FYI: heater/AC blower motor
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From: NW Arkansas
FYI: heater/AC blower motor
For those that have an issue with the blower motor on your van that has blown the thermal fuse and have more time than money. The motor is reparable if the bearings are just tight and not worn.
I replaced the fuse in the resister block and it lasted about 40 days. It blew and I was leaving on a long trip the next day. NAPA had the resister block for $10 and a new motor for about $90. I had read that the motor had to be replaced as it could not be repared, so I replaced both and held onto the old motor, I like to take things apart.
Once the motor is removed from the vehicle, support the fan cage next to the motor. Use a bolt or wide punch and press the shaft out of the fan. A light tap with a hammer will help. The motor is held in the plastic shroud with 2 screws at the end of the motor and 3 foam rubber pads. Once the screws are removed, wiggle and pull the motor out of the shroud. You will have to work the 2 wires through the guide holes in the shroud, they are a little tight. You will not be able to completely separate the shroud and motor because of the wires. Just separate them as much as you can.
Do not remove the 3 star washers. They hold the brush assembly to the end plate. The end plate is held in place at 4 locations and then staked or punched to clamp the end plate in place. I used a wood chisel and hammer to separate the end plate from the motor housing. Any thin blade such as a heavy knife blade will work. A metal chisel is to blunt. Be careful and not go to deep because the brush assembly is located just inside.
Once the end plate is loose, remove it from the shaft. The armature will remain in the motor housing, held there by the magnets. The brushes will stay in the brush assembly. When the armature is removed do not lose the washer that is located on the other end of the shaft. It will be caught and held by the magnets.
Clean the bearings and the shaft. I used Sea-Foam Deep Creep penetrating oil. Someone else may know of a better cleaner and oil to use.
To re-assemble depress the brushes carefully and put the shaft into the end plate. The washer that was on the short end of the shaft goes on with the small tip on the center edge going in the gap of the E-ring. The washer will need to be held in place because the magnets will pull it off the shaft as the armature is put into place. I used a small insulated wire, or a string will work, and wrapped one end around the long shaft and ran it through a gap in the armature, over the washer then with a 90* turn through another gap and then wrap it around the long shaft. Pay attention to the wires and brush assembly alignment to the motor housing and insert the armature. When it is almost in position and the shaft is partially in the bearing but not all the way in, pull the wire or string out of the motor. Tap the end plate into the 4 notches and if not tight use a chisel and restake it in place.
The rest of the assembly is straight forward, just be aware of the alignment of the wires and make sure there is no twists in the 2 wires between the motor and shroud.
My old motor now turns freely.
I replaced the fuse in the resister block and it lasted about 40 days. It blew and I was leaving on a long trip the next day. NAPA had the resister block for $10 and a new motor for about $90. I had read that the motor had to be replaced as it could not be repared, so I replaced both and held onto the old motor, I like to take things apart.
Once the motor is removed from the vehicle, support the fan cage next to the motor. Use a bolt or wide punch and press the shaft out of the fan. A light tap with a hammer will help. The motor is held in the plastic shroud with 2 screws at the end of the motor and 3 foam rubber pads. Once the screws are removed, wiggle and pull the motor out of the shroud. You will have to work the 2 wires through the guide holes in the shroud, they are a little tight. You will not be able to completely separate the shroud and motor because of the wires. Just separate them as much as you can.
Do not remove the 3 star washers. They hold the brush assembly to the end plate. The end plate is held in place at 4 locations and then staked or punched to clamp the end plate in place. I used a wood chisel and hammer to separate the end plate from the motor housing. Any thin blade such as a heavy knife blade will work. A metal chisel is to blunt. Be careful and not go to deep because the brush assembly is located just inside.
Once the end plate is loose, remove it from the shaft. The armature will remain in the motor housing, held there by the magnets. The brushes will stay in the brush assembly. When the armature is removed do not lose the washer that is located on the other end of the shaft. It will be caught and held by the magnets.
Clean the bearings and the shaft. I used Sea-Foam Deep Creep penetrating oil. Someone else may know of a better cleaner and oil to use.
To re-assemble depress the brushes carefully and put the shaft into the end plate. The washer that was on the short end of the shaft goes on with the small tip on the center edge going in the gap of the E-ring. The washer will need to be held in place because the magnets will pull it off the shaft as the armature is put into place. I used a small insulated wire, or a string will work, and wrapped one end around the long shaft and ran it through a gap in the armature, over the washer then with a 90* turn through another gap and then wrap it around the long shaft. Pay attention to the wires and brush assembly alignment to the motor housing and insert the armature. When it is almost in position and the shaft is partially in the bearing but not all the way in, pull the wire or string out of the motor. Tap the end plate into the 4 notches and if not tight use a chisel and restake it in place.
The rest of the assembly is straight forward, just be aware of the alignment of the wires and make sure there is no twists in the 2 wires between the motor and shroud.
My old motor now turns freely.
