Volvo RWD 200 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 3/2011 200 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

Squawking Blower Motor 200

My blower motor is squawking.

In reading and looking at pics, I'm guessing the sound is coming from the blower fan wheel hitting the housing. Some posts say the horrific noise is preceded by a whining of humming of the bearings - I did not get that preamble.

Is the rubbing of the fan and failure of the bearing the same problem?
Both requiring replacement of the blower motor?

Other:
- Not too many months back the fan started running at low speed in the OFF position. I see posts that attribute this to having the AC ON. The AC knob is NOT ON.
- The squawking had started to occur also in the last several months in higher fan speeds but it recently started in the low fan speed. This means since the fan is always running on LOW even when "OFF" there was no turning off the noise.
-- I pulled the fuse and found the fan still runs in the OFF position but not in the low/middle/high positions.


If answers go the way I suspect ...

- Current recommendations of blower fan manufacturers?
- Is replacement of the switch and resistor a given?
- I found IPD instructions in a post that show different work on different years and neither are a involved as other "having done it" posts.
-- Maybe I have not been noting the years of the "having done it" cars.
-- Should I be planning on pulling the seats and instrument cluster as well as the center console and glove box?


Thank you.
--
1988 244 DL; B230F; LH-2.2; Manual 5-speed (M47)








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    darkdelta's post 200


    darkdelta's post (mentioned by Art)

    https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1564115/220/240/260/280/blower_motor_resistor.html

    I was going to mention this earlier but mostly for the pics which seem to be unavailable so I abandoned the idea.


    --
    '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Squawking Blower Motor, continued 200


    I ignored some of your questions last night. Sorry, it was late for me.

    -Siemens or VDO are good brands.

    -Switch/resistor? No. At least in this case it sounds unnecessary. And the aftermarket resistors seem to be less than desirable. On the other hand, if you're going to this much trouble you might just want to do it all so you won't have to go back in a year or two later.

    -The "No Dash Removal," method sounds easier, if that's what you refer to. I cannot say it's not because I have removed the entire dash the times I have done this. I say leaving the dash in sounds easier because it obviously involves less work. What you save in time by not removing the dash you probably more than make up for due not being able to see what you are doing or straining to remove components that would otherwise be within easy reach. There is also the so-called "chainsaw" method but I will not elaborate on that.
    If you follow Art B's instructions found on his website you really can't go wrong.

    --Not much difference between early or late dash removal. Equal degree of difficulty, IMO.

    --If you don't remove the dash you will want to remove the seats and the cluster as well as the other items you mention.


    --
    '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

      Squawking Blower Motor, continued 200

      bulletproof

      I hear and understand the benefit of giving myself a clear work area. But I will need to be doing this without a garage or dedicated work area ... save the living room ... so I'm resisting. I suppose I can change my mind once I am into it.

      I agree with swapping the resistor just because I am in there. I have read some aftermarket resistors are not durable.
      - Do you have a trust worthy manufacturer?


      Art's blower fan instructions for a '84 show the fan housing modifications and for a '90 do not. The IPD instructions I found say no modifications after '80.
      - Do you have any insight to what I might be finding in my '88?
      --
      1988 244 DL; B230F; LH-2.2; Manual 5-speed (M47)








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

        Squawking Blower Motor, continued 200

        I don't believe you have anything to grind in your 88:

        From the write-up on the 84:

        "The instructions packed with my Siemens replacement part called for grinding off the mounting bosses that formed the supports for the shock mounting of the original equipment. This instruction was specific to 1981 through 1984 model years. "

        IPDs instructions can have some errors.

        See my page on the '90 for some views of the aftermarket resistor. Also search for darkdelta's write up on this forum, regarding the aftermarket vs. OE resistor.

        The only reason to replace the resistor comes about when the blower is persistently used on a lower than 4 setting after it begins to slow down and bind. That's what melts them, nothing else.


        --
        Art Benstein near Baltimore

        "If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter. However, it's probably unsafe in any case."








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Squawking Blower Motor, continued 200


        The housing was modified to accept the permanant magnet motor starting with 1981 models. The VDO or Seimens motors that are available will be a direct fit.

        The Volvo resistor is apparently still available. Part # 1370240. Probably not for cheap, but definitely worth it.

        Take a look at IPDs 240 section under Heater Blower Fan. They have two resistors. Avoid the aftermarket one. But take a look at the pics. See how the Volvo part has a sort of smooth matte finish. The aftermarket part is sort of semi-glossy and you can see ridges, for lack of a better term, in the coating.

        Probably you won't be able to see what you are buying beforehand. But if by chance you can this can help you avoid the inferior product.

        https://www.ipdusa.com/products/4932/102151-heater-blower-fan-resistor

        https://www.ipdusa.com/products/10066/121446-heater-blower-fan-resistor

        I see Tasca Volvo has it for less money than IPD. Maybe someone else has a recommendation of where to buy for a good price.


        --
        '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Squawking Blower Motor 200


    Pull fuse 12. Fan should stop.

    Sometimes the nut behind the AC switch gets a little loose and when you twist the knob to the off position instead of clicking off it turns the whole switch. It feels like it's off but it is not. Pop the switch and see if that jam nut needs tightening. I think there's a locator on the switch so get that back in place first. Don't forget to replace the fuse.

    If the fan is running on other speeds the resistor is okay. Low speed is usually the first to quit and yours is obviously still running.

    I've had dry bushings that cause a loud intermittent squeaking that goes away as things warm up. I'd think the wheel rubbing on the housing would be constant.

    Maybe the whole motor is loose and moved to one side. It would be toward the driver's side.


    --
    '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.