2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - Blend Door Repair/Heater Treater Installation - Part 2

In this video, I demonstrate how to repair a broken blend door actuator in a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 using a repair kit from a company called Heater Treater. The blend door diverts the air from the HVAC system over the AC evaporator core or the heater core to adjust the temperature of the air blowing out of the vents.
If you have air blowing from the vents, but it is cold when your temperature dial is set to hot, or vice versa, you may have an issue with the blend door actuator in your vehicle.
The repair kit I used in this video can be purchased here:
heatertreater....
Part 1 of this series can be viewed here:
• 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 3 of this series can be viewed here:
• 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
I am not a professional mechanic, and my videos are not intended to offer professional advice. Always reference your vehicle's service manual for official information, and please do not attempt any repair that you are not comfortable doing.
Thanks for watching!

[@johnells9895]

I posted earlier somewhere that I had success with a bent (looks like a crank) screwdriver I got with a set of Craftsman screwdrivers years ago. It worked best using the #1 Phillips, easier to find the screw and turn. I used a Lag screw/8-32 machine screw. I also used 2 nuts jammed together but in hind sight I would use a flat washer between the nuts which would keep a box wrench on the lower nut and you would not inadvertently break the tension between the jammed nuts. I did it and had to reassess. Now I think of it!

[@treyjoiner7950]

Great video!!! Was going to buy Door blend part for $135.00 on ebay ,but after watching this video got the heater treater kit for $35....saved me $100 ...Thanks!!!!

[@bladerunner6282]

i think i would simply reconnect the car's wiring harness to the motor before re-installation and adjust the hot/cold adjuster knob on the climate control section of the dash and observe the spindle turning back and forth on the motor unit as one would expect.

[@berna97706]

Great Job. You have saved many people a ton of money. Thanks from California.

[@dinoegghunter4206]

i just super glued mine and clamped it up , it worked !!

[@mrPauljacob]

Bro thank you so much for this. I was about to take this whole damn plenum out which is a major pain

[@JamesThompson-ol3eu]

Great camera work. I think I can fix mine (2000 Dodge Ram) I found rust on my motor so the 9V battery trick will be very useful. I may have to buy a new/used actuator as well.

[@throwaway692]

You are a god among men sir. Thank you...

[@popprider4224]

Great job Matt...I've had the same issue. Question what did you set you to dial on the dash to? Is it all the way on cold or hot or somewhere in between before reassembling the actuator? I also found that using a right angle screw drive from Harbor Freight worked to get out the back screw.

[@missequestrian3448]

Wondering the same thing… did you do this 4yrs ago lol?

[@garyholt9573]

When you done this where was the hot&cold knob set at hot or cold or middle???

[@missequestrian3448]

Wondering this too - how does knob calibrate to motor? If you did this - where’d you put your knob?

[@richardgarcia4843]

At the time of putting it on, move the door knob with your hand until it reaches either of the 2 ends... it depends on what comes out COLD OR HOT, that is where with the device connected to the plug from the controls you will set the temperature correct, it will spin until it stops and that is where you are going to install it.

[@jafinch78]

Neat system to repair and improve. I suppose the plastic part is the weak point to break first before anything else more a pain to get to brakes. Then again... might be too weak if isn't something else that confused the computer or something to go out of spec? Thanks for sharing!

[@jennwages5719]

Appreciate the heck out of this video!! Saved us alot of money at a time we really need it! Thanks again!!

[@brandonvlahakis7870]

Life saver got my ac back

[@christianvoluntaristsurvival]

thank you for these videos! mine had the same exact issue- cracked plastic piece.

[@noahpriess662]

On my 2000 when it’s on heat the heat is sometimes hotter then other when the throttle is hit sometimes it gets hotter or sometimes it doesn’t. Could this be the blend door? I have flush my heater core and didn’t help any.

[@randybryant1237]

I like the example of using a hanger bolt for that rear screw. That didn't come with the connector I bought from Blend Door USA so I went to the hardware store for a #8 x 1" hanger bolt. It worked about several hours easier.... The motor indexing part was much appreciated.

[@stevenboyd7183]

My Blend door Control box did not come with the Fancy Screw. I had to use one with two Washers to make it work. Very hard to do.😢😢😢

[@christophercerda9800]

Would that be my problem as well if I turn my ac on and it’s blowing cold then all of a sudden driving down the road it turns to hot air. Is the plastic piece my problem too?

