Bi-Level Problems in '81 380sl

Dec 16, 2003 3 Replies
S

The climate control on my 1981 380sl just started giving me problems. First, I'm getting a fast, loud clicking sound that seems to be coming from the glove compartment when I turn the heat on.



Second, the fan will then operate on either Defrost or Bi-level mode when the car is cold, and the cold air will come out of the side and window vents. However, when the car warms up, I can only get hot air in the defrost mode. Nothing when the switch is on Bi-Level.



I came across an old post by T.G.Lambach on defective cold air lock out switches. However, before I go thru the trouble of replacing that, I was wondering what the clicking was about and if there was anything else I should look for besides or in addition to that.



Thanks very much in advance.



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T

Don't know about your car's clicking but its '81 climate control differs from the old "servo" systems which had the cold engine vacuum lock out.

The heater controls may be behind the glove box so its removal will be step #1.

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S

Thanks T.G.. That's all I really had to do. The clicking was coming from a rectangular, black box way behind the glove compartment, because a vaccuum line had come off a pink, plunger-like thing, which hung from the roof off the dash. I must have knocked the line off this summer when I put the glove compartment back after installing new speakers.

While I hopefully have your attention, can you tell me what the little circular thing with two wires coming off of it is on the blower motor, and whether it can be replaced without having to buy a new blower motor?

Thanks in advance.

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