Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts - DIY fixes

TV Sprinter

New member
I have two Sprinters with broken plastic levers that connect the vacuum actuator with the door inside the airbox which allows fresh air or recirculated air into the blower housing.

MB wants to charge $180 or so for a complete kit that has the lever in it - anyone experience this, and has anyone found a reasonably priced solution?
 

220629

Well-known member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

I don't know what the parts you are referring to look like. I have had very good success using nails (heavy wire?) or toothpicks as splints glued or wired into place to piece plastic parts back together. The nail or wire can sometimes be pre-heated to "bed" into the plastic while still hot. I have also shaped chunks/slivers of PVC pipe fittings to glue into place to splint/rejoin PVC parts.

Twisted multiple strands of stiff bailing wire can be used to make a surprisingly strong link with an attaching loop on each end. It can then be formed into the shape needed.

It often takes some time to do, but for me it is better than shelling out big bucks for unneeded parts. Sorry if none of these methods is applicable to your situation. vic
 

Gulf SV

Kevin Burns
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

Can you take a picture of the broken part and post it? I was into mine a few weeks ago when trying to figure out how the recirc system worked. Thought it was broken, but it turned out to have just worked itself loose from the solenoid. It was a :censored: to put back together and a little convoluted. Let us see what your predicament looks like, and perhaps we can come up with an acceptable fix.
 

TV Sprinter

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

I will get pix ASAP of the part.

I had a chance to look at another 2004 Sprinter today - and the part is broken. That is 3 vehicles that I know of - so there must be many more...

Will advise.

TV Sprinter
 

bc339

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

Just inspected mine - found the actuator arm popped out of the door lever. Then found the shaft for the arm was broken. Next step will be to remove it and try to repair it.
Here's the actuator - you may be able to see the arm and the shaft that should be in inserted in the door lever.

Second image is of the arm rotated with broken shaft.

Bruce
 

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bc339

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

I removed the recirculation actuator - it's NOT as easy as it reads in the service manual. Everything is done by feel and with your left hand doing most of the work. The actuator is mounted on the right side of the fresh air intake housing, so to remove it, I had to hold a flashlight with my right hand and reach in to work with the left. The two fasteners had to be removed with a stubby crosspoint - left hand turning while right hand held it in place. Don't drop the fasteners or you'll end up removing the right headlight to find them hidden under the airbox mounts....
What I thought was a broken shaft for the actuator arm wasn't. I actually lucked out. The arm had popped off the metal shaft and out of the door lever. The arm is held on the shaft by a lock tab on the end of the actuator and the door lever rides over the shaft pivot point. I reinstalled the arm on the end of the actuator, retracted the piston because fully extended, it's too long to re-install. I wrapped wire to hold it retracted while I reinstalled it. Re-installing the arm pin into the door lever was tricky. The door has to be moved to full open while installing the arm to the shaft, then pulled to the closed position. While holding it in place with my left hand, I had to use a long screwdriver to push or bend the bottom of the door lever out enough for the pin to engage into the door lever. Reconnected the vacuum line and the electrical connector. Removed the wire holding the actuator retracted. Ops check GOOD.
If this happens again, I won't need to remove the actuator, just move the door lever out of the way, re-install the arm on the pivot, then push the door lever over to get the pin engaged into the door lever.
Bruce
 

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mendonsy

Member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

Nice writeup Bruce!!
Dumb question! Would it retract if you applied 12 volts to the terminals instead of using the tie wire??:hmmm:
 

bc339

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

Thanks!
No, the vacuum draws it back. The normal position is extended - when you select recirculation mode, the actuator is commanded to retract.
Bruce
 
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PaluzTV

Director of Photography
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

I'm having the same issue with mine...the bitch is, I'm always pushing the recirculate button every 20 mins or so to keep the outside hot air out. Isn't there a way to keep recirculate on...I'm sure all the moving is what busted my part!
 

bc339

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

If your recirculation actuator or parts broke - like mine finally did, either replace the actuator and arm or manually close the flapper door. Possibly wire or a zip tie to keep it closed.
The reason it is on a timer is to allow fresh air in, bad, nasty fumes out if you forget to open it again.
My other vehicles allow you to select if you want it open or closed, except in defrost.

