1997 Safari/Astro No Heat Issue - Control Valve? Clogged Core? Blend Door? - Let's Figure This Out

It's winter and my heater doesn't work. I've had to make multiple early morning drives and it was tough. With no heat I also had no window defroster.
I'm not a mechanic so my troubleshooting method was probably not the most direct, but in the end I found the problem and now have heat.
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[@Joeainthere73]

I got a new actuator and installed it and have heat in my 98 Astro. I checked this actuator a year ago and it was rotating fully but the person using the van didn't give me good info so they suffered another cold winter because the actuator was intermittent. They said it never had heat after the actuator moved properly for me. With the new actuator, it was plenty hot yesterday. At 297,000 miles, I'm giving it some overdue maintenance. First transmission fluid change in 20 years, first differential fluid change ever. Power washed the drivetrain from underside. I got it back after loaning it for 6 years, because it was burnt in a fire in April. Parked against a garage that burned. The fire raged under the hood and fractured every inch of windshield. Bumper was a melted puddle on driveway. Yet it started right up and drove. 2 salvage yard trips and all new front lights and I was able to drive it 50 miles home. $500 to repair fire damage not including front grille and 6 new front lights. Another $550 to restore and do needed maintenance that predated the fire. Somehow the battery, radiator, and overflow tank survived being in an inferno. Everything plastic and rubber from the roof forward was melted yet it was unfazed and ran fine. The only remaining fire damage is the AC. It was working before the fire but a puff blew out from the clutch when I ran the AC so I haven't tried it yet. But now there's heat so it's useful 9 months out of the year. Getting 22 mpg combined on 87, which is close to when new.

[@royshonk4659]

Thank you for sharing your experience!! It was so helpful. After replacing my thermostat, I saw your video. I removed the screws for the actuator and tried to remove it. I didn’t want to come off. But with the wiggling it started working!! Now I have heat. Thank you!!

[@troymagnum]

Maaan, very throrough and detailed video ! I actually learned from here that there is a blend door actuator. I thought my 97 astro was all vacuum or cable controlled. Thanks for your hard work and sharing it with us.

[@imsorry9467]

Tip for the future: The blend door actuator has a series of gears that are turned by the worm gear on that little tiny motor. If you try to turn the gears like you did they’re not going to spin the worm gear on the motor and is going to appear seized. You have to turn the worm gear to make the other gears move.

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Yup. I took the whole thing apart and tried a few things.

[@FredJones-lo2df]

Thank you so much. Valuable trouble shooting here.❤

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

In a few months I will need to replace the fuel pump assembly so I'll be making a video about that.

[@Kaibil66]

Hello, I'm back!!!!! yes I replaced this actuator and my AC is working good now. Actually the AC was working good but this defective actuator was not opening the blending doors. Good thing I didn't touch the compressor thinking it was defective. Thank you again for your great and valuable video. God bless you 🙏

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Glad it worked out for you!

[@theholeminute]

Thank you mister! I just replaced my heater core. Before that, the heater control valve, thermostat and water pump. And the radiator which was cracked. So now I have something else to test and/or fix! Thank you so much!

[@avoidtheherd7066]

Thanks for some listenable music!

[@buzzsah]

I am going through it now, control value was changed last year, I checked and changed the fuse, Hot going into core 118-120%, out 75%, Radiator coolant really bad/dirty, Default to defrost but just a little warm not enough to melt ice/snow, thermostat changed last year. Getting ready to flush system before going any further.

[@reachadcreadordasilva3471]

Love the disclaimer

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Yea, sometimes I worry about people getting over their heads and not realizing they are not being safe. I have plenty of scare to prove I make mistakes too.

[@vanishingfox1339]

Having the same issue with my 99 safari. I my check into that motor. It gets heat when the rpms are up but as soon as you cost its cold again. I just replaced the water pump and thermo state due to the temp guage never going up over 125f during the cold days and getting up to 230f on hot 100f days also replaced all the rotted rubber lines last month so now I have vacuum for the controls

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Vacuum lines can be an issue. I made sure the vacuum line connected to the control valve was very secure.

[@vanishingfox1339]

@@LetsFigureThisOut yeah I replaced all of them last month. The rubber line that connects to the 3 way check valve near the firewall was falling apart. also did what you did on the vacuum canister.

[@vanishingfox1339]

Turned out that i has air trapped in the heater core and its lines. I went to back wash the heater core and noticed when removing the line no coolant came out. The core was clean no rust or debris.

[@DarronSanderson]

The way you fix it is replacing the Astro. Lol. Just kidding, I'm on my 5th. I just keep replaving parts. Lol. I've never had it to a Chevy dealership. Lol 🎉

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Just replaced the fuel pump and the crankshaft positioning sensor (again).

[@DarronSanderson]

​@@LetsFigureThisOutyep, those go, too. It is now August 27th- from this orginal post. We will be changing the heater code, heater cobtrol valve and blend door Actuator this weekend.

[@jasonnames]

Mine is doing the same thing. I eventually get heat for about 30 seconds. I checked everything you did. I haven't checked the valve yet because it is raining out. I don't know if it is opening or closing. Your heat started working after you fixed the mix door actuator?

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Yes. It was that actuator. I tried repairing it first, but it only worked when it wanted to so I replaced it and it's been good since then.

[@HOBODAVE]

great video :) thank you!!!

[@Kaibil66]

Hi Mr L.F.T.O. Thank you so much for uploading this very helpful video. I have a similar issue with my Astro, Ill try to fix it now that I learned from you. Really appreciate your time and Ill comeback to let you know if mine worked. Thank you again, you are the best!!!!

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Let us know how you did and what you found. It could possible help someone else.