Hi guys, have not had a problem for a long time but still wrenching on my 96 blazer.

I will ramble a little bit as I am much older then most so forgive me. Graduated HS in 68 so yeah, I am getting to the benchmark of the age of dirt.

I have had this Blazer since 2001, bought it from a bank on a reposession sale. I gave it to my son attending college. When he graduated I put it in the side yard and started replacing stuff. I drove it as my own vehicle from 2005 until last June when my younger son turned 16 and gave it to him. Well, kind of lent it to him kinda. One thing is for sure, I fell in love with this little sucker, these things are a blast.

Ok, SORRY, I told ya I ramble and I know many young people are not into flowing stories of us old folks.

I live near Phoenix AZ so we do not have much cold. We are kinda wussies here. When the temp drops in early morning to the 40s we all freak out. I drive my son to school each day as he cannot buy a parking pass until he is a senior. Thats because as usual, they built a big beautiful school without enough parking for all the students.

Again, old man rambling. Make a long story short, the heater core crapped out. When I was warming the Blazer up to take him to school all the windows were fogged up, even before I started it up and it was on the inside. When I fired up the defrost I immediately smelled that dreaded smell we all fear to smell, antifreeze. I knew what was next, the dreaded fogging of the interior of the windows with lovely O'Reily Auto parts antifreeae fragrance. Believe me, you need a ten pound towel to get this crap off.

Now I have been wrenching on crap since the mid 60s and let me tell you, the dreaded heater core repair is far worse, in my mind, then replacing the entire drive train of your car.

I knew what it entailed and was not anxious to get the repair underway. I told my wife what was going on and as usual, it went over her head

Got the heater core from O'Reily for 36 bucks. I knew I had a few days of pain, cuts, many curse words and lots of coffee breaks ahead of me.

Took the entire dash out ( 4hrs) and cleaned up the cuts and bruises on my arm. Accepted the aforeseen congratulations and wonderment of my neighbors when they saw what I had done. I expected this but inside I knew the real Kudos are given when you get the dam thing back together and only have 1 or 2 screws left over.

In all, it was not as half bad as I have imagined it my entire life it would be. Tedious ? yep, impossible ? no, not at all. I have a crappy Haynes book for the Blazer and know what ? It was good enough to get the job done. I now have to make a junk yard run ( which I enjoy immensely ) for some lower dash parts that cracked from age but thats about it.

This is what I need to know. When I took the AC controls apart and disconnected the vacuum control head from the dash switch, I was now holding a spring and a rubber washer/seal in my hand. My book does not show which way it goes back together. Its really quite simple I am sure, thats if you know what goes where and when it goes in. Afte bolting the dash back up I re connected all the switches and of course, saved this baby till last. From the dashboard side I put the spring back on the inside of the swithc and the rubber gasket/seal on top of the spring and then reconnected the round vacuum line connector that goes behind it. Heard a nice " SNAP ' and all was good.

When I tried the system, all was good, mixer door working, put on heat, there was heat, put on AC there was cold air. That door was bothering me the most. Problem is, right now, all is directed towards the defrost mode. Nothing will come out of dash vents or floor vents. I know the actuator is good as I tested it before I put it back together.

My problem is with this dam spring rubber washer/seal piece. I had to install it wrong. When I put it back in I put the side of it with all the little passage ways up, towards the vacumm line attachment. Again, when I took it apart , the thing just blew up in my hand from the vacuum pressure when releasing it.

My question is this. Does anyone know the proper sequence/order to put this switch back together ? Its easy to get at as I just release the frame around the dash and undo 4 screws for the AC/HEATER control unit and pull it out. I am positive I put it togehter wrong. A diagram would be much appreciated if there is any. Not really sure what this part is named officially.

Thanks in advance as I know most of you know more then I have ever learned about this truck. By the way, car does heat up inside, just need the dash vents working for when its the summer and its like living on the surface of the sun.

Thank You

 

not sure how it goes but as you stated, why not head to the local salvage yard-pick up an extra one. Can't be too much..Jerry