[@richardgarcia4843]

Does anyone know if the actuator on a 2001 diesel...could work the same as a 2001 gasoline?

[@coinjeremy8864]

Have 2001 3500 diesel. The a/c will blow fine then it will switch to heat. You can turn it off wait few minutes turn it back on it will blow cold again. Any ideas what this may be ?

[@juanmondragon4840]

great video where can i get this kit do you a part number? i appreciate any information thanks

[@mattpayne4087]

Thanks, Juan! Check the video description for the link to the Heater Treater website, where you can order the correct part for your vehicle. Thanks for watching!

[@li-1landscape531]

Can you tell me where I find the metal piece? You put that one for the black piece that was broken. please

[@Kdoc1955]

Mine had a Motor corroded so I took it out and tapped it on the counter and lubed it up, which freed it up,,,, BUT,,, when I put it back in ,,,,,,,, I put it in backwards , so now ,,, heat is in the cool position and the cool is in heat position . Its too much trouble to take it back out and if I unsnap the cap it will probable all fall in the floor....So ill just put on some label stickers ...

[@missequestrian3448]

I’m about to replace mine- how do I make sure it’s not “backwards”?

[@ThePerfectSeason1972]

May I ask why you did not replace the whole actuator motor/gear assembly once you were there? are you not taking the risk of reusing an old motor?

[@eduardoandablo9996]

The actuator motor cost $220 at Orileys

[@MrWolfSnack]

@@eduardoandablo9996 and they will just strip out again if the problem is not fixed with a retrofit solution to strengthen it. It was faulty design from the factory and also failure to use quality parts.

[@salahsamou4568]

Cost 108 autozone

[@ThePerfectSeason1972]

@@MrWolfSnack - true, I made the repair as per the video kit. Turned out great.

[@coltonchristman2070]

Did you have any issues fitting the metal replacement on the actual shaft of the blend door? Mine only goes on halfway and keeps the motor assembly about 1/4 inch from where it should be.

[@broadwayFan28]

Mine too. Just installed today and I see about a 1/2 gap. I used the old screw to get it tight enough and tested and for now it works. The stress of the rotating door is not downward so I'm hoping this will be good enough to hold it on. Probably not. I guess I could grind down the metal piece but I don't have one.

[@frankallen6518]

The motor was locked up on my actuator. I threw it against the concrete a few times and it works like a charm now.

[@jerrydugan1110]

Where do i get the kit to fix this

[@mattpayne4087]

Hi Jerry, please see the link in the video description. Thanks for watching!

[@redbear1475]

My 01 blows at the feet on all settings. Would that plastic piece cause it to blow only at the feet?

[@josephjoiner2236]

Same problem what you find out ?

[@jride1520]

Sounds like a vacuum issue

[@redbear1475]

@@jride1520 so it blews hot air at the feet with max air on. I did try to do one of those ac pro stuff in the can. But it went straight to red.

[@missequestrian3448]

Where it comes out is a vacuum issue. The system defaults to defrost, so I’d assume you have vacuum but it’s not being controlled properly. Unless a door got stuck somewhere…??

[@blawsonbl]

I have great heat on max ac and just enough heat to knock the chill off on regular vent. Is this my issue as well?

[@broadwayFan28]

Not for me. I was only getting all hot or all cold, nothing in the middle.

[@markbroad119]

My 01 has a vacuum plunger connected to the door which is bad.

[@truthhurts2149]

@@broadwayFan28 ever figure it out? My temp switch only causes actuator to go all hot or all.cold. no in between. 2001 ram 2500

[@broadwayFan28]

@@truthhurts2149 It was the blend door actuator and replacing it fixed my prob.

[@eduardoandablo9996]

Aye what’s the part called tho

[@missequestrian3448]

For anyone else reading this - the black box is the blend door actuator. The little piece I don’t know if it has a name, I’ve seen it called a ‘blend door driver’ or ‘blend door actuator connector’.

[@austindurbin6853]

I'm about to just save the money and manually move the blend door to heat on and worry about the rest when it gets hot out

[@comingasathiefinthenight1120]

Simple