actuator arms...anyone interested

[Kibokojoe]

Over the weekend I made an aluminum actuator arm to replace the broken plastic arm for the IHKA flap , if there is enough interest I can start making them.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/actuatorarm.jpg

[shogun]

Post that on Bimmerboard E32 forum, with pics of the broken flaps and how you repaired it (and how long it took to get to it and what to disassemble), and the price.
I understand that fits on E34 and E32 IHKA units?

[Kibokojoe]

Video
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/?action=view&current=IHKAvideo_0002.flv

Metal flap with broken pieces of plastic actuator arm.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/flapmetal.jpg

Location of flaps under the dash
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/centerventarrow.jpg

Location of flaps with duct work removed. Remove step motor #1 to access floor vent. Remove actuator arm on step motor #3 so you can move the flaps by hand.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/whichflap.jpg

New aluminum actuator arm and the old broken arm
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/actuatorarm.jpg

[shogun]

very nice, so it is for E34.

[tim eh?]

that's nice work!

[Kibokojoe]

Thanks

that's nice work!

[Kibokojoe]

Here is my first production
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/kibokojoe/DSCF1667.jpg

very nice, so it is for E34.

[632 Regal]

is that blood under prototype #1?

[Kibokojoe]

Ha I did say they would not be easy to make, here is your proof :)

is that blood under prototype #1?

[shogun]

Does that also fit E32? Maybe you can check on your E32 735

[Kibokojoe]

No easy way of checking to verify if they are one and the same without removing the arm. Looking through the floor vent it looks the same. It would be nice to figure out a way of replacing these without having to remove the entire dash.

[shogun]

any more on stock? Maybe I have a customer for you in Germany

[BigKriss]

is this a common problem for the cars mentioned, I've never heard of it before

[shogun]

yes, quite common
written by Johan in 2003
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/center_vents/center_vents_v1.1-1.html

[BigKriss]

thanks Erich

[Kibokojoe]

I have two left, for the right side.

[shogun]

o.k., told it the guy, if he is interested, I will contact you again.

[sneekens]

never knew it would be this hard!!!

[Kibokojoe]

You are not kidding. When I had mine apart my wife took one look and said you will never get it back together again. Ha, Now you know why I made them out of metal, will last forever.

[shogun]

@Joe

any more arms left for sale?
Maybe others here have also interest?

[Kibokojoe]

I have one left, for the right side.

[shogun]

I posted you repair and the link to the actuator arm on another forum, maybe you can sell some more if you want to produce more.

[shogun]

yesterday I had on the left side no air at all with aircon on, that means the center grill left side, front below window left side, the grill towards the left window. (bottom I could not check while driving) http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/center_vents/air_distribution.jpg

Right side was working well.

After about an hour driving, I switched engine off, started the engine again and all worked fine. That means to me that the flaps work generally and no stepper motor mount broken (will also check this weekend to make sure)
I assume the flaps were sticking tight in their positions and did not move. Before I tried all positions for left side on the IHKA control panel, nothing changed.

Question: has someone ever tried to get silicone spray inside the IHKA system so that the silicone spray is smoothing out sticking flaps contact surfaces? My idea: start engine, start aircon, then spray silicon spray at the suction side of the IHKA unit (switched on recirculation), so that the silicon spray goes thru the complete IHKA unit.

IHKA unit cross section drawing
Imageshack - klimaeinheit1gt.jpg (http://imageshack.us/f/357/klimaeinheit1gt.jpg/)

I already changed last year the IHKA control module as well as the IHKA control panel and even tested both temperature sensors left and right side.
All these items seem to work fine, I assme the flaps are just sticking in their positions sometimes.

Would that make sense to try silicone spray?
Pics of heater housing for easier understanding
BMW 735 (http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/center_vents/center_vents_v1.1-2.html)

[Kibokojoe]

Never tried just shooting it down the hole. I lube up everything while I had it apart.

[genphreak]

I sure want some. Am thinking 4 or so to keep for a fun day pulling the IHKA out, again! :).

[shogun]

fixed it! nothing broken. Lucky that we had a spare IHKA unit out of a parts car, so we could diassemble and test how everything works, how it is assembled etc.

Stepper motors for

5. Driverside dash vent
6. Driverside temperature mixing flap

were out of place, they are fixed in position with only 1 clip, these clips get weak over the years and when the stepper motor is moving under force to move the flaps the stepper motor moves slightly out of place, enough not to be able to move the flap.
Fixed the stepper motor with zip tie and all works well now.

[shogun]

photos here
photos here (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/1091582)

[genphreak]

No wonder repairing my heater valve did so little to solve the always warm problem on the drivers side...

Not sure if I am reading this right- to check/fix those, is it only a matter of removing the top cover of the dash?

[shogun]

I took out
both side covers on center console,
radio
IHKA unit
top grill cover (with a torch/flashlight you can see from there the flaps moving, actually 3 are moving, so do not get mislead if only the top is moving).
and the wood cover right of steering wheel we took also off, tiny hole for peeking inside
undercover of steering wheel
'gunbox' (the small glovebox compartment on left/driver side of my 750)

[Kibokojoe]

Yes just remove the center grille and use a mirror and flashlight. Turn the ignition on and look to see if the driver and passenger flap move together.

[shogun]

one remark: first I thought my stepper motor on one side is totally gone, but then I remembered I had to turn the temperature wheel and switch to the correct mode (auto, up-down, AC on/off, just play a bit with the switches) and then the flaps moved accordingly.

[genphreak]

Thanks- I read that on the post but wondered if I could get away with just doing the top cover. Seems I can! I hate tearing the whole dash down if I can avoid it... but now I think about it the car I need to do it on most has got a leaky cabin heater, so I'll have to do it anyhow there before just doing the zip tie trick on the others... thanks to both of you!!!

[genphreak]

Got it. Will do, thanks for sharing!