Noisy Air Conditioner ?? Stepper Motor Replacement / Clicking & Hissing
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2011
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280SL Pagoda 1970; C32 Estate 2001
I'm in the process of doing this stepper motor process, many thanks to Racin Fool, Krazzdav and others for the info. Sadly I have to go on to the upper dashboard removal to get at some of the clicks. Krazzdav describes it on PDF3 but makes it sound easy, for him I'm sure it is. I planned to take pics to add to this forum but I have found a couple of videos so will post the links here so others know what they're in for.
and
not sure which is more useful hence posting both. GLA.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2015
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01 C220 ELEGANCE R/H DRIVE
Hi friends, this is my first attempt at a question. Can you tell me if the layout for c320 flap actuation is the same for a r/h drive c220 merc., or is it a mirror image of the layout shown on this thread?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 263
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From: Frederick MD
83 500SEC, 87 300D, 02 C32(x2), 02 C320T (x2), 03 C320T4, 03 C320T, 03 E55, 05 E320CDI, 06 E320CDI
C320 is going to have the higher end of the two systems available, with 10 stepper motors individually controlling flaps on left and right sides, the C220 will likely only use six motors with extra linkage to control both left and right sides together.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2015
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01 C220 ELEGANCE R/H DRIVE
Many thanks johneff, can you confirm that the blower motor is on the r/h side of the dash layout as shown in the info on this thread.
Thanks again for your help,i’ve had the centre section out and the clicking sound appeared to be from stepper motor m2/20, which has a link arm going to the righthand side and connects with another toothed gear.
HELP.!!!
Thanks again for your help,i’ve had the centre section out and the clicking sound appeared to be from stepper motor m2/20, which has a link arm going to the righthand side and connects with another toothed gear.
HELP.!!!
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 17
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C320 4matic wagon
Is there a reset for stepper motors I'm missing? took several front motors apart re positioned gear on one, plus put new arm on and replaced arm on another. trying to retest before reassembling all parts but controller stays in recycle mode and motors never attempt to position. from scanning forums, was wondering if I need to swap motors or buy a motor to swap out. rechecked fuses and connections. any advice that I can try? Also blower motor pulses on and off while running then when you shut key off it runs for a while steady.
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C320 4matic wagon
Sorry forgot to say I really like the info on this forum. This is my first attempt to post. I have read a lot of these forum and issues so much that my wife thinks I've left her.
Is there certain ranges of cars that I can pull stepper motors from to test? Ive also tried to reach out to techs that read codes and am told by some if they respond at all to take it to a dealer. I have read the sticky's and a lot but don't know if motors don't give a certain feed back they will not attempt to move. I'm torn between motor regulator, climate control and steppers. I'm thinking controller because it runs steady when shutting it off, plus no fan speed. Just pulsing on and off in auto mode. Steppers because noting works or tries to on a disconnect of battery or code reset. And regulator because no speed control either. I also realize something could have been damaged taking apart and putting back together.
Is there certain ranges of cars that I can pull stepper motors from to test? Ive also tried to reach out to techs that read codes and am told by some if they respond at all to take it to a dealer. I have read the sticky's and a lot but don't know if motors don't give a certain feed back they will not attempt to move. I'm torn between motor regulator, climate control and steppers. I'm thinking controller because it runs steady when shutting it off, plus no fan speed. Just pulsing on and off in auto mode. Steppers because noting works or tries to on a disconnect of battery or code reset. And regulator because no speed control either. I also realize something could have been damaged taking apart and putting back together.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Yes, there's a synch mode activated from the HVAC console. Forgot how, been so long, but it's here in the forum. If it doesn't complete the synch mode then one of the motors or arms is bad or the arm is positioned wrong.
