vacuum heater control box PSA

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snailpower

snailpower

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I am posting this to hopefully help people in the future as i have resolved the problem.

I have replaced and rebuilt 3-4 of these things, and even tried "nos mopar parts" from eBay to the tune of $70-100 each and every single one would keep my AC compressor running to some degree.

I took them apart and I think it could be a design flaw where some of the switches on the one side remain in contact no matter how hard you push the button.

They also don't sell these anymore at any of the parts counters that used to for around $50. So after digging and digging I saw someone post that classic industries actually stocks a OER replacement for about $90. I picked one up at their retail showroom and BOOM my ac doesn't cycle anymore.

Mopar Parts | 3895790 | 1960-74 Mopar A/B/E-Body AC and /Heater Control Switch | Classic Industries

Really wish I would have known about this part sooner so I am hoping this post saves someone else the headache and hassle of rebuilding one of these switches and not having it work or buying expensive NOS stuff that could cost double this price on eBay.

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mopowers said:
Have you taken the new one apart? How did they improve the design?
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I didnt take it apart because it just worked and I didnt want to mess with it. haha... Everything just feels tighter and more robust but it could just be a slight revision on the old one that works.

It looks like mopar revised the part number on this thing like 50 times so who knows how many versions work / don't work.

I can tell you from the ones I took apart that the portion pictured looks faulty to me. After looking at the position with the off button pushed fully in it seems still so close that the parts could be still making contact. Maybe the new one fixes that. I had this thing apart 3 separate times trying to make sense of it and tried 2 other NOS ones that didnt work and did the same thing to some degree.

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I might need one of these too as the fan in my '73 Dart doesn't work anymore at Defrost and Heater. But at $90 I might want to open it up first.

But looking at the description it says this item works on '60-'65 Chryslers too, where I just so happen to have a complete '64 and '65 Chrysler dashboards laying around.
 
That's interesting. Thanks! The issue I've had is the fact the rubber vacuum "diverter" part on the vaccum side leaks. I've found that adding another spring to put more pressure on the rubber diverter thing along with some lube helps quite a bit. Do you have any tips for achieving a better seal???
 
mopowers said:
That's interesting. Thanks! The issue I've had is the fact the rubber vacuum "diverter" part on the vaccum side leaks. I've found that adding another spring to put more pressure on the rubber diverter thing along with some lube helps quite a bit. Do you have any tips for achieving a better seal???
Click to expand...

I don't know this thing too in and out (I couldn't get it working correctly for instance haha) but I did super glue around the edges of that part on reassembly. I know what you mean though that the rubber thing isn't applying enough pressure. Maybe that part would be resolved by a newer unit because the rubber would be softer?

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From what I have found on many NOS parts is that they are NOS because the dealer installed them, they didn't work properly (or fit properly) so they were put back on the shelf. Many, many years later someone comes along and buys all the NOS stuff (still left on the shelf) and they end up selling it. The seller doesn't know that the NOS parts were still on that shelf because they didn't work properly (or they don't fit properly). I've bought many NOS items and when I try to install them they don't fit right or I have to do some filing or cutting to make them work.
I've had issues with my AC/heat control assy and replaced it with an NOS unit (ebay)...after installation I still had the same problem with the AC running all the time. It's a ***** removing the dash only to NOT HAVE IT WORK still. So my solution is to install a switch that I can flip (going through the AC power wire) when I want the compressor to work.
I bought a really nice NOS door latch for my son's '46 Chevy (it looked brand new). When I tried to install it I found that the factory had drilled the tapered hole through the handle shaft at the wrong angle. Luckily, me being a machinist, I was able to rework the latch with some jewelers files until I was able to install it. There's no way it would have worked back in 46/47/48 or whenever they tried to install the latch, so they set it back on the shelf and I ended up buying it (as NOS) back 2010.


So the lesson is..........just because something is NOS don't mean squat!! Well it does mean that the part is OLD!!
Treblig
 
On Early A Bodies the part # is 2096084 and there are only two wires that connect to the male terminals on raised portion of the a/c heater control box. One to the heater blower motor and the other to the fuse box.
The new ones have three terminals. For those who may have been inside either a newer NOS unit or the replacements, which 2 of the 3 terminals should I use?
 
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