Climate System

2008 MERCURY MARQUIS
85,000 MILES • V8 • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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BOB10
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Right now the air conditioner and heating is working. But when I push the rpm about about 1500 for more than one or two seconds the air conditioner diverts to the floor vent.
Back some time ago if I let up on the gas the air conditioner would restore to the dash outlets after a few seconds, but now I have to turn off the air then turn it back on and all is okay until I accelerate again say over 1500 rpm.
Jun 21, 2016 at 4:56 PM
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CARADIODOC
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 34,308 POSTS
Sounds like you have vacuum-controlled actuators. Normally when vacuum is lost the mode door actuators are spring-loaded to default to the defrost position for safety. Your feet might freeze but the windshield will be clear. You probably have not reached full loss of vacuum. The symptom is very common and is due to the fact engine vacuum is lower under acceleration and / or load. There is a check valve in the vacuum line going to the heater controls to prevent this symptom. When that valve is not sufficient, a vacuum storage canister is used. On Volkswagen's, that looks like two muffin tins put together. Ford used to use what looked like a big apple juice can painted black. On Chrysler products the check valve is the size of a stack of three nickels. When this problem develops, it can be replaced with their check valve / storage canister that is about 1 1/4" in diameter and about 2" long.

Look under the hood for the vacuum hose routing diagram. It should show the small hard plastic hose going to the firewall, but it might not show the check valve. You can replace your check valve, or just cut the hose and insert a Chrysler part with two small pieces of rubber hose.
Jun 21, 2016 at 5:06 PM
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