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'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

uid 19's pic
posted by  jbowers on  Mon Jun 13 08:41 CST 2005
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last visit: Sun Jan 22 13:49 CST 2012
[RELATED]

My '96 960's A/C wasn't working correctly because the recirculation bellows had a leak in it. When on recirculate, any acceleration caused the cold air to stop coming from the dash. I replaced the dual acting bellows on the mixer door last year so I new to look elsewhere first.

I could hear an "air sucking" sound and localized it to the under side of the passenger side foot well.

Crawling under there I could just see the recirculation door and the mountings for the bellows through the plastic grill. (The 960s have the system with the blower mounted in the side rather than under the unit.)

After a few false starts I now have the old unit out and am waiting for a new bellows from the dealer. The dam thing has the same failure as the dual acting one on the mixer door. This unit has to "push" so the vacuum is developed on the actuator side of the diaphragm. The seal around the push-rod is a rubber affair that has to "roll" each time the unit works. DUMB DESIGN!

To get it out, I first pulled the plastic grill and the short duct down off the main housing to get access to the mountings. I cut a rib on both sides away to get better access to the mounting nuts. (10 mm) With the nuts off, the unit's studs and the push rod wouldn't clear the housing because it was so close to the fire wall. I cut the ends off the studs and cut a slot in the housing to clear the push rod. I plan to keep the studs at minimum length when I re-install the bellows. BTW, I searched my "green" Volvo shop manuals looking for a method and couldn’t even find an illustration for how this thing was mounted to say nothing about a recommended method for replacing the dam thing.

Any one been here before and have some hits/tips to offer for when I get the new one?

I'll try to take a couple pictures of the "short-cuts". I'll post them if someone can give me specific directions for posting them. (I know how to get .jpg files on my computer but that's it.)
--
'96 965, 16' wheels, Michelin Pilot Sports, rear 18mm bar + Koni, 204HP cams, 126K. Put 200K on '85 745 TD.








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    'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

    posted by  someone claiming to be dnice on  Mon Jun 13 09:01 CST 2005 [RELATED]

    Have the same problem. I really love this car but living here in Atlanta with the thick pollen and rush hour traffic, I can't due without the recirc feature. This is the main reason I wouldn't buy another 960 since it's just a matter of time before the recirc bellows goes out. There may still be hope for me yet if you can make this work without taking apart the dash. Thanks for pioneering a shortcut.

    Good Luck!








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      'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

      posted by  Rule 308 on  Mon Jun 13 10:08 CST 2005
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      last visit: Tue May 8 09:20 CST 2012
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      I have always made those a two man affair. I'd loosen the climate control box up and get my partner to lean in and pull the box towards the rear of the car. You have to pull like you mean it, not a job for wussys, and this will give the number two man the room he needs to snake the old one out and the new one in.


      Mark








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        'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

        posted by  poolman on  Mon Jun 13 10:49 CST 2005
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        last visit: Sun Dec 26 02:03 CST 2010
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        Mr Bowers-- The belows that failed before this one ,just what does it do? Mine went out a couple of years ago and rather than replacing it I took the side that was sucking air and unhooked it and put a golf tee in the vacuum line so as not to lose any. From what I can tell everything works fine maybe the air coming from the vents isn't quiet as strong as it used to be but it'll still freeze ya out of the car after a while and the heat gets damn warm too. The indicator that directs vent use still works as before also.
        Thanks for the good posts
        Poolman








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          'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

          uid 19's pic
          posted by  jbowers on  Tue Jun 14 05:48 CST 2005
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          last visit: Sun Jan 22 13:49 CST 2012
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          I replaced that bellows, (the dual acting one) last year using the factory procedure for which I have the pages scanned and available in .pdf format.

          The one that is now dead and causing the big leak is the one controling the recirculation. On the 960 it is located on the top back of the unit and I can understand how Rule 308's method would work. I'm doing a method that will hopefully only require one person as my wife isn't the best helper. (Hope see never reads this!)

          The recirculation bellows is a PUSH type requiring the same seal on the actuating rod as the dual one had. Same failure mode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
          --
          '96 965, 16' wheels, Michelin Pilot Sports, rear 18mm bar + Koni, 204HP cams, 126K. Put 200K on '85 745 TD.








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            'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

            uid 13809's pic
            posted by  Alex Z on  Tue Jun 14 12:11 CST 2005
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            last visit: Thu Oct 3 04:30 CST 2013
            [RELATED]

            I think that pulling the dash is the way to go. Yeah, it's a PITA, but it gives you room to use an appropriate amount of brute force to slide the floor vent manifold out from under the ECC box.

            --
            alex








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              'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

              uid 19's pic
              posted by  jbowers on  Wed Jun 15 03:27 CST 2005
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              last visit: Sun Jan 22 13:49 CST 2012
              [RELATED]

              If I understand what you are thinking about, the problem bellows isn't in that area in my 960. It is visible looking up through the recirculation inlet duct/grill on the far right above the passenger's feet.
              --
              '96 965, 16' wheels, Michelin Pilot Sports, rear 18mm bar + Koni, 204HP cams, 126K. Put 200K on '85 745 TD.








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                'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

                uid 13809's pic
                posted by  Alex Z on  Wed Jun 15 08:30 CST 2005
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                last visit: Thu Oct 3 04:30 CST 2013
                [RELATED]

                I'll have to go look at my car, however with the dash out, everything's visible. :-D

                --
                alex








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                  'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

                  uid 19's pic
                  posted by  jbowers on  Wed Jun 15 11:13 CST 2005
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                  last visit: Sun Jan 22 13:49 CST 2012
                  [RELATED]

                  Which system do you have? Is the blower motor mounted on the side or the bottom?

                  The 960's blower is mounted on the side and the recirculation door and bellows seems to be in a location different from the older ones with the bottom mounted blowers.
                  --
                  '96 965, 16' wheels, Michelin Pilot Sports, rear 18mm bar + Koni, 204HP cams, 126K. Put 200K on '85 745 TD.








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                    'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

                    uid 13809's pic
                    posted by  Alex Z on  Wed Jun 15 12:09 CST 2005
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                    last visit: Thu Oct 3 04:30 CST 2013
                    [RELATED]

                    This is a 1989 760 w/ the original ECC system. If the face-lifted 960s got a redesigned climate unit, that would account for the differences I guess.

                    I've got pictures.. but I need to get the image gallery working again.

                    Ooh.. I just figured out how to make an accidental post disappear... I think. Sweet.

                    --
                    alex








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          'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

          posted by  Rule 308 on  Mon Jun 13 11:23 CST 2005
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          last visit: Tue May 8 09:20 CST 2012
          [RELATED]

          Hey Poolman take a look at your defrost and floor vent operation and see how it is working.

          Mark








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            'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

            posted by  poolman on  Mon Jun 13 16:06 CST 2005
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            last visit: Sun Dec 26 02:03 CST 2010
            [RELATED]

            No defrost and but have a little floor vent
            Poolman








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              'Short Cutting' the replacement of the recirculation vacuum motor. 900

              posted by  Rule 308 on  Mon Jun 13 18:06 CST 2005
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              last visit: Tue May 8 09:20 CST 2012
              [RELATED]

              Kind of what I figured. That defrost/floor vent servo is a pain in the ass to change and if a guy really does not miss the floor or defrost vents then plugging those lines is the way to go. In So. Cal I doubt that I would ever miss the floor vents but there are times I want the defrost vent.

              Mark







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