This may help you with part of it when you fix it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcG20LmRZFU

 

Yea follow that vid man. Mistu sells upgraded parts. did that to mine in june. works great now

 

How much do the upgraded gears typically run? Got the same problem. Gonna try to pull the controls out of a Lancer in a junk yard in a couple days, so that'll save me money. Thank God I don't need my heater yet (I live in Texas).

 

the upgrade gears can be found on ebay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GENUINE-MITSUBISHI-LANCER-HEATER-AIR-CONDITIONER-CONTROLLER-KIT-7801A110-/390522312014?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5aecf1954e&vxp=mtr) for $17.50 shipped. and i was able to find a new HVAC unit just by being patient for under $200

 

You can buy a high quality replacement shaft like this here:




http://www.blackmountaindesigns.com/shaft.html

If you don't want to take your control apart multiple times I urge you to steer clear of the cast, hardened core junk being peddled lately. Insist on injection molded shaft.