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Replaced a heater blower motor. Tedious but cake via cleanflametrap.com (thanks once again Art B). I always remove dash; have never tried the Dremel-chainsaw method.
I hadn't done one in a while and don't think I'd ever installed an aftermarket motor. Three recommendations. Before you install the motor, check the shafts for 1) fit of the fans; 2) length; 3) D-shape.
I pulled an aftermarket unit from a parts car before I scrapped it. PO had said "Just had a new heater motor installed - muy expensive". It looked new. Didn't see any manufacturer ID on it. Motor to be replaced was Volvo.
Installed the aftermarket motor. Hooked up wiring. Cleaned the shaft by running it against 400-grit sand paper. Lightly oiled shaft.
(Let's call the fans Lo & Ro - left and right on the original recipient car; and L_a & R_a - left & right from the aftermarket motor in the donor car.)
I compared the fans. All 4 stamped "Volvo". I chose Lo & Ro as they were in better shape. I started on the right/passenger side. Ro wouldn't go on. R_a slid on easily but went on too far - too much of the shaft was visible & the vanes hit the housing.
After closer inspection, turned out that the plastic shafts on the L_a and R_a had been shortened by ~1/4" (see picture) and (I think) drilled-out slightly. Looking closer at the motor shafts, I saw there was no D-shape.
I drilled - slightly - the bushing on Ro and installed. Clip fit well, OK.
Lo wouldn't fit on the shaft. I drilled it out. It was too long - even when I hogged out the plastic tip so that it would fit on the shoulder of the shaft. I installed L_a. Correct length, clip fit, done.
I think something like this happened: the shop doing the replacement obtained a (cheaper) aftermarket motor. They started with the left fan, found that it was too long, cut both shafts before checking the right. R_a in my car hit the housing and wouldn't turn. I assume they added a spacer - which I missed when I pulled the fan and it fell off somewhere?
Without a D-shaped shaft, the fans count on the end-clips to keep them from spinning free on the shaft. Poor design IMO. Maybe it's a generic motor that gets a car-specific flange? Poor design/QC caused variance in a motor-shaft diameter/length? Fans were offered with the motor but the shop declined to save $s?
Additional info about my 240 fan replacement work - miniscule differences from the cleanflametrap process:
- Some of the clips on the housing halves can be slid along - when I pop them off by feel, I lose some
- I don't remove as many air vents - some can be just pushed out of the way
- I don't unplug as many wires - I lose track
- I like extra-long (12"+) screwdrivers for this job
I didn't replace the ballast resister: 1) it's clean, green; 0 signs of overheating. 2) it's bypassed on high; 3) this comment in a 23-Apr-15 thread started by trichard "Thing is, the resistor will not fail for any reason besides failure of the fan, so why?? -- Art Benstein".
The old motor turned by hand freely with a slight squeak. It failed internally before the bearing started to seize and increase load on the resister?
Also note: I rarely replace bad heater fans in my own cars. 1) I don't use it much as the heat/defrost while moving is adequate; 2) a fan that you plug into the cigar lighter came with a car I bought - the young-lady PO had driven it that way for 5+ years. It's worked for me for ~10 years in various cars.
Finally: As I usually am doing blower replacement on a car new to me, I pull the most of the interior: seats, carpet, console, bolsters, .... to 1) thoroughly clean incl pressure-wash carpet; 2) inspect and repair floor as required; 3) vacuum out rockers to clear drains; 4) find coins and other treasures. (I do this to almost every car I buy or prep for someone).
On this car, I needed a putty knife to separate the front seat-belt female swivel from the plastic console where it was welded on by cola and other SUOs (spills of unknown origin).
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240 drivers / parts cars - JH, Ohio
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