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Thread: A/C control knob fix?

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winyah View Post
    sounds like you are having the same problem I did. The like plastic piece that rides in the shell same on the back of the switch broke off and without that the cable will not move. You will have to take that piece off and fix it with a rc place ball link and screw it in.
    Quote Originally Posted by MORRIE View Post
    ... looking at my pics or yours can you point out exactly what I should be looking at and what to do to fix this issue?...
    Can you check whether you have a broken plastic ball on one of the colored arms, a ball that rides the spiral grooves in the disks and moves the cables? Here are DIYs on fixing that:
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=23
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=78
    Last edited by Vintage42; 06-26-2018 at 07:03 AM.
    BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405

  2. #27
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    2001 3.0 Z-3 RD'STER
    Quote Originally Posted by Vintage42 View Post
    Can you check whether you have a broken plastic ball on one of the colored arms, a ball that rides the spiral grooves in the disks and moves the cables? Here are DIYs on fixing that:
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=23
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=78
    Thanks Vintage....will be looking more closely at these threads later today. I'll be going to a hobby store to look for the ballstuds also.

  3. #28
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    Ok guys, I have removed the HVAC unit (see pics) It appears the Green lever moves freely unlike the other 2 levers ....Red & Clear . They have a little tip that rides inside the 2 gears that are linked to the Dials on the front side (see photo) The red one is connected to the Dial that selects the functions where the air blows (Floor, face, windshield) while the Clear one is connected to the dial that regulates Heat or A/C. They both appear to be working fine with the exception of the missing Detent which allows the dial to click when it reaches a particular function (floor, face, windshield). The green lever moves freely and is NOT riding inside a gear. I don't see what purpose it serves other than to move the lever attached to the black box....(see pic).

    I purchased the ballstuds but I don't think I need them. What I need is some information of why the green cable is not properly functioning and how it functions.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by MORRIE; 06-26-2018 at 11:12 PM.

  4. #29
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    Here are pics

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  5. #30
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    Tennessee
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    2000 M roadster
    following

  6. #31
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    Jun 2018
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    South Carolina
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    Z3
    Does the red lever feel like it snaps in when you push it in? Think it holds all theee of the arms together maybe it’s not snapping all the way in? Other than that I don’t know what the green one shouldn’t be moving

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winyah View Post
    Does the red lever feel like it snaps in when you push it in? Think it holds all theee of the arms together maybe it’s not snapping all the way in? Other than that I don’t know what the green one shouldn’t be moving
    All levers are tight & secured on the backside of the control panel. Look at the photo #29. I don't know what you mean by snapping all the way in and there's nothing to push in???? The green lever moves freely & is NOT attached to anything. I am speaking about NOW when the control panel has been removed from the car. Again....look at the pic on #29. I shows back of control panel removed from car.
    Last edited by MORRIE; 06-26-2018 at 11:24 PM.

  8. #33
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    The green cable runs from the unit to another lever located on a black box (see photo). I looked on realoem.com but didn't find anything. I am guessing this is the heater?? If so does it have a flap inside to open & close the flow of heat? Can I gain access to the inside? I am guessing this cable opens & closes that flap and something inside has come loose or broken. Does anyone know?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by MORRIE; 06-26-2018 at 11:21 PM.

  9. #34
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    The white lever, adjusted by the cam of the temperature control which is the middle knob of the controls, works independently of the green and red lever. It is usually the nub on the white lever that breaks. The green and red levers are controlled by the left knob, whose function it is to direct the air to the defrost vents, the dash vents, or the floor vents. The nub on the red lever runs in the cam you can see on the back of the unit. The nub on the green lever runs in the cam on the other side of that same part. I suspect the nub is not in the cam or that the green nub has broken off. It's a little fiddly to get all three nubs into their appropriate tracks. The green goes in first, the white second, and the red last, if I remember correctly.
    Wayne

    1998 M Roadster
    1994 Honda ST1100--sold
    2017 Yamaha FJR1300ES

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by rasmuw View Post
    The white lever, adjusted by the cam of the temperature control which is the middle knob of the controls, works independently of the green and red lever. It is usually the nub on the white lever that breaks. The green and red levers are controlled by the left knob, whose function it is to direct the air to the defrost vents, the dash vents, or the floor vents. The nub on the red lever runs in the cam you can see on the back of the unit. The nub on the green lever runs in the cam on the other side of that same part. I suspect the nub is not in the cam or that the green nub has broken off. It's a little fiddly to get all three nubs into their appropriate tracks. The green goes in first, the white second, and the red last, if I remember correctly.
    I can hardly see where it has broken off from the edge nearest the large white grooved wheel. Guess I will be using the ballstud to repair the green lever. That means i must separate the back plate from control panel to gain access to that side of the green lever...right? Thanks man. You rock!!

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  11. #36
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    Large wheel is the Cam
    Quote Originally Posted by MORRIE View Post
    I can hardly see where it has broken off from the edge nearest the large white grooved wheel. Guess I will be using the ballstud to repair the green lever. That means i must separate the back plate from control panel to gain access to that side of the green lever...right? Thanks man. You rock!!

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    Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by MORRIE View Post
    I can hardly see where it has broken off from the edge nearest the large white grooved wheel. Guess I will be using the ballstud to repair the green lever. That means i must separate the back plate from control panel to gain access to that side of the green lever...right? Thanks man. You rock!!
    Yes, you will need to separate the control panel from the back plate. The hardest part for me was removing the knobs. They just pull off but are securely attached. Once the two plates are separated, the lobes at the ends of the cables need to come out--it's easier to remove the clips that secure the cables to allow freedom of movement. The two wheels and the levels are a pinch and push from the front side.
    Wayne

    1998 M Roadster
    1994 Honda ST1100--sold
    2017 Yamaha FJR1300ES

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winyah View Post
    Does the red lever feel like it snaps in when you push it in? Think it holds all three of the arms together maybe it’s not snapping all the way in? Other than that I don’t know what the green one shouldn’t be moving
    After reading Rasmuw's post, I assume you were referring to the control panel AFTER is was dismantled. My error. I'll pay attention to the levers making sure the SNAP into place when re-assembling the unit. Thanks

  14. #39
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    Having extreme difficulty separating the white plate from black plate. Knobs are removed. Is there a trick to separating the plates? One side is trying to release while other side is not. [See photos]

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  15. #40
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    Never mind...perseverence works

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  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by MORRIE View Post
    Never mind...perseverence works

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    Back together and working like it should. Thanks to everyone for your input/advice and your help. BTW those Ballstuds work great...much better than plastic. Drilled a hole in the Green lever where the little nub broke off and inserted the ballstud...placed it into the proper wheel slot and all three levers work like they should. Next...reinstall into the car. Thanks again for everyone's help.

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    Last edited by MORRIE; 06-27-2018 at 08:31 PM.

  17. #42
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    Anyone have a Detent they want to part with. PM me if you do. Thanks

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  18. #43
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    1998 M Roadster
    I bought a whole assembly on Ebay for the left cam wheel and a detent and sold the other parts without too much of a loss.

  19. #44
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    wales, uk
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    2002 BMW Z3
    Hi all, I am needing to do the fix on my Z3 heater control. Has broken. First question. Im going in via radio gap and also have undone the side of console passenger side and have one arm in there. I nearly got the control arms off and then for some reason pushed them back in. Now they aren't budging. Each of the arms are connected to a cable and I need to get the red one off then the off white one (to repair). How do I do this? Is there a technique?

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