Keith Browning Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 You know how the older door lock actuators stop working after some time? I just caught onto a thread on the FTE website about disassembling the actuators, removing the motor and disassembling it to access the thermal limiter... which you would wrap with aluminum foil and reassemble. Power locks fixed. Clever. I thought about this once a few years ago but I never gave it a second thought. Apparently someone else did. To me it first seemed kinda cheesy but as I read on and looked at the pictures it looked better and better provided it was executed well. So far I cant find any problems with this repair other than guys that couldn't get the actuator back together right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Gotta link to this article? My '00 Exploder is riddled with door lock actuator issues. Way to expensive to fix with new stuff. Does this "fix" apply in my case? Huh? Hmmm? Does it? <twittles thumbs anxiously> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 THere are a few threads on various forums but I think that this photo album and write up is by far the best over at the Ford Trucks Enthusiasts site... http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/album.php?albumid=3215 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Does this "fix" apply in my case? Huh? Hmmm? Does it? <twittles thumbs anxiously> Now that was great for a laugh after my day today! Thanks Brad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 That's my Stewie (sp.) impression from "The Family Guy". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 THere are a few threads on various forums but I think that this photo album and write up is by far the best over at the Ford Trucks Enthusiasts site... http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/album.php?albumid=3215 The part I like is "Is it safe? I am assuming so.". Some electrical engineer felt the need for a thermal limiter device in the motor housing.... I probably wont try to second guess him (did you know you can start a fire with steel wool and a 9 volt battery?). I always wonder why people leave out that one word when they state "it hasn't caught on fire" - <YET>. My father in law was an ex-trucker/gentleman farmer. It wasn't rare to see glass fuses wrapped in cigarette tinsel (tin foil) on some of his iron... always good for a laugh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 You and I think alike an a few ways and I too believe that the thermal limiter was put there for a reason. I am not sure bypassing it will cause an actual fire but it will increase the possibility of damaging the motor rendering it useless. If it does reduce the risk of fire then all the better. Again there is a reason for it being there. If I remember the next time I replace an actuator I could perform this little "fix" and just wire it up to my test battery directly and leave it there and see it it melts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Just curious, but what part actually fails? Is it the thermal limiter, and if so, why did it fail? Like the tinfoil around the fuse "fix", this begs the question: what is protecting the circuit now if there is a short(or whatever caused the thermal limiter to give up the ghost). Or, is the failure of the thermal limiter unrelated to an actual concern in the solenoid? Also, some of the ones that fail around here make an annoying ratcheting noise that sounds like stripped gears and the rest seem to be seized. I assume these are not repairable by this fix, right? Just agreeing with Grampa Jim and playing devil's advocate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 This is the "fix" for the actuators that get weak and then stop working. Yes. it is the thermal limiter and - yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Thanks, Keith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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