AC Help? DCCV prob? Thanks for responding!

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Rastlin

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Hey Guys, I know this sounds just like another DCCV thread, (sorry about that) but I want to know your oppinion.
I have a 2000 LS V6 and off an on I have an AC prob. Sometimes, usually when stock in traffic at low rpm or idle, my pass side starts blowing Hot air. the drivers side will continue blowing cold air. When I shut off the eng for few min and start it everything is fine again. Sometimes it takes few weeks for it to repeat while others it will happen within 10min. I checked my coolant levels, and freon pressure and everythning is good. I am counting that I need to replace DCCV (dual climate control valve) and I am planning on doing it w/ a friend tomorrow. (tueasday afternoon) If its not DCCV I know it could be PCM. (am I right?) If so, does anyone know how is it replaced??? Can it be done w/ out the dealer ??? (paying ridiculous dealer hourly rates :) ) Is it just a pull the old one out and put the new one in? Where is it located? Any help on this issue would be very appreciated!!! I know there are a lot of thread on this and I read most of them... however, they all or most of them, seem to point to the service bulletin but not really give any input how to do it yourself.
Thanks again!!! :)
 
I have heard it is a real pain in the a$$. Mine also needs replacing, but if you want a temp fix when it does it. Run the temp all the way down to 60 then all the way back up to 90 and the to the temp you want it to be set in. Make sure you pause for a sec to let it kick on. This will allow you to get the normal temp air on both sides. Let me know if you do it cause I need to do mine also and at $900 I will probably be doing it my self to save some money.
 
DCCV installation

I will take bunch of pictures and I will post them with some help how to do it. I went to the mechanic that I know and he estimated it that it would take him about 1.5h. He said that if I do it... it will take me about 3-4h but said that it doesnt look too bad. It looks like it might be a really hard to get to. We'll see... keeping my thingers crossed :)
Well I will post some photos and info this evening or tomorrow. I just hope that the DCCV will fix my AC problem. Wish me luck!!! PS. I agree with the above post... I will have to drain the radiator fluid I am planning on flushing it.
 
There is a TSB on this if I recall. It lists the probable causes...and the DCCV is just one of them. I believe the climate controller is another...and something else was a possibility IIRC. Worth finding the TSB.
 
Re:

yeah I read the TSB and unfortunatelly from what I know there is no way of checking which part could it be. However, when I talked to Lincoln Tech people and read other forum threads, I found out that almost 99% of the time it is DCCV ... Lincoln actually redesign it and 2003+ have a different one which doesnt give problems and is also $100 cheaper!!! (2000-2002 V6 and V8 models it cost about $230 while the new ones at least for V6 its $140). I am crossing my fingers that it is DCCV... but again if someone knows more info about the other parts and how hard is it to get them fixed please let me know... I am picking the part in a little bit and I will start working on it soon. I will post more info then....
 
My 2002 V8 was failing just like yours. I replaced the DCCV this spring and that took care of it. I think I only paid ~ $150-$180 online (less than $200). I used on of those dealer manuals (DVD) you can buy from ebay for directions. Also flushed coolant while I was at it.

If you mark the hoses, it really is not that bad. Took 2-3 hours. Maybe I just think it wasn't that bad since I had recently replaced the front sway bar and that absolutely sucked, making anything seem easy.....
 
DCCV replaced - sorry for the long post!!!

Hey Guys... well last night I finally replaced the DCCV and let me tell you... it was a B###H!!! I am not sure if the reasons for the complications was that I was working at night (with the light but its never the same) or if its b/c I didnt have a lift or if there was a better way to do it... Also, my LS is a V6 so I dont know about the setup of the V8. In a V6 the DCCV is kind of low underneath few hoses and between the radiators and the engine. (I'll post some pictures in a little bit). I jacked up my car and used car stands and worked my way from the bottom of the car. You could probably do it from the top, but you would have to take out the intake off the engine. Working from the bottom of the car gave me a rather good access but without the lift it was still hard to see anything... (I strongly recommend doing it on a lift if you have access to one!!! It will make this job much... MUCH easier!!!)
Some pointers:
1: The hoses (after loosening brackets that hold them) are still supper tight. It took a lot of frustration to get them off. Leave the two bolts that hold DCCV in so that the part is not moving arround...
2: Take off the lowest 2 hoses and let the coolant drain... about 4qt should drain. (I have just done my radiator flush about 10k mi so I didnt bother doing it again... and just drained whatever came out and refilled the system when I was done)
3: Have a friend around... it helps when you work on the hoses (getting them off and then on) to have a buddy push/hold the DCCV from the top while you work from underneight.
4: Once you get the hoses and DCCV off... it takes a lot of manuvering (sp? sorry too tired lol) to fit the DCCV around AC pipes and hoses... but move it around and move it like a worm around them and it will fit and come down.
5: Putting the new one is fairly easy... took about 15-20min to put stuff back together. (it took me 3h to get the old one out!!!)
6: Hoses are molded and dont really move around so its not hard to remember which one goes where... but you may want to color code them just in case.
7: I found that debleeding the coolant was a pain... but it was past midnight when I got to that point and we were tired and pissed off. I followed the debleeding instruction from the tech article (http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/tech/Lincoln-LS/CoolingSystemDraining) but... 1st I could not find the engine bay debleeding... I finally found it under the intake pipe... but then I didnt know if I need to twist it 90 degrees ??? twisting it ccw did not make it come off so... the other debleeding was just twist off type. There was no air coming out of it so... I finally threw the instructions while they were not working (for me...) and debleed the air pockets via the coolant return hose at the oil cooler. I got a lot of air out through that and finally got coolant circulaiting. Got hot air blowing and eng temp to a normal (just below halfway mark). I added about the same amount of coolant as I drained so hopfully there are no air pockets and I wont get hot-spots!!!
Well so far air is coming cold/hot as needed and everything is working. I drove the car for about 10mi last night but a real test will be today/tomorrow... Driving it about 1500 on a trip to NC. (from FL).
Again, I will post some photos in a little bit that shows the instal process.
Sorry for this long post!!!
 
Rastlin,

It will all be worth it when (if) you don't have to experience that hot air coming out again......congratulations.
 
I did mine on my V6 last Saturday. 5 hours start to finish (including bleeding). I had a little trouble trying to figure out what Alldata was trying to say....

In anycase, it is even easier than Rastlin said. The hoses should be removed where they join the hard lines. There are 3 quick disconnects there. Just don't lose the "O" rings. Once they are disconnected, remove the valve. Then remove the hoses on the front of the valve (this takes some maneuvering). Installing is just the reverse. The front hoses are long enough to access the clamps.

I now have Arctic air blowing from the a/c again!!
 
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