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Old 02-15-2006, 12:40 PM   #1
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Desperate Heater Blower Switch Woes

I made the rounds with my switch today. Starting with the local Airstream dealership Ewalds of Milwaukee who made it very clear to me they were not interested in dealing with older Airstreams. I then visited the parts departments of Freightliner, Kenworthy, GMC, and Peterbilt. All were very helpful and very willing to try and find a switch which would work but unable to do so. My last stop was at a Chrysler dealer, who did recognize it as an old Chrysler switch but without a part# he could not go any further. plus he said the possibility of the switch still being made is very unlikely. I have visited a few bone yards in the past and they have been of no help.
Here's the problem. It is a four position switch with only three wires, which means that it must be grounded through the chassis. The switch mounts onto the heater control. Last year I replaced the cables to the heater control, now I wonder if I will have to fashion some kind of new heater control assembly.
Has anyone else gone through this? What did you do? Anyone have a suggestion? I need to have a blower for the dash heater, air, and most important defrosters.
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Old 02-15-2006, 01:05 PM   #2
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I don't mean to be dense but if you can find a switch that will fit that has four wires, couldn't you just run a wire from the ground pole on the switch to a ground behind the dash?

Also, have you tried the spray cleaner on your switch?
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Old 02-15-2006, 01:09 PM   #3
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(he means the electrical contact cleaner) Is it not working at all or sticking?
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Old 02-15-2006, 04:01 PM   #4
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The switch is totally fried, burned and useless. Yes I can run a ground wire but still have the mounting problem.
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Old 02-15-2006, 07:42 PM   #5
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Can you post a picture of it. There are dozens of air flow switches and we should be able to fabricate one if needed.
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Old 02-15-2006, 08:11 PM   #6
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Chaplain Kent give these guys a try, if they don't have it they might be able to point you in the right derection good luck hope you score on one.. http://www.bernhardbus.com/
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Old 02-15-2006, 09:31 PM   #7
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Finally, a subject that I can post to where I've had a similar problem... the switch in question is a part of the larger heater control assembly, in my case a Chrysler #3847013. A quick Google search for "Chrysler 3847013" will take you to very informative thread on the "Barthmobile", where a company called Acme (of course!) may still have replacement parts. Failing that, I would poke around at the local junk yard for any mid-80s Chrysler made auto or truck for a replacement control head. In my case, the plastic mounting hole on the right side of the assembly broke away, taking the switch mounting posts with it. I re-engineered the side of the casing with a common car stereo mounting strap (the kind with small holes about 1/2 inch or so) to replace the mounting ear and provide solid backing for the switch. Good hunting Chaplain!
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Old 02-16-2006, 05:16 AM   #8
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Kent, if it's a Chrysler switch, have you checked out the Dodge forums? Someone there may have one lying in his garage.
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Old 02-16-2006, 06:47 AM   #9
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Quote:
A quick Google search for "Chrysler 3847013" will take you to very informative thread on the "Barthmobile", where a company called Acme (of course!) may still have replacement parts.


Wow - that site is like hitting the jackpot for those of us with old NLA AC/Heater/Control Heads.

Like many, my control head is toast....fan switch is broken, tabs are broken and everything hang inside the dash somewhere. It's on my list of things to fix this season. I was planning to replace it with something from a Tahoe or other GM product from the bone yard and figuring out how to make everything work, but this site seems to have everything one would need for an RV replacement or upgrade installation. I've emailed them about a replacement for our units.

www.AcmeAir.com

I also saw this replacement to the push button head (http://www.acmeair.com/controlhead.htm) which was intriguing
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Old 02-16-2006, 06:50 AM   #10
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They also have the "H" hot water valve which solve the heat in the summer issue with our valves.

http://www.acmeair.com/specials.htm

I like these people
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Old 02-16-2006, 08:11 AM   #11
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Buckwheat,
Thanks for the tip. I sent them an e-mail with the part # and hope to hear back soon.
Steven- I would love to replace the face plate as well, now that I have it torn out. My AC is separate from the heater is yours combined? I wonder if I could put them together on one plate?
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Old 02-16-2006, 08:42 AM   #12
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I don't know what your dash looks like but in my 1985 345 the a/c and heater are on one plate.
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Old 02-16-2006, 09:37 AM   #13
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Chaplain Kent...I had the same problem with my Southwind...was not able to find a new part...my old one had a part number...I finally found one that was similar on an old Dodge van in a salvage yard...I took it with all the small vac hoses and wiring...my mechanic was able to make it work...$10 for switch and $40 labor...good luck...joe..
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Old 02-16-2006, 05:40 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cooperhawk
I don't know what your dash looks like but in my 1985 345 the a/c and heater are on one plate.
My 1989 370 is also on one plate. The temp control is a horizontal slide that controls the hot water heater valve. Below the slide are 6 push buttons for the different functions (AC, Heater, Defrost,etc.), and to the right is the fan switch, which is a 4 position vertical lever. It's almost identical to my dad's 1989 Suburban, with the exception of the push buttons where he has a slide and his fan control, although identical, is on the left side. Both are controls I've seen in GM vehicles dating back to the early 1970s. I'm assuming Chaplain Kent's setup is very different.
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Old 02-18-2006, 10:29 PM   #15
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Chaplain, you may be in luck... I found the old heater control from when the PO of our '87 345MH had it replaced, the switch is still attached and checks out OK. The Chrysler P/N on the switch is 645 0729. It is a 4-position switch with four contacts numbered 1, 1, 4 and 9 (go figure!). I'll try and post a picture tomorrow after I get new batteries for the camera. If you think the switch can work for you, send me a PM and I'll mail it.
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Old 02-19-2006, 11:59 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckwheat
Chaplain, you may be in luck... I found the old heater control from when the PO of our '87 345MH had it replaced, the switch is still attached and checks out OK. The Chrysler P/N on the switch is 645 0729. It is a 4-position switch with four contacts numbered 1, 1, 4 and 9 (go figure!). I'll try and post a picture tomorrow after I get new batteries for the camera. If you think the switch can work for you, send me a PM and I'll mail it.
Buckwheat,

I can't wait to see your picture. I have assumed all along that my 1989 370 heat/air control (all on one plate) was a GM item, since it's almost identical to what GM used for almost 20 years. If it's Chrysler, that means my 370 has major parts from Gillig, Ford, Airstream, Chevrolet, and Chrysler ! Yikes! I was having enough fun attempting to keep the 4 manufacturers' things sorted out . Does anyone know if the the 1982 control like Kent needs was the same in the 1989 models? If so, at least we know there were thousands of that type produced.
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Old 02-19-2006, 04:28 PM   #17
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Still no batteries but managed to get this pic before the camera died...
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Old 02-19-2006, 04:50 PM   #18
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Hey, that looks like the heater control panel out of a 1980's Dodge van...
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Old 02-19-2006, 05:06 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckwheat
Still no batteries but managed to get this pic before the camera died...
Buckwheat,

Except for my unit (1989 370) having a brushed cast metal mounting plate, it is identical to yours. Have you checked out a good GM parts department? I ask because I know GM used that basic control, especially the fan switch for many years. You should be able to get one from them, or perhaps a junk yard. Let us know what you find out.
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Old 02-19-2006, 05:09 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by overlander63
Hey, that looks like the heater control panel out of a 1980's Dodge van...
Overlander,

I'm not familiar with Dodge vans, but I do know it looks like the ones GM used for so long. Since the dash in the MoHos is basically Chevrolet, I'm really wondering if the heater control would have come from Chrysler. Of course, stranger things are on the coaches .
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