|
|
Post by Toronado3800 on Feb 13, 2018 9:04:31 GMT -6
Hello,
This morning about 10 minutes after start up I made a right turn into a parking lot and my blower motor stopped blowing. The dial lights were still on the max blow setting and the rest of the climate control was on defrost.
I fooled with the blower motor speed dial, nothing. I then turned the climate control off and back on then spun the blower motor dial to min and max and it came on. Now I did this rather quickly so its not like I waited to see if it would start back up.
Since then I drove another 30 minutes with a couple short stops and it has worked fine.
Of course I figure this just was my sign something has a loose connection or is failing.
My old school plan is to get some jumper wires ready with the right ends to force power directly to the blower so that when its zero degrees out one night and this happens again I can just power on the fan.
For some back ground, my dash has been apart, the previous owner admitted to doing a blend door motor himself.
This car has been pretty decent to me so I haven't actually seen the fellow though. So where is it? Is there any reason this is a bad idea and any likely suspects I should look at also that won't involve a 7 hour dash removal session?
Thanks in advance!
|
|
|
|
Post by sall on Feb 13, 2018 20:38:18 GMT -6
The blower is easy to get to. There is write-up somewhere along with the blower control module. There is a few different parts that operate the blower. The hvac controller, programmer and bcm irrc. The blower control module usually just fails outright. Do you currently have variable fan speed?
|
|
|
|
Post by Toronado3800 on Feb 13, 2018 21:05:49 GMT -6
Everything is working as designed currently. I have fan speed control and everything. Its been good for 20 or more miles now.
I hate replacing non broken functioning parts. Running out of heat on a snowy day 30 miles from home would also suck lol.
Where is the line between paranoia and replacing factory parts with less reliable aftermarket stuff which is just as likely to fail?
|
|
|
|
Post by guy48065 on Feb 15, 2018 8:58:32 GMT -6
The blower is easy to get to. There is write-up somewhere along with the blower control module. There is a few different parts that operate the blower. The hvac controller, programmer and bcm irrc. The blower control module usually just fails outright. Do you currently have variable fan speed? Eh the blower might be easy to access but installing a new one isn't easy. They don't make that exact blower anymore and the new one is taller requiring you to fold back the carpet & padding right down to the bare metal to make enough room to work the taller ass'y back up under the dash. It does sound to me like the blower might be starting to fail. Mine got weaker for a couple days til it wouldn't start at all. Oiling the rusty motor shaft/bearings got it going again but is a temporary fix. I'm hoping the next time it seizes will be during the AC season rather than the heating season since I don't have a warm place to work. FYI if it won't run some morning you can remove the cabin air filter (under the hood) and reach in to touch the squirrel cage fan. Give it a spin (if it'll move at all) & if it runs you'll know for sure it's the bearings & not the electricals. |
|
|
|
Post by sall on Feb 15, 2018 12:12:47 GMT -6
OEM blower is still available.
|
|
tigger
Administrator 
Posts: 2,844 
Staff Member
|
Post by tigger on Feb 15, 2018 17:27:52 GMT -6
FYI if it won't run some morning you can remove the cabin air filter (under the hood) and reach in to touch the squirrel cage fan. Give it a spin (if it'll move at all) & if it runs you'll know for sure it's the bearings & not the electricals. I don' think 1st gens have a cabin air filter... |
|
|
|
Post by Marc on Feb 15, 2018 18:03:43 GMT -6
FYI if it won't run some morning you can remove the cabin air filter (under the hood) and reach in to touch the squirrel cage fan. Give it a spin (if it'll move at all) & if it runs you'll know for sure it's the bearings & not the electricals. I don' think 1st gens have a cabin air filter... They don't. Only the 2G has that. |
|
|
|
Post by akble on Feb 15, 2018 21:47:43 GMT -6
FWIW - has a blower that gave me all kinds of trouble over the years since I bought car- 97 Autobahn. Replaced the blower but continued to have troubles - Would not run at all , then would pop on to single speed . Read article her about Blower motor resister. It is below and to left on the console wall next to firewall .
Two screws - back one a ***** to get out. Falls our rather easy. Maybe 3"x2" and 4" depth? has small heat sync on it and single transistor. Found the transistor online in China for $4- stateside hard to find at all. Ebay has a hundred of the resisters and photos of it online - most start @ $90 and run to $150. Looked like a rip off at those prices. Went to my local you pull yard- in slight rain , crawled in the passenger side and took 20 minutes to pull it. Had mine out already - plugged it laying on floor and walla I had blower. That was year ago and still works great. Got feeling it never was right since I bought it . $5 used
There is a post I saw somewhere that the connections on these get bad and can be cleaned . My original I tried to clean but did not help-
Not sure this has anything to do with yours but relatively easy pull and check before you replace the entire blower
|
|
|
|
Post by Toronado3800 on Feb 16, 2018 8:15:22 GMT -6
Thanks for the tips fellows. So far I've logged almost 200 miles and no more malfunctions.
Next time it does I'll hunt down the connections and clean them. Depending if I find electricity going to the motor I'll go after it or the resister.
If the resister is bad / failing can I run a full 12v to the blower w/o cooking it as a means of getting temporary heat if its snowing or I'm 30 miles from home and my MarkVIII?
|
|
|
|
Post by guy48065 on Feb 16, 2018 8:35:31 GMT -6
I don' think 1st gens have a cabin air filter... They don't. Only the 2G has that. Oops--thought I read it was an '02. |
|
