Climatronic flap motor.

[Winniebongo]

Hi, our Bongo is a 96 2.5TD 4x4, we noticed the heater wasn't working properly a while back but it now sees to be worse, by the way we have climate control (digital display on dash). I recently had some success with a VW car which had a similar problem, so full of new found inspiration I thought let's fix the Bongo too. well that wasn't so easy, easier to access the motor but that's where I got stuck.
The motor moves from 18 degrees in half degree increments, a bit more of a movement 18-18.5 but I guess that's a "Parked" position and the arm just setting it's self? 18-25 is fine then there is no movement at all until over 30, when you finally get heat but in this weather it's going to be on 32 (Max) all the time I think. So not much adjustment or at least not as much as I expected, maybe not as much as Mazda intended?
So I took the motor out, stripped it but didn't find anything obviously wrong. I was assuming another motor was the answer but the breaker I used has now given me 2 and they are all much the same, not exactly, one I would say is worse with a bigger blank space in the middle.
So are my assumptions about how this should work correct, firstly? If so then would this indicate it's not the motor, maybe the digital controller? Rather than another 2nd hand motor, should I consider a new one, are they even available? Would it be better to get someone with electronics knowledge to repair the motor?
I have seen posts about this kind of issue before and many people seem to think it's 'just how they are now' surely this can't be as good as the heater was when new, I appreciate they are old vehicles now but surely there should be a way to get this working a bit better? Appreciate any advice or information, thanks in advance

[Ian]

You can still get the heater motor new from Mazda and you can get the fan speed resister too. But both are very expensive. Have you read the fact sheets in the members area of main Fury website? There's one called Fan Resistor and one called Heater Repair.

[g8dhe]

I suspect your talking about the SERVO and its motor inside the case rather than the Fan motor under the bonnet ? There are two servos (like model aircraft servos) these drive via a link wire the actual flaps one servo on each side as below;

[Winniebongo]

g8dhe; Yes I have heard them called servos, so that's the same thing. I have only looked at the passenger's side, should I maybe be looking at drivers as well?
Ian, I am afraid I am not a full member on here, so can't see the fact sheets, perhaps I should be considering joining, can't remember how that works though?

[g8dhe]

The drivers side one control the direction flaps, but there is means to prevent hot air being directed at the eyes, the higher level heats can only be selected when directed at the feet or windscreen. I suspect the control is managed by the controller rather than by a mechanical means, so try setting the controls to blow at the feet and then turn the heat up and see if you get more heat out that way. I suspect its done to prevent a lot of dry eye problems.

[Winniebongo]

I think I need to have another look at it, just to see f it's behaving as you explain, these things are never easy!

[g8dhe]

The servos only rotate a to and fro over an angle not sure what the angle is and then the wire link moves the heating flap, or rotates the disk which in turn varies the positions of the various directional flaps.

[Winniebongo]

It's a bout 90 degrees on the passengers side one but with a big chunk missing in the middle, not sure what that makes it but 90 degrees and to end anyway. I will have a look tomorrow but if this one i am dealing with is the heat flap then I can't see how the other could take up the slack in the middle, I don't know everything though, so we shall see

[Northern Bongolow]

Check the cabin sensor on the dash, they are a fluff magnet. Quick clean out may help.

[Winniebongo]

I remembered reading about that before, so I have already cleaned it and it was full of fluff and gunk but it didn't seem to make any difference sadly.

[Winniebongo]

OK had a look today, O/S servo seems to be working all right but no bearing on heat. I set it to footwell and the N/S only really adjusts form 18 degrees to 25.5 then no movement at all and as far as I can tell (Cold day) it was as near as normal temp as I could get. So I have adjustment in the lower area but nothing at the top and putting it to 32 really doesn't make any difference. When I put it on Air-con I get another degree or so, 26/26.5 but that's it, any thoughts?

[Roy748]

Hello
I have recently sold my Bongo 2001 model but do recall a similar situation, however on reading the owners manual it did state that (as Geoff said) warm air was directed through the floor vents and not via the dash vents to prevent drying the eyes, plus it created a circular motion with the cool air sinking and warm air rising. I used to find upon initial start up I would experience slight warm from the dash vents but this would soon cease as the heat came from the floor vents. Unless I set it to 32 degrees then heat came from both upper and lower vents. I too cleaned out the dust etc from the cabin temp sensor.
Hope that helps

[Winniebongo]

Some more observations; we were just out in the van so got it up to full temperature and strangely when you put your hand at the vents, I am talking front footwell vents, you can feel the air blowing and how hot it is. As you increase the temperature, I expected over 25 I would get nothing but it does actually get hotter. I couldn't feel any movement in the driver's side servo, so I don't know how it makes this additional heat? I am not sure if I am correct about this but I had the feeling the airflow kind of fans out more,so I wondered if there is another flap somewhere, maybe around the heater matrix area?

[g8dhe]

No the drivers side control operates the directional flaps, the passenger side controls the amount of hot air added to the stream. The controller however only allows the maximum heat out when it is set for the lower regions and possibly the windscreen, but reduces the heat when only the face directed vents are selected.

[Winniebongo]

Yes I get that and that's why I kept it on footwell when doing my tests. So I am teetering now between, maybe it's actually OK and should I look further into this and see if there is anything else I don't know about, like I said above maybe another flap in the system, is there a schematic diagram anywhere of the actual heater box and ancilliaries? I suppose Lush projects but the diagrams on there aren't great form experience.