BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Don Forsyth on October 14, 2024, 08:22:51 PM
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I have a 2005 Beaver Monterey Laguna IV with Cat C9 400
I have had the camper for three years now and have done a ton of work on it. I noticed at first that there was no dash heat and the fan would only operate on high speed.
I thought at first that there wasn't any dash air conditioning but figured out it just need to be serviced and charged.
I checked all of the controls for the vents and they are operating correctly.
I read a couple of different posts on here as well as IRV2. About the fan rheostat being defective and should be replaced. I have looked under the dash, pulled the drawer in the console and even pulled back the panel next to the stairs, but could not find the rheostat. Someone said it may be up between the firewall and front cap. I poked my head up there and decided to retackle at a later date. Its time.
I crawled up in between the front cap and firewall. (Man is tight, not much room to move) See the pictures attached. This is what I found. Someone, maybe the previous owner has clamped off the heater hose. I can only guess at this point as to why. The camper lived in Florida the majority of its life. So did they clamp it off because it was blowing hot air all the time?
Or is there a leak? The pliers are out of my reach. I tried stretching up in there but no go. I started wondering if the may be an access panel in the top of the dash to come down from the top. If you look at the upper left side of the picture it almost looks like something sealed up.
So I did get part of the dashboard off on the top. But not the part along the windshield. It appears to be held down on the two outside corners. I tried pulling back the vinyl trim next to the windshield, but it did not reveal anything. i thought maybe a clip or something, or is the windshield gasket holding it? If there is an access panel it is under this piece and I don't want to break or damage it. I am also guessing that I may find access to the rheostat.
So this is where I ask if anyone has gotten to this point and been successful?
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Don
In your picture at the lower right corner is the blower motor resistor block if you remove it you will find
That there is a piece that looks like a diode on the side with the resistor coils.
This is actually a thermal fuse
To confirm the thermal fuse is blown simply running a jumper wire across it should restore all the fan speeds.
There should be a number on the blower resistor itself check it against this one Ford # D8BH-19A706-AB found in a 1980 Ford F100 with A/C
This crosses to a Standard Motor Products #RU-439
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/392482056347
You are likely correct about the heater hoses being clamped because these systems don't use a blend door the air is routed through both the A/C evaporator and the heater core and the temperature is controlled by the heater control valve ( flow) unfortunately these control valve are notorious for not closing completely and the small amount of flow that gets by can degrade the A/C cooling ability hence the clamp to improve the A/C operation
Hope this helps
Eric
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Don,
I had a similar issue with the hot antifreeze fluid being routed through the dash HVAC system degrading the A/C system output. I installed a manual shutoff valve in the heater line. However, having to guess or stop to open it when I wanted heat or to defog the windshield was a real PIA. If i were to do it again I'd install an electric valve and run it to a switch in in cockpit. Here's an example. https://www.electricsolenoidvalves.com/1-2-12v-dc-electric-brass-solenoid-valve/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgrO4BhC2ARIsAKQ7zUlKZfpLPa3eXLu8HNGtrP77WoN1OiGTQD0f_TGu9TLxvJfIXF9qAx4aAhLLEALw_wcB
Steve
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Eric and Steve, thank you both. This is great information.
I have to ask though, did you access everything from the top or did you come up underneath between the firewall and front cap. I am on my knees with all kinds of things poking into me to try and reach the pliers and I am about 4 inch short of reaching them. I am 6 foot and 180 lbs so I should be able to skinny up in there. I don't know that there is enough room to get two hands in there or not.
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Don,
I had a slide out geni so access was easy. On my previous coaches I had a skinny tech at the service center I used. :)
Steve
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Don
My coach also has a front Gen slide making it easy
I know it's tight getting up into the front cap as Steve stated earlier you may have to find someone slim to fit up in there.
Eric
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I finally had time to get baci over to the storage lot to work on this. I extended the front generator and with pictures in hand, was able to locate the different items. (Your right, it is very tight in there.) There is just enough room to get my hands up in between the top of the generator and the framework. I found the relay and replaced it. The fan is working great now. I was able to get the hose pliers off. They say to just pull them apart and remove. Not so easy when you can barely get your hands in there. I now have dash heat and all my fan speeds. Thank you everyone.
So Steve you mentioned putting a shut off valve in there. I gave it some thought and started wondering, isn't that what the water shut off valve actuator is supposed to do? It wouldn't be hard to replace it. Again, you are working blindly and go from memory of what you have seen in the pictures. Also it is much more expensive to replace the valve actuator than to put in the shut off valve you mentioned.
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Don,
I believe so but if everything seems to be working I'd leave as is. After couple of times having to stop to open the manual valve, I decided to leave my manual shutoff open and everything seemed to work fine with good A/C temps, so decided "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Continued to work for 6 years+ then sold coach.
Steve
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Steve,
I did the exact same thing on my coach. I was thinking why let any hot coolant into the evaporator compartment and depend on the air conditioner to over-power the heat. I thought I could get a few more degrees cooling out of the registers.
No difference after the modification. I too stopped turning off the valve because of the difficulty. Concerning cooling the cab area in transit, the best upgrade was to add curtains behind the drivers and passengers seats to trap all the a/c cold air up in the cab area and recirculate it on "max air". Fred
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We have found that a couple of fans to keep the cool air circulating in the front compartment has helped keep our coach much cooler. We bought two WooZoo's from Costco ($40 each) and with their circulating system it really kept the front much cooler.
We didn't have to run the generator and use the roof air in plus 100 temperatures.
Roy Warren