Bruce
 

samhop

Member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

bc339
reviving an old thread because im trying to deal with this issue on my 2004 2500, broken end on vacuum actuator and striped flapper to arm connection
could u please discribe how the arm is removed from the flapper?
thanks sam
 

bc339

New member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

Since I wrote this, the belcrank on mine broke. Dodge, MB or Valeo (that's who makes the air distribution system) do not offer the small bits and piece parts. By happenstance, I found a company that 3D printed a replacement belcrank for me. It's a perfect fit and has been installed for several months without any problems.
Working on it isn't hard, but it is time consuming because you are mostly working by feel due to the location of the parts.

The actuator is held in by two screws, a vacuum line and an electrical connector. Remove the fasteners first, then you will have better access to the actuator to remove the connector and vacuum line.
The belcrank is notched on the actuator end at a location that keeps it from becoming disengaged.
Here is how I installed replacement belcrank and actuator:

The actuator has to be fully retracted during installation to give you the necessary room. I used safety wire to keep it fully retracted until it is fully installed and the flapper arm is installed onto the belcrank pin. The full retract position is also the recirculation position - flapper door closed.

Install the belcrank onto the actuator end. Carefully install the belcrank/actuator assembly onto the belcrank shaft. Do not try to fit the pin into the flapper lever - it gets installed as the last step.

After the belcrank is in place on the shaft, install the actuator fasteners, connector and vacuum lines.

Using a long screwdriver, long thin yard stick - push/deflect/slightly bend the flapper lever enough to fit over the pin on the belcrank. I would recommend applying heat from a hair dryer to make it more pliable.
If I could have easily removed the flapper lever, I would have. I believe it is held into the flapper door by lock tabs, but I didn't want to risk any damage.

Remove the safety wire from the actuator and test operation.

Hope this helps.

Bruce
 

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samhop

Member
Re: Air Recirculation system broken actuator parts

thanks BC339
ok thanks i understand better now. i have 2 problems
1 my connection between the actuator end and the belcrank end have both broken, so i need to remove the belcrank from its pivot point and try and retrofit something.
2 the flapper lever is loose on the shaft and can move about 10 minutes of rotation without or independent of the flapper.

i probably need to take the insulation of yank the win/wash jug out and take the unit out to repair it. looks like a pain in the @%%
 

bc339

New member
Before I had the part made, I was going to repair my belcrank with ends fashioned out of sheet metal and use small diameter axles from radio control aircraft parts. That may work if you don't want to go my route. The company who made mine will make them on demand and will sell them for $50.00. It sounds steep, but after all the time involved in 3D scanning and 3 D printing out several prototypes, I can understand their price based on the time involved.

Here's a write up that may help with the flapper lever:
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36644

The images are from that post. I haven't taken one apart. The lever appears to be a friction lock and alignment tab. It may take a strong pull to remove the flapper arm and maybe a good epoxy like JB Weld to keep your part from rotating on the shaft. It sounds like the only way to get new parts is to replace the entire air box unit.

Bruce
 

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TomLetsinger

2006 158" DIY toy hauler
Bruce,
Was the company that made your new 3d printed part called Elevate Systems? If not, do you have contact info for the company you used, for those of us with the same broken part that would like to benefit from your hard work? Thanks!
Tom
 

bc339

New member
Bruce,
Was the company that made your new 3d printed part called Elevate Systems? If not, do you have contact info for the company you used, for those of us with the same broken part that would like to benefit from your hard work? Thanks!
Tom
Yes, Elevate did the work. Here is their web site:
http://elevatesystems.com/

Elevate Systems
24870 Blanco Road
San Antonio, TX 78260

Scott Gray is the president of the company and who agreed to take on the project. I met Scott in our office last year and was very impressed with their company's capabilities.

There is a contact form at the bottom of their home page.

Disclaimer - I do not receive any compensation or endorsement from Elevate.

Bruce
 
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ECU

2006 T1n 118 Sprinter
I 'fixed' my lever with epoxy. That 3d printing would be easier.
My fix: I noticed that both ends looked the same. I pushed the unbroken end in to some putty (Plumbers Putty) and created a mold of the arm shape. Then I stuck the broken end in and poured an epoxy mix in . I also inserted a #8 thread insert in where the attachment knob protrudes out.
I could put the fixed part back in without removing the actuator. Once in place, I could put the #8 bolt in there to be the lever arm. It has held up for a few years now.
 

misterbond10

New member
I think something is broken on mine for sure. WHen i was trying to get my A/C colder this summer I got the coldest air out of the side vents, not the center vents like its supposed to do. Also the other day I had the heater blasting and the air coming out of the center vents was COLD while the floor and side vents were warm...something ain't right
 
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