86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

[86TBIRD]

Hello folks, I just picked up a 86 5.0 T bird from Florida. It has a very nice original two tone straight and solid body. I like the car very much but I have a problem that is very frustrating. The climate control is inop. It only blows out from under the glove box. It will not blow in the face or defrost modes.
The actuator behind the glove box works but does not allow the air to go anywhere but under the glove box. I disconnected the actuator behind the radio and moved the flapper by hand and the air flow did nothing.
I know these are not fun to work on and hard to diagnose, but I am hoping this may be common enough where someone can guide me in the correct direction.
Thanks in advance,

[007Cruiser]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

Welcome to TBN, Tom. I don't have an answer for you but there's a lot of mechanical wisdom here. Someone will chime in.

[jerrym3]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

Just curious, do you get hot air with the heat on and cold air with the A/C on?

[86TBIRD]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

Hello. The heat blows hot but the AC appears to be inop. "Of coarse none of this was mentioned when I bought it", but it's my fault for not checking.
Thanks

[86TBIRD]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

My fault, this thing has no heat and no ac. I got cought in the rain last weekend and the windshield fogged up very bad. I can't drive this car like this, I need a fix. Does anyone know about a problem with the automatic climate control on a 86 bird?
Thanks in advance, Tom.

[EpTxGuy]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

I wish there was a forum for fixing older birds, I am useless in cases like this. I have a '76 T-bird, and I can't even get the backup lights to come on. I've changed the bulbs and fuses, but nothing. I guess I have bad wiring, and I can't get the car to pass inspection without the darn backup lights, so it's not drivable. :(

[ChromeDome]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

This 1986 Thunderbird Electrical and Vacuum troubleshooting manual is on Ebay now. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-...sQ5fLiterature

[00mustng]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

...Hi Tom....you might want to change out the unit....I have an '81 with a unit that constantly cycled...unless I turned it off...After I changed it out...with one from a same era Ford....I noticed the plungers had deteriorated.....take your old one with, so you have a match....there are some that look close...but aren't.....cheers!

[dartguy699]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

i have a climate control head that i took out of an 85 because the temp window had a small crack. the controls are slightly different but should interchange. the car was 1 yr old and the replacement unit new from ford was like your 86. i will sell it cheap.
jim

[snowbird]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

I wish there was a forum for fixing older birds, I am useless in cases like this. I have a '76 T-bird, and I can't even get the backup lights to come on. I've changed the bulbs and fuses, but nothing. I guess I have bad wiring, and I can't get the car to pass inspection without the darn backup lights, so it's not drivable. :(

Not sure about a '76 but on some older ones, you have to turn on the lights (light switch) for the back-up lights to come on. Back then they assumed you did not need lights in the daytime, only at night. Give that a try.
MartinB.

[EpTxGuy]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

Not sure about a '76 but on some older ones, you have to turn on the lights (light switch) for the back-up lights to come on. Back then they assumed you did not need lights in the daytime, only at night. Give that a try.
MartinB.

Thanks for the tip Martin, I can hardly wait to get home tonight to check it out! Cross your fingers for me.

[007Cruiser]

Re: 86 T bird climate control inop, help needed please

Not sure about a '76 but on some older ones, you have to turn on the lights (light switch) for the back-up lights to come on. Back then they assumed you did not need lights in the daytime, only at night. Give that a try.
MartinB.

I checked my 1975 Bird tonight. Back up lights work either way so it looks like that's not the answer.