defroster and heater air works, but not dash

i tried searching the forum but couldn't find this problem. on my 90 Riv with 50k, i suddenly can't get air to blow from the vents. it will switch back and forth from heater and defroster just fine. the indicator on the electronic climate control shows the little arrow as if it should be blowing from the vents, but it blows from the defroster instead. i have tried various positions and switching of the electronic climate controls, but i can't get it to work. this will be a major problem for me when it's hot and i need the air conditioner.

a long time ago i had an 87 toronado with this same issue, but when it happened, it would ding and flash "electrical problem". i don't have that light coming on on my Riv though. (i saw the light in my manual, but i don't see it on the dash-even when i first start it.) i don't know if this could be related, but i recently had the valve cover and intake manifold gaskets replaced about 800 miles ago. however, this is the first time i've tried to get fresh vent air and it didn't work. i checked the one vacuum line near the blower and it is connected and there is vacuum.

any ideas? thanks.

jayeli wrote:

i tried searching the forum but couldn't find this problem. on my 90 Riv with 50k, i suddenly can't get air to blow from the vents. it will switch back and forth from heater and defroster just fine. the indicator on the electronic climate control shows the little arrow as if it should be blowing from the vents, but it blows from the defroster instead. i have tried various positions and switching of the electronic climate controls, but i can't get it to work. this will be a major problem for me when it's hot and i need the air conditioner.

a long time ago i had an 87 toronado with this same issue, but when it happened, it would ding and flash "electrical problem". i don't have that light coming on on my Riv though. (i saw the light in my manual, but i don't see it on the dash-even when i first start it.) i don't know if this could be related, but i recently had the valve cover and intake manifold gaskets replaced about 800 miles ago. however, this is the first time i've tried to get fresh vent air and it didn't work. i checked the one vacuum line near the blower and it is connected and there is vacuum.

any ideas? thanks.

Just an idea: somehow there should be a way using "starting fluid" or a propane torch without flame to check those vacuum lines as they are to see if they are leaking/sucking atmospheric air at the connections. Not sure how though, hopefully a shade-tree mechanic will chime in and tell us.

nobody has any ideas on my problem??? i need air from the vents!

jayeli wrote:

nobody has any ideas on my problem??? i need air from the vents!

The idea was to check the vacuum lines for leaks.

after doing that, please post results.

jayeli wrote:

nobody has any ideas on my problem??? i need air from the vents!

On the 95-99 Rivs, the change is accomplished by actuators. On your car, it sounds like vacuum motors do the job. What you need to do is get under there, figure out what door is failing to work, then look at it's vacuum supply, or diaphragm that moves it. A factory service manual will help here.

the problem seems to be the vent valve upper lever-gm part 3058309. this part is discontinued and not available anywhere in the country from gm. i've searched online but can't find it either. does anyone know where i can get this part???

jayeli wrote:

the problem seems to be the vent valve upper lever-gm part 3058309. this part is discontinued and not available anywhere in the country from gm. i've searched online but can't find it either. does anyone know where i can get this part???

Try car-part.com to see if anyone has a parts Riviera - this part probably won't be listed separately but you could call the yard and explain what you are looking for and they may be able to pull one for you.

Also Ed Morad (moradpartscompany.com) occasionally parts out Rivieras. He may have one.

tried morad-he usually only deals with the last generation riviera-thanks for the suggestion though. still waiting to hear back from car-part.

Oh sorry, I missed the "90" part. My bad.

GM never did have all that much imagination around hard parts... it will take some doing but if you call a salvage yard that ships parts and if they have a little time on their hands (try early morning or midafternoon) somebody with an exchange book (the old timers call it a Hollander manual) should be able to find and pull one and ship it to you. You will have to call yards until you succeed. Also, might your part be repairable?

while i've found a few different vehicles around the country (riviera, reatta, eldorado, seville, toronado), it sounds like the time and effort involved to gain access to the part is a problem for the salvage yards. the hunt continues.

i found the part on a 91 toronado-only $20!!!

Thanks for the update, Clint!

jayeli wrote:

i found the part on a 91 toronado-only $20!!!

Congrats

like I said GM never did have that much imagination around hard parts. Ford even less and the former AMC almost none.

Congrats....!

part is installed and working!

Awesome! Where did you end up finding it?

see above-found it in a local salvage yard in a 91 toronado.

jayeli wrote:

see above-found it in a local salvage yard in a 91 toronado.

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great! You mentioned the car but not that it was local. I was wondering if you dug through online wrecking yards or what. Always much easier to find a local part!

i had called at least 20 salvage yards around the country, but only 2 had the actual car rather than just the electronic climate control. one salvage yard in michigan was willing to send me the part for $90-mostly labor of course. after i found out the part was the same on all e-bodies, i remembered the local salvage yard had a toronado. they were just about to get rid of it too! thanks everyone for the advice!

Is the part a blend door actuator? I had problems with one on an 88 Silverado. Seems my Riv won't blow heat to the floor so I'm troubleshooting. How much is involved to get to that area.