.net/magento...tml#singlezone


This link goes to the Heater Treater site which tells how to diagnose a "blender door problem". In a GCLaredo with a single zone heating system. If you have a duel zone system it actually pulls codes. There is instructions on that too. Mine is single zone.


They have another section that goes into detail about how to diagnose a "re-circ door" problem. Apparently two different reasons for not getting heat. I have not been able to fully diagnose this problem because I left the Jeep in California while I wrap up some life type things in Hawaii.


I get air to the various levels (floor, mid dash and defrost) I just don't get hot air. I am hoping its just the blend door as you are right. These products get installed through the glove box and not by removing the whole dash. I feel much more comfortable doing that then removing the whole dash. I saw that YOUTUBE video and that's way beyond my comfort level. Many things can be possible, including a clogged core. Once I get back to the vehicle, I can check for a broken blend door or hinge.


It appears though, that as popular this site is, nobody has used either of these products?

 

My air went to defrost; floor, and so forth. It too would blow only cold. Even if the air goes to the vents you want it to the blend doors can still be broken. If the air will not recirculate then the recirc door is broken. I juat got tje repair kit from blendorstore.com. i have dual temo control but ordered the repair kit for single control only. It was cheaper. It also comes with a repair to either keep you recirc door open or closed.


I used a hot knife. Cut out the area for blend doors. Removed old ones and put on new ones. Sealed it back up and i now have heat. Need to get tje ac fixed next.

To make sure your blend doors are broken drop the glove box. Remove the actuator motor that is on the left side of the glove box. Turn that white shaft. If it just spins around they are broken. I went with blendorstore.com because it included a tool to fix recirc door.

 

Your profile says that you have a Cherokee. On the Cherokees you can have this situation as the switch that operates where the air goes is vacuum driven. I am still trying to find out if this is true for the Grand Cherokee's. I am not near my Grand Cherokee to check to see if the if shaft is broken.

 

On my '00 WJ, it's a stepper motor (electric).

 

The wj's have stepper motors. My last comment was intended for nwagtmustang . I believe the regular Cherokees do not have stepper motors.

 

[QUOTE=blueseasons;2830771]Your profile says that you have a Cherokee. On the Cherokees you can have this situation as the switch that operates where the air goes is vacuum driven. I am still trying to find out if this is true for the Grand Cherokee's. I am not near my Grand Cherokee to check to see if the if shaft is broken.[/Q




If the above was directed towards me I just bought a Grand Cherokee last week. I have not updated my profile. Anyway I think I eventually will go with the repair kit that will enable dual control without having to remove the dash from the blendorstore.com. I just bought the repair kit that is for single control.

 

What year is yours? Mine is a 2000 with the single control. Let me know where you buy yours and how it goes. My Jeep is in California. I am in Hawaii. I am eager to get back to it and really see what is going on with it. It sounds like a fun project. I think I have found 3 different companies that sell the new doors. Pricing varies.


I hope my problem isn't the "recirculation door". That requires removing the dash. Not doing that. I just bought this vehicle and it needs a few things and I am willing to put the time and energy into it, but I don't want to pull that dash apart.
I am kind of concerned since I get a faint smell of coolant when I turn on the heat (the no heat) which suggests that the heater core has a small leak. If that can't be repaired by using some "stop leak " product. Its for sale.


Good luck.