A/C Condenser Fan Motor Info
#11
08-09-2012, 01:01 PM
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Just cut a slot in the top of the shroud just either side of where the upper AC line goes through it.
There's 4 bolts I think from memory, to remove the shroud.
Remove them and then you just jggle and manipulate the shroud up and away to alow you just enough access to the fam motor.
You will have to move the fuse box out of the way as well to allow you to get this extra space. But that's easy enough to do. One main bolt and then the fuse box slide on tabs either right or left, I can't remember which and then it pull out and up. Just lay it over in the engine bay safe somewhere. Pull a battery connecter to be safe as well.
I posted up a thread showing a pic of how to do this. Just do a seqach under my name.
Al.
There's 4 bolts I think from memory, to remove the shroud.
Remove them and then you just jggle and manipulate the shroud up and away to alow you just enough access to the fam motor.
You will have to move the fuse box out of the way as well to allow you to get this extra space. But that's easy enough to do. One main bolt and then the fuse box slide on tabs either right or left, I can't remember which and then it pull out and up. Just lay it over in the engine bay safe somewhere. Pull a battery connecter to be safe as well.
I posted up a thread showing a pic of how to do this. Just do a seqach under my name.
Al.
#12
08-09-2012, 09:04 PM
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#13
08-10-2012, 05:22 PM
My a/c was short cycling at idle, and blowing hot. I thought it was because of low charge but at idle the low side was overpressure. I started thinking I had a blockage somewhere until I found this thread.
I just switched the relays, checked fuses and all were fine, but fan wasn't engaging. I tried giving it some "encouragement" (tap tap) but still nothing. When the a/c is turned on I'm getting the proper voltage at the plug so it looks like a new motor for me.
My question though, as I've been reading it seems like some people have pulled the condenser and opened up the system. Looking at it, it seems like this is the easiest way to get to the fan but in this thread it sounds like some have seperated the shroud from the condenser unit. Is this the case? Can anyone explain or lead me to some help as to how it's done?
I'd rather not have to open up the system because I don't have the tools to properly evacuate and recharge it and I want it done right. If I can swap in a new motor myself without breaking the connections maybe I can have A/C for the end of this summer, since I see the motor for around $60. If it needs to be opened up I will probably have to wait until next year I guess. Can't put too much money in this right now.
Thanks everyone, this forum is awesome.
I just switched the relays, checked fuses and all were fine, but fan wasn't engaging. I tried giving it some "encouragement" (tap tap) but still nothing. When the a/c is turned on I'm getting the proper voltage at the plug so it looks like a new motor for me.
My question though, as I've been reading it seems like some people have pulled the condenser and opened up the system. Looking at it, it seems like this is the easiest way to get to the fan but in this thread it sounds like some have seperated the shroud from the condenser unit. Is this the case? Can anyone explain or lead me to some help as to how it's done?
I'd rather not have to open up the system because I don't have the tools to properly evacuate and recharge it and I want it done right. If I can swap in a new motor myself without breaking the connections maybe I can have A/C for the end of this summer, since I see the motor for around $60. If it needs to be opened up I will probably have to wait until next year I guess. Can't put too much money in this right now.
Thanks everyone, this forum is awesome.
You can replace the AC Fan without discharging the AC system. First you need to loosen the bolts holding the AC condensor to the frame, that will give you room to wiggle it around enough to get to the four 10MM bolts that bolt the plastic shroud to the AC condensor. Unclip those ac lines that run across the front brace as they tend to keep you from getting enough room to undo those bolts. Also remove the fuse box, there are a couple of bolts and then you slide the box toward the motor to disconnect it from the battery tray support. Now comes the fun part. If you have the stock shroud you will need to find the area at the top of the condensor where the lines go into it. Your shroud was put on before those lines so you need to cut the thin area of plastic around those lines to free the shroud. Once you get that done you should be able to muscle and wrench that shroud out of there. Hint, there is a little arm that extends from the battery tray that holds up the front side of the fuse box. That thing is in the way big time, the first time I worked on that shroud I worked around it, the second time I worked on that shroud (the fan nut came off) I cut that piece off at the battery tray and it made taking the shroud off much easier. The fuse box did not complain either as it had three attacment points.
Once you get that shroud out you can unbolt the old fan and replace.
A1Auto on You Tube has a great tutorial on this. check it out, takes a while to watch but it is worth it. And make sure if you buy and aftermarket fan motor that you put some locktite on that bolt that holds the fan on so it won't come off later...
#14
08-10-2012, 07:13 PM
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+1 on the A1Auto vids. My condenser fan went out a month ago and I was able to replace it without discharging the AC system using the exact technique described above; watched the video beforehand so I knew exactly what I was doing. Took a total of 25-30 mins with no AC discharge by cutting that plastic piece as described (the video shows where).
FWIW tho, I found the entire fan assembly on eBay for $55 shipped.
I was going to rework the motor myself, but I found that the brushes were worn down to the wire and the commutator was worn down more than halfway through its original diameter.... not really a reworkable situation
Good luck!
FWIW tho, I found the entire fan assembly on eBay for $55 shipped.
I was going to rework the motor myself, but I found that the brushes were worn down to the wire and the commutator was worn down more than halfway through its original diameter.... not really a reworkable situation
Good luck!
Last edited by meecrob28; 08-10-2012 at 07:15 PM.
#15
12-31-2014, 12:59 PM
I replaced mine today using a VDO motor I picked up at Auto Zone, part #PM523. $28 with a lifetime warranty. The motor was a direct swap for the factory part and the whole job took about 45 minutes. The hardest part is working the shroud off of and then back onto the condenser- its a tight fit.
Remember, this motor is for 2004-2008 trucks; 2002 and 2003 models use a different motor.
Remember, this motor is for 2004-2008 trucks; 2002 and 2003 models use a different motor.
I did not need to move the fuse box or battery and battery box.
How i did it...
1. unhook battery negative terminal, and then remove the 2 fan housing top bolts
2. remove drivers side headlight so you can access the side of the fan cowl.
3. remove the 2 drivers side condenser screws
4 the passenger side condenser screws are a little hard to get to, the top one is not so hard, but the bottom one is tricky, you can push the whole cowl up from the bottom to make access a bit easier
5. cut the piece of the cowl that is near the condenser pipe attachment, then you can pry the condenser away from the fan. This is fiddly, but keep jiggling it around to you have enough room
6. with the cowl still in the car, you should have a gap to view the fan, if you have skinny arms like me you can get your arm in there and take the fan off with 1 nut, with the fan off you can see the motor and the motor screws.
7. remove the 3 screws that hold the motor in and remove the motor. It is a bit of a hassle to get the motor out thru the gap, but it does fit.
8 when putting the new motor in, make sure to connect the wires before screwing it in (its easier), the motor from autozone had the same connector as the original part, in fact it looked exactly the same, however I used the original fan nut, as it looked like a better nut with integrated washer instead of a separate washer.
9 reassemble everything.
this took about 45 minutes