Firstfives.org

Mine is frozen. I cannot turn it. Should I try to just squirt some silicone lube in behind it? What do you think is causing it to be so hard to turn the dial? what could be binding it up?

NEVER MIND: No sooner do i post and than do I fix it. took a monkey wrench and rubber skin to gently get leverage on turning it. But I did get it free. So, ...As you were.

Common enough there's a FAQ on it.

http://www.firstfives.org/faq/heater_co ... epair.html

Is it difficult to remove that panel? One of my vent/fresh air sliders is broken, part is NLA anyway but it would be good to see if it can be repaired, and lubricate the fan dial.

A complete PITA. You will have springs and ball bearings all over the place.

Ironically I just dug into mine today. To me the PITA is getting to it, pretty much removing the console to do it. Doing it over a dishpan or something isn't a bad idea, but I didn't really have too many problems, the grease was so sticky everything stayed in place. There is only one ball bearing and it would be bad to lose it, but it would not affect the functioning of it, just the feel, there would be no detent. I've got several parts and assemblies, all in need and curiously all with bad microswitches, which I had to replaced on my first E12 due to intermittent operation. I've got a whole batch of them so my biggest cost on it is the 4-40 nuts and bolts. One might theoretically be able to loosen it up by squirting something in from the outside, but that's only half the problem, the contacts, which are spring loaded, get sticky too and are effectively no longer spring loaded until you remove it and clean it. I'm using white lithium grease to lube it as it's the lightest grease I'm aware of.

Hey Mike. I just now saw your post. I wound up shooting some CRC C-26 in the dial edge area hoping it would flow down, and it did. I had to blot as you would expect. but it did not take much and it is a whole lot better. I still want to follow through with your more thorough approach, but did not have time to tear out the center console to do so. I am slammed with work right now (not the car).

Thanks for chiming in, Mike! and please excuse my lazy tardiness.