Blinking ECC temp light, after battery detach

[charliemax]

I finally found a vacuum leak in the '98 SSEI. Detached the battery cable, to clear the computer. Reconnected it and now, no heat.

I must have had the ECC on when I detached the battery. So when I turn key, the ECC comes on with the blinking temperature. Blinks for about 3 or 4 minutes, then stops, but it is still pumping cold. I'm guessing it is doing some test to reset conditions, but it's flunking the test. Zero problems with the ECC prior to this.

My Chilton's has nothing on it and my FSM is miles away. Where should I start looking or is this something i have to do a bunch of turn key cycles to get this thing to figure it out.?

Thanks.

charlie

[Guest]

chances are your air mix actuator gear just broke. weird though that your system defaulted to cold not full hot.

http://trialsnuts.com/ecc.pdf

grab a beer and read...you need the information at the bottom

[charliemax]

Thanks Toddster! I knew I was going to be working over there, so i pulled the glovebox. It doesn't look like that in those pictures. There's a cover behind the glovebox frame with a hole. It's dark, and I'm using a flashlight, but i think I can see an arm? The layout is different than a Series I ?

[willwren]

No, the layout is the same. I've done a few on several years from 92-97. The actuator is in the same location. UNDER dash things may be slightly different. You'll be doing this by feel from below. It can be done in as little as 20 minutes start to finish (9 beer job) once you've done a couple. The first will be a PITA.

[charliemax]

OK, willwren. I missed the very last picture, and it shows what i was looking at. After moving the ECC temperature up and down, the big question is how did this thing even work before? it does move some, but then slips back.

I'll do it from the bottom up. Just got done a semi-Helen Keller type thing with the camshaft position sensor on the '95. As long as i know what it looks like in a photo, then my hands have a better chance of locating it and its release points.

It will probably end up a 45 beer job. Whenever i do something new to me, it takes me about 5 times as long as you guys can do it.... By the time I get done, I won't care if its hot or cold.

So i got that goin' for me.

Thanks guys.

charlie

[charliemax]

Finally replaced the actuator, and yeah, there was a small crack in the gear and a couple of teeth misaligned.

I'm putting this in just for reference, and I know it isn't quite modern science, but...

I was in the blinking temperature situation, because I had disconnected the battery with the ECC on. To get back in synch, it appears that the actuator moves through a diagnosis process which must use the entire range of the gear. Apparently, that wasn't an issue under normal operation, as my heat had worked perfectly.

I needed heat ASAP for a 300 mi trip, and didn't have time for the marathon it takes me when i fix something for the first time. So i don't know what the downside to this could be, but this is what i did....

With the the glove compartment out, there is an opening where you can see the actuator arm. When you start the car, and hit the heat, the first thing the arm does is try to pull to your right. As mine went it suddenly started jiggling. i thought it "slipping" but it must actually have been stuck. Failing its mission, it would start back to the left and nothing would be resolved. So i did the cycle again, except this time i stuck a wrench through the opening and caught it under the elbow of the arm. When it got to where I could see it was stuck, i gave it just a little bit of help and it moved right a little bit more, then moved left on its own with a slight hiccup where the snag was. It closed, the temperature light stopped, and the cold air turned to hot air

And the heat, was adequate, even normal, until I could replace it.

So if you are in an ASAP situation like I was, you might want to give the arm a little help through its test.

Then we can have a quick discussion of why the gear is a kind of a crappy plastic mold, and why it cracks.

FWIW,

charlie

[willwren]

Before I replaced the actuator on the SLEeper, I ran for about 3 months with a piece of brazing rod in the glovebox attached to the door with the actuator popped out. I could adjust cold/hot with the rod.

[Guest]

Before I replaced the actuator on the SLEeper, I ran for about 3 months with a piece of brazing rod in the glovebox attached to the door with the actuator popped out. I could adjust cold/hot with the rod.

Hey Bill, do you still have the photos of your red neck fix?

Thanks in advance.

Todd

[Guest]

never mind found it...Thanks