Broken fresh air/recirc door fix (1 Viewer)

[ArnieC]

My 2015 Land Cruiser had a problem fogging the windows any time the temps dropped below freezing. I thought I had a functional fresh air/recirc door because when I went to change the filter, I put it in recirc and it was in the right position. Turns out the door was in fact broken and stuck in the recirc option causing fogging when the A/C would not run.

Below is how I fixed the issue and what I learned.

• Once you have the trim panels, knee airbag, and glovebox removed the airbox is pretty easy to work on.
• I looked in with a flashlight and the side that attaches to the servo was definitely broken.
• I heated the plastic where the idler side pivot is on the airbox and I was able to pull the recirc door out of the vehicle
• The plastic wasn't just cracked, it was broken and there was a piece missing. I was able to find the missing piece with an inspection mirror.
• Put some painters tape over the fan before starting any work, if you drop something down inside the fan you are going to be sad.
• Once the recirc door and pieces were pulled from the vehicle I was able to clean it all up with some brake cleaner, JB weld it back together, and I wrapped a ziptie around the whole thing and glued it in place for some extra reinforcement. Wrapping the ziptie was made a lot easier by cutting the rubber flap away from around the broken pivot point.
• The JB Weld has to be filed after it cures to fit the drive shaft. A small triangular file was used to get everything back to flat and square with sharp inside corners.
• I just pressed the driveshaft back into the repaired recirc door. It fit nice and tight. Door works perfectly. I used a plastic trim tool placed between the recirc door and the mount for the cabin filter to give me something firm to press against.
• I heated the plastic by the idler end of the recirc door and pushed it back together once everything was back together and its 90%. I would take 90% of the plastic and a working recirc door over any of my other options.

 

[Rigger]

Nice work! Thanks for posting.

(You should put a link to this thread in that main recirc door thread.)

 

[Sandroad]

Looks great. Now put a sign on that door!

 

[m3fan]

Zip Tie. Brilliant. I was looking directly at this on my LC and figured there was no recourse, structurally, to fix this. Not enough meat on the plastic structurally to repair with glue. The zip tie idea changes everything. Thank you.

 

[CharlieS]

Zip Tie. Brilliant. I was looking directly at this on my LC and figured there was no recourse, structurally, to fix this. Not enough meat on the plastic structurally to repair with glue. The zip tie idea changes everything. Thank you.

Several of us have used safety wire, which is (in my opinion) a much sturdier solution. Edited from "better" to "sturdier", it isn't better, but it may be more sturdy and durable?

 

[ArnieC]

Safety wire covered with JB Weld or similar would work really well also. But you gotta make do with what you have on hand.

 

[CharlieS]

Safety wire covered with JB Weld or similar would work really well also. But you gotta make do with what you have on hand.

Agreed.

I used the safety wire for strength, 3M specialty primer/adhesive (as recommended by another member) for bonding the plastic, and a JB Weld plastic bonder to reinforce the repair. I REALLY don't want to have to touch this flap again, if at all possible. It is a pain to get out and back in.

 

[bloc]

Great idea melting the case for clearance of the pivot.

 

[Itsky]

good stuff here. my door is broke and appreciative of the shared solution.

 

[Itsky]

From what I can gather from my inspection this morning

Do I have the following things correct? (experts please chime in),

1. the rotating door in "closed" position (meaning airfilter is blocked) is recirculation off (open to exertnal air)
2. The rotating door has two pivots, left by the stereo and right, by the passenger side window.
3. At the right pivot connection point, a motor rotates a geared pivot.
4. The geared pivot is male and it is supposed to slot into the right pivot of the door which also geared (this appears to be the side JB welded above by @ArnieC, is that correct?)
5. I assume the left pivot is just idle?

My is broken in the same way as @ArnieC and this method seems to be a good way. A couple of questions:

• To "melt" and then pull out the door, did you melt both left and right sides of the lower airbox? Picture shows the left side
• What else around the glove box was removed to make access easier, if anything?
• Any other tips?
• How's it holding up?

Thanks so much!

 

[bloc]

Only need to melt the left side. Since the keyed pivot slides out of the right side of the door you don’t need to notch the filter flange, that side of the door just lifts straight up.

Get it out, fix the bottom right portion of the door, get the door back in place using the melted notch, the right side will slide in from the top then the pin slide through and engage with its keyhole.

 

[Itsky]

Only need to melt the left side. Since the keyed pivot slides out of the right side of the door you don’t need to notch the filter flange, that side of the door just lifts straight up.

Get it out, fix the bottom right portion of the door, get the door back in place using the melted notch, the right side will slide in from the top then the pin slide through and engage with its keyhole.

Love it! you make it sound easy enough that I even I can do it! Many thanks!

 

[bloc]

Love it! you make it sound easy enough that I even I can do it! Many thanks!

I wish the melt method had been thought up before I fixed mine.. I had to do it in place, and cursed my large hands the whole time.

If my repair ever fails I’ll be doing what you are about to.. good luck with it, and you’re welcome.

 

[ArnieC]

So far so good since I posted this - no issues at all.