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Joined: Jan 2016
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C320 4matic wagon
Thanks for responding. Do you force the motor into a certain position? I just replaced parts and reinstalled and was thinking to do a hard reset by battery disconnect or scanner reset. So it can find home position. But nothing happened. how can you determine what home position is?I looked this forum over pretty good and didn't see it mentioned. I wondered if you unplugged one at a time and tried it or what. I'm pretty sure i put each one back together right but I want to put voltage to it but think I would self destruct it. I will look through this thread again.. I did talk to a guy today that can hook up to it and It would tell him what component is bad. The car has been sitting for about a year and a half and when i got it it needed a battery, brake lines and coil springs and transmission module conduit board in pan.... Then I remember hearing clicking and noticed no defrost and now ive opened up a big can of worms when I'm into the dash. My friend told me to plug a heater type fan blower into cigarette lighter and go with that. I'm stubborn up front. I hope I don't have to conform I want to get this car going. My friend who I got it from had no issues when he parked it. An he takes good care of his vehicles. It has 151,000 miles on it and he put 120,000 on it since he had it. I drove it one afternoon, saw it needed brake lines fixed and coil spring replaced. Thinking I'm good to go..... Now I don't know if ac even works and that could have something to do with motor pulsing on and off? This one may give me a lot to handle.
I want to get this car going. My friend who I got it from had no issues when he parked it. An he takes good care of his vehicles. It has 151,000 miles on it and he put 120,000 on it since he had it. I drove it one afternoon, saw it needed brake lines fixed and coil spring replaced. Thinking I'm good to go..... Now I don't know if ac even works and that could have something to do with motor pulsing on and off? This one may give me a lot to handle.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Now that I think about it....no. As long as the arm is positioned on the motor it's ok. The synch process takes each motor to both extremes of the flap position and remembers them. There's a diagram of the whole system and how it works on this forum. All the motors are on the same serial cable and have jumpers on the motor to determine which flap they operate. If any of the motors fails to synch the test just keeps cycling and never stops. A couple of the motors require taking off the upper dash to access. Run the synch test with everything out and apart (as much as possible) and you can see them run through the test. Did you find how to run the test? (hold two buttons down until somethng blinks is all I remember)
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C320 4matic wagon
Yes I did the test by pressing the buttons for about 7 seconds. It flashes endlessly. I di just get through page 19 on this forum and saw what I missed. A break down of the switch from the motor side with the pins listed showing battery voltage and ground locations. I am printing it out now. I am going to pull the car in shop in a few minutes and disconnect the motor that had a stripped gear on the big white piece and test it to battery voltage. I didn't think to check out the other side of the switch. I hope to find out something tonight. I wonder if its stuck in a sequence and that's why the motors do not try to cycle. I'd think I should get it to work on manual mode with charcoal filter off. I took a picture of scanner fault last night and it B1360 fault code communication error A32n1 (blower regulator) But I viewed B1360 codes in body module and it said open ignition switch circuit. A32n1 I do not know about yet.
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C320 4matic wagon
Well I took two stepper motors out this evening and measured Ohms at B+ and Ground on meter. I put it on low ohm's and got nothing. I put it on Hi ohm's and got 1.442 and switched leads and got nothing. I shorted across the two terminals and rechecked for ohms both ways and never got anything better. It's like it has a diode in it. but i checked both and they were the same. One was one that had a stripped gear the other just out of the middle. Should you be able to rotate these by hand?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
They are selsyn motors used for positioning instead of spinning. Yes you should be able to turn them by hand. You may feel magnet attraction. They are controlled by current. The synch process takes them to each limit and measures the current then by providing any division of that current you can position the shaft (and flap) anywhere in between. Have you tested the whole system with the dash off and viewed the motors? Any noises when failing? Loud snap = clutch slipping in motor.
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C320 4matic wagon
Thank you for your response. I hear no attempt to run on any motors during visual check or test. Some motors I can position others no. I didn't want to force them yet. I only heard snapping and clicking when I was trying to reset the transmission fault to get out of limp mode. Then I noticed defog on windshield didn't work so I had read about clicking and said to myself I can fix that. Well I am wondering now. I remember taking motors apart at least six, to peak in and check gears. I will recheck them tomorrow. the only two I didn't try to check were the two on the end towards glove box. The large gear on right side passenger motor had teeth worn. Arm on drivers door side was broke. How do you rule out the climate controller? It's only issue to notice is the display is not lit up.
