Rear AC in 96 Windstar

I'm starting this anew because the threads I have read still leave me a bit confused. We have had a 96 Windstar GL for a few days. It has the 3.8L engine and rear AC/Heat.

Front AC works fine. For the rear AC when I select for it I can hear the fan running. But I get no air coming out of the 2nd row side vent, mid-level; hot air out of the 2nd row vent, bottom; no air out of the 2nd row ceiling vents.

From what I have read the most likely problem is a vacuum leak at the ac controller switch. I have not pulled anything apart so I don't know what it looks like.

Is the leak usually in the switch body rather than the vacuum lines? I ask because the recommended remedy seems to be buying and installing a new switch. But what about the vacuum lines themselves?

Is the separate Rear AC control on the dash just for controlling the fan, or does it have vacuum lines as well? In other words is there a potential for one or both switches to have vacuum leaks... or just the main AC control switch?

Hi
I have a '96 too. Now, there is an early production version (mine) that only has a rear fan speed control, and a late production version where the front control also directs where the rear air flows - up/down. Either way the airflow to the floor or ceiling in the rear is controlled by a damper driven by a "vacuum motor". The damper defaults (no vacuum) to the heat/ floor position. So, you likely are not getting vacuum to the rear actuator when you select an A/c function, or it has failed.

Does your front air selector work normally - can you control whether air goes to the panel/defrost/floor up front? If so, you have good vacuum all the way to the front panel selector. So, then you are loosing vacuum along the line to the rear actuator.

I would start at the rear actuator located in the side panel under the rear air control. The vacuum actuator is located on the fan housing and should be a bulb shaped device with an actuator arm extending into the fan housing to move the damper. On the early production models my manual says the vacuum line should be green to the actuator. On a late production model that line should be white. You can test that actuator by removing the vacuum line and applying suction - I have a nice hand vacuum pump that is great for jobs like this - or how ever else you can improvise. If you can move it with vacuum, and it will hold position with vacuum applied (doesn't leak) then it is ok and you likely have a leak along that green/white line that should run into the floor, along the driver door floor area and up to the vacuum block above and to the right of the accelerator. You should be able to open the vacuum block such that you can test a specific vacuum line - they are all different colors.

Let me know what you find. I could try and scan or fax a manual page to you if that might help.

Not sure I understand the difference between the early and later production version. Are you saying the early production version did not have a rear ac control on the front dash panel?

I have rear ac switch on the front panel. The rear switch is on the left side of the second row seating and controls fan speed and can open or close the vent that seems to be integrated with the switch.

Scratching my head trying to scrounge up a vacuum source. Only have an electrically powered on that I might be able to make work.

Thanks for the offer for a manual page. I was able to find a Chilton's for the Windstar this evening.

Hi
I have a '96 too. Now, there is an early production version (mine) that only has a rear fan speed control, and a late production version where the front control also directs where the rear air flows - up/down.


Let me know what you find. I could try and scan or fax a manual page to you if that might help.

Hi
sorry for any confusion as it does not really matter which version (early/late production) you have. From your description, you still most likely have a vacuum problem.

However to clarify - I have the early production version. On the front panel I have a rear fan control switch that only turns to the right and controls rear fan speed only. If the front fan control switch is in the rear control position, the fan control at the second row left can control rear fan speed. Rear air flow, to cieling (cold only) or floor (heat only) is strictly a function of what is selected up front i.e. max A/C (cieling air rear), heat (floor air rear).

Looking at my manual, the later production models had a similiar setup, but the fan control switch could be turned left or right for higher fan speed. The way I read it, that setup would also then control the direction of airflow - to the cieling or the floor depending on the direction it was turned.

Good luck

I spent some fruitless time at one of the local Ford dealers today. They could not pull up the dash, rear ac/heat control so I could order one. They did print out some parts diagrams for me for the rear ac unit and the dash. I finally found the part number myself and I think I will order it on line rather than go back to the dealer.

I'm thinking about pulling off the panel in the rear of the Windstar to test the vacuum actuator as suggested before I replace the dash switch. It is getting close to that time of the year when the rear ac will not be a big concern... and I know it will blow hot air back there. I could let this slide until next spring.

As I understand it the main dash ac switch has vacuum lines attached to it. Does the rear ac/heat on the dash have vacuum lines connected to it as well? I cannot tell from the diagrams I have looked at.

FWIW the dealer we bought the Windstar from made good on their promise to send me maintenance records... for the last 20,000 miles anyway.
The AC was evaced and recharged just 2,000 miles ago.

20,000 miles ago a left outer tie rod, upper and lower intake manifold gaskets, fuel injector, and spark plugs replaced. No mention of transmission service. Are the intake manifold gaskets that were replaced one of the areas of concern with this engine?

I ordered the dash rear ac/heater switch tonight. If that does not fix the problem I will probably wait until next spring to work on it again. It always seem the most common solution to a problem does not work... when it is my problem. So I'm not even cautiously optimistic, just a wee bit hopeful. :licka:

Hi
good luck, I hope the part does the trick.

As to your question about lower intake manifolds: Many of us with higher mileage 'stars have done the job, me at about 130K. The reason has been because of coolant loss, that shows up in the oil. So, you are ahead of the game there.

Lower Intake Manifold gaskets ARE a concern for this motor.
From what I have read, FORD made improvements to the replacement gaskets to address the problem(s) that caused them to fail in the first place.

The fuel injectors can get some dirt built up at the spray end and cause a missfire.....After much messing around....I have found that a can of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool (metal can) every 6 months seems to work the best.
It is a solvent based cleaner that seems to be strong enough to do the job......all the other cleaners did not seem to be able to get the injectors clean.
Chevron Techron is also a good detergent based cleaner, but was not strong enough to clean mine.

Give the "General Windstar Information" post a read for some other tips.

Received the front dash switch for the rear ac on Friday. Don't know when I will find the time to install it. Hope it does the trick so I don't have to tear anything else apart for a while.