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Center Vacum Element

2K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  miller1952 
#1 ·
Hi,
I am changing my center vent vacum element and I am at the point of disconnecting it from the door inside the airbox. Can I remove and replace this from ouside the box or will I have to open it up? Please see pic.
Any thoughts or advice will be appreciated.

Thanks!
 

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#3 ·
Minkoff,
Thanks for the excellent pic! The dash top is still in place and I was hoping to do it with out taking it off. The instructions I got from "AllData DIY" says " remove locks from airbox and then remove. " Will the airbox open from the front if the locks /clips are removed?
My second thought was to leave the hook portion connected and just change out the bellows with it in place.
 
#4 ·
Cheelyv said:
Minkoff,
Thanks for the excellent pic! The dash top is still in place and I was hoping to do it with out taking it off. The instructions I got from "AllData DIY" says " remove locks from airbox and then remove. " Will the airbox open from the front if the locks /clips are removed?
My second thought was to leave the hook portion connected and just change out the bellows with it in place.
There are rear locks also. Could be a PIA. If you can change just the bellows I would do that
 
#5 · (Edited)
Minkoff said:
There are rear locks also. Could be a PIA. If you can change just the bellows I would do that
Thanks!
While holding my mouth right, I was able to disconnect the old and reconnect the new vacum element through the small hole that it monts to. I used a long skinny telescopic magnet to hold the door while at the same time used a long skinny flat screw driver to push the vacum element hook onto the door plastic retainer.
The idea about changing the bellows would not have worked due to lack of room to do it.
I think I may have mis read the instruction from "All DATA DIY". There are saucer shaped small locks on the back of the vacum element that keeps it attached to the adapter. I think thoses are the locks that 'ALLDATA' was refering to.
 
#9 ·
bondavi said:
The circled actuators...which part of the climate do they control? I'm looking for the center cold air flap control, I assume that is the lower circled actuator in the pic. What about the upper right one? Thanks!
The actuator closest to the spider controls the center dash vent where most of your ac air blows through. That is the one you are looking for. The one cicrled controls air through the dash vents by the windshield.
Using a small telescopic magnet will help you stabilze the vent door while connecting the actuator through the small hole that it is mounted to. That is the hard part.
Disconnecting is easy.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Just did this job and have some observations (380SEL)

I was able to do this pretty easily without removing the dash completely.

I removed the center console, steering wheel, glove box lining, instrument cluster, reveal molding and unbolted the dash from below on the sides and under the speaker covers. DID NOT undo the defrost nozzles from the dash. I was able to lift the dash sufficiently to get at the gold colored screws that attach the vacuum element. With those removed, you can twist the element and remove it. It turns out that getting the new one in is not all that difficult if you use the method I describe here.

Bolt the vacuum element in place without hooking it up to the flapper. It helps to put some wheel bearing grease on the gasket, it holds it in place. You will have to lift the leading edge of the dash about a inch to get the screws in.

You will be able to see what is happening inside the air box by looking through the two ports in the air box that are located just to the right of the driver's leg. Though the two holes you will be able to shine a light and see the male end of the vacuum element (a hook) and the female socket on the flapper to which it must attach.

The trick is to hold the flapper closed (up). This you can do with a long screwdriver or magnet pick up tool. With the flapper held closed, the socket is easy to see. The hook on the end of the vacuum element will probably be too extended to line up with the socket. Using a hand vacuum pump you can apply a little vacuum to the new element and thereby adjust the length of the hook arm. Do this so the the length is correct. Now the only other degree of freedom for the hook arm is elevation. Using a large magnetic pickup tool it is not difficult to manipulate the hook into the socket on the flapper. The plastic socket is beveled so once you get it close it goes right in. Then just push on the hook arm and it will snap in. Voila.

I don't know how much time I saved by not completely removing the dash, but certainly this method is easier and less frustrating than trying to attach the hook to the socket working through the mounting hole in the air box.
 
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