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Post by guy48065 on Dec 23, 2014 16:11:30 GMT -6
3 days ago no air was coming out my vents. .. gave the dash a smack near the passenger vent and it immediately started working and was ok the rest of that day. Next day same story. Today whacking it doesn't work.
Are these symptoms of a bad control module? Or should I be looking for a loose or dirty connector?
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Post by Toronado3800 on Dec 23, 2014 23:05:42 GMT -6
I hear on the 2nd Gen's there is a design flaw which makes this a difficult part to replace. Sounds just like when my 89 Toronado's blower motor went out. If you can get to the wires with the leads of a multi meter you should be able to test if voltage is getting to the blower. Since yours is difficult to get to if you can unplug it I would at least check the connection before dismembering your dash.
These things are electric motors like starters. Just like you can bang on a starter and get it to kick that last time or few times to get you home you can sometimes bang on these. Take advantage of your next decent weather and fix it before it breaks on a -10 day.
BTW, if it is that difficult to replace who at GM designed that and do they still have a job?
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Randy T.
Administrator 
☯ AURORA GXP ☯
Posts: 3,758
Staff Member
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Post by Randy T. on Dec 24, 2014 7:20:03 GMT -6
The blower motor is not real hard, but it is a pain, should take about an hour. The new one will probably be an updated design, and once you see it you will think it's impossible to fit in there, but it does, the trick is to pull the carpet and pad back as far as you can.
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Post by guy48065 on Dec 24, 2014 16:39:38 GMT -6
I don't understand how smacking the top of my dash (just to the right of the front vent) is going to kick-start my blower. I HAVE had a car wIth a rusty blower that responded to kicking the blower housing and spinning the fan by hand, but this isn't acting like that.
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Post by sempar on Dec 24, 2014 18:09:58 GMT -6
I'd be looking for a loose connection at the Blower Control Module, mounted on the HVAC blower housing. Could very well be a bad connection from the Instrument Panel Module, since this is a low voltage ( 5V ) feed. Easy enough to plug/unplug and clean the connectors to see if that solves the problem.
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Post by guy48065 on Dec 24, 2014 20:54:43 GMT -6
I did try to remove the control earlier today -- looks like it can't be done without removing part of the dash to the Left. I got it moved enough to get a swab with contact cleaner on it in there. I'll see how it's behavng tomorrow -- too much going on tonight :-)
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Post by guy48065 on Jan 10, 2015 10:48:52 GMT -6
Blower problem persists. At least I think I've narrowed the issue down to the motor itself. I had to whack the bottom of the dash to get it going this morning (-2F outside). After my errands I turned off the heat but left the car running. .. then turned the system back on. Blower didn't start. Opened hood and removed the cabin air filter, reached inside and touched the squirrel cage and it started up.
I guess there's enough friction that the motor can't start on its own.
I've read changing the motor is a tough job and involves adapting a newer version to make it fit. Doesn't sound fun in zero weather. Neither does opening the hood to spin-start the motor every time :-(
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Post by Toronado3800 on Jan 10, 2015 16:12:51 GMT -6
Blower problem persists. At least I think I've narrowed the issue down to the motor itself. I had to whack the bottom of the dash to get it going this morning (-2F outside). After my errands I turned off the heat but left the car running. .. then turned the system back on. Blower didn't start. Opened hood and removed the cabin air filter, reached inside and touched the squirrel cage and it started up. I guess there's enough friction that the motor can't start on its own. I've read changing the motor is a tough job and involves adapting a newer version to make it fit. Doesn't sound fun in zero weather. Neither does opening the hood to spin-start the motor every time :-( Were you able to find the instructions on here for the 2g? All I could find are the 1g instructions. For mine it is easy but the idiots who I hope no longer have jobs around cars made my alternator difficult to get to. |
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Post by guy48065 on Jan 11, 2015 21:23:03 GMT -6
I hate the idea of ordering a new blower that's more difficult to install than the original one... so I decided to take a stab at servicing what I have. Nothing ventured, etc.
I pulled the blower to see what condition it was in. My fan spins, is balanced and clean... but lately won't start on its own due to friction.
The plastic squirrel cage is pressed onto the motor shaft and doesn't have a set screw. I drilled a 3/16 hole in the end of the plastic hub and used a drift punch to drive the motor shaft out. Then I blew all the crud out of the motor with compressed air. Next I put a drop of Kroil- the best penetrating oil I know of - on each end of the motor shaft and hit it with a blast of air to force oil into the bushings. Most of it ended up on me but I'm sure some got pushed in. Then I added another drop and spun the motor by chucking the shaft into a hand drill.
After all that it felt a little better when the shaft was spun so I tapped the fan back on the shaft and re-installed it in the car.
So far it's worked flawlessly the rest of the day. If this doesn't last I've only wasted an hour of my time.
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Post by gdouaire on Jan 22, 2015 16:59:54 GMT -6
Hey. My 2003 also has "no blower" once in a while, until I bang with my fist on the dashboard. Changing the blower does not look like a fun project, to say the least, but I guess I'm next  |
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Post by guy48065 on Jan 22, 2015 18:06:25 GMT -6
Beating the dash worked for about a week. Then kicking the panel under the glove box. Then reaching under and wiggling wires and whatever i could reach worked a couple times. Then I had to leave the panel off and kick the bottom of the motor.
As an update mine has been flawless since the clean & lube.
I would replace that motor with an identical new one in a heartbeat if one were available. It's a pretty easy job with the short original motor. If you're a contortionist, that is. ;-)
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phydeaux
Aurora Passenger
I keep extra bearings handy in case I can't fix it with a hammer
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Post by phydeaux on Jan 26, 2015 6:42:24 GMT -6
I had the exact same thing happen. Took the blower motor out, tore it down to the bones, and flipped the motor brushes 180 degrees. Been working like it should for almost a year now.
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Post by guy48065 on Jan 26, 2015 11:40:35 GMT -6
How did you get your plastic squirrel cage off? The way I did (drill hole in end & drive motor shaft out) seemed like high risk of damaging the fan. Worked out OK for a "quickie" job, but there might be a better way.
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phydeaux
Aurora Passenger
I keep extra bearings handy in case I can't fix it with a hammer
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Post by phydeaux on Jan 27, 2015 6:26:31 GMT -6
Its been so long I honestly forgot. All I know is there was no drilling involved. I did this at a rest area during a road trip with what I had in the car. If I remember correctly there was a single phillips screw in the center of the shaft.
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Post by gdouaire on Feb 9, 2015 16:56:53 GMT -6
Of course, my blower motor quit when it was 0F outside. So I ordered and changed the blower motor in this obnoxious weather. The blower I got at NAPA/UAP came with a plastic shroud. While this motor/shroud appeared to be of a better design than the OEM motor it was replacing, and since I had only removed the motor and not the shroud because of 5F temperatures, I tried replacing the motor/cage/only. This is not possible with this "new" design. I had to drill the motor mounting plate to make it work. But later when weather is OK, I will replace the whole thing.
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