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C320 4matic wagon
Nothing tries to change or divert by turning knobs. Blower motor just pulses on and off every few seconds with car running or key in position two. Sometimes it will run steady medium to high speed and when you shut the key off while it is pulsing it will run continuous until it powers down.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
You can try cleaning the controller. Remove face plate and clean membrane and conduction plate underneath. There's also a tiny fan (behind tiny grill) that should be free and clean and the sensor it blows on clean as well. I replaced my controller, HVAC fan, and fan contoller on my C at different times. I'm only guessing but if you aren't getting power to the stepper motors or the console doesn't light up the controller is bad or not getting power. Ebay for controller.
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C320 4matic wagon
Success! I was able to get a climate controller from local salvage yard and also picked up extra stepper motors and hooked it up this evening and it works. I am very relieved and in the middle of assembling it back. If I am successful with that I will be very Happy. Many thanks for the postings on this forum. I rechecked my stepper motor and found that the bottom pin on the large gear had sheared and prevented the motor from manually turning. I repaired it with epoxy and steel pin in center but I didn't have to use it yet. Many thanks to Mleskovar, who answered my questions, and others who posted. Only difference I found that I can share with this forum is to use a 9/64" flat screwdriver, (length about six inches), to fit inside the torque screws behind pillars. This allows you to turn the screw in short segments. It actually is easier for me to insert the screw with my index finger holding the screw to the blade. Plus when you disassemble the stepper motor really look at the gears and position of pivots. I had to revisit the pages to see what I missed. If I can return favor, Let me know. But it's not completely together. I will sleep better tonight.
If you are going to use one of the stepper motors you picked up make sure you jumper it for the correct position,
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C320 4matic wagon
Thanks again for your advice. Not sure what you mean by that, but I had a time trying to make sure the notch in the gears matched up with the indent of the mating gear of the one that was inside the forward easy ones. It passed the cycle test of the motors. i got the center console in and have to secure the CD changer and the glove box yet. not quite sure of the center air vent flappers. There is a tab that has ruff features on one side of the horizontal divert. I think it should go down but I am not sure of if they need to go left or right because they have indentations on the inside of one of the end louvers. I am just so relieved that I have defrost position and fan speed control. I am not sure about ac yet but summertime is down the road.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
All the stepper motors are on the same serial ribbon cable. When a signal goes to change a flap position it goes to all the motors. The way the correct motor knows to activate is the position of the jumpers. This is really important. If you install a motor from a different position the flaps won't be controlled correctly unless you change the jumpers.
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C320 4matic wagon
Thank you, If you mean plugging one connector of a certain position from the cable strip, I made sure to only unplug and replace one at a time. I even marked the colors from say left to right. Had a hard time determining what to name the colors, light blue to blue green or purple to violet. tan to brown. So I only pulled and replaced one at a time. But the forum told me the motors were all the same. So I pulled three spares for extra parts.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Correct, all the same but......they have programmable jumpers that tell them apart. If you pulled them one at a time and replaced them back to the same spot you are OK. Look at the extra motors you have closely and you'll see the jumpers.
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C320 4matic wagon
I did check them. They are the same. I didn't look to verify the other motors were the same but they where. I have it back together working fine. I forgot to assemble glove box before putting center console in. I better write down my notes. Hopefully it will be a while if I need to do it again. I am wondering how I can get the seat belt restraint light to reset. I will have to research that if the computer will not do it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
I did it three times on my car
Worked a lot on that car but it performed well and was reliable. The blower motor and control are also known to wear out at about 150K if you use it a lot. I left my Temp Control on automatic and AC was always running.
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C320 4matic wagon
Well I got the SRS reset. Controller works fine. Heat works really well. AC works fine to even up. I am happy to take over the car at 151,000 miles. My friend sold it to me. It had been setting around for a year and a half not driven but a few hundred miles.
