Blower Motor Issues

[Bigpig455]

Time to move this thread over to electrical where it belongs..

I finally got off my butt this weekend to fix the electical /blower motor issue I've been talking about.

I put a test light on the circuit - the switch and resistor tested fine. Then I put 12 volts direct to the motor and found it was bound.

I figured it would be a mouse nest in the plenum, so after much contortion I got the motor/fan out and found the plenum was clear.

The fan itself would only turn free about half a turn and then bind. I couldn't split the fan/motor apart with the fender skirt in place, so I dropped the skirt down. It wasnt as bad a job as you think, once you resolve yourself to using force (you have to put out of your mind it's a Gran Sport and treat it like a Ford Escort!)

Once I got the motor/fan out and split I found a strange thing - the motor housing is actually two pieces: the main motor housing and mounting flange, and an inset motor end cap that the armbature sticks through, welded and heavily caulked in place.

Over time the caulking dried and broke free, and a rather large piece was trapped in between the fan and housing flange, causing the fan to bind.

I cleaned it all up and re-caulked it, but still found the fan to be noisy so I picked on up at Napa for 21.00 - it goes in this afternoon.

Not that I'm driving the car alot this time of year, but I sure will enjoy having heat....

Rhett

[Brian]

I have learned the hard way from experience that it is worth every penny of the price of a new motor not to have to go through the hassle of having to take it back out again two weeks later....

[nut465gs]

Rhett,

I did not realize in my previous posts that you had a non AC car. The blower motors in the AC cars, which I have and have replaced it's blower fan motor, are in a different location and are accessible and simple to replace. Sorry that you had to dig deeper under the fender to reach your fan motor. Glad to hear that you new ones are available at NAPA. Heat is good!

John Egel

[Bigpig455]

It wasnt the easiest thing to get out, no. I can see how the A/C motors are in a much better location. As far as the new motor, I dont ever intend to do this again, especially for the difference of 20.00 bucks.

All I can say is that heater core better hold together!

Rhett

[la65gs]

Good to see your problem is resolved . I think I would rather do the motor then the switch.

Loren

[nut465gs]

Rhett,

Glad to see that you got the problem fixed. Look on the bright side, if the heater core does go out, at least you know how to get at it again. If/when the heater core goes bad, you will smell anti freeze and the carpet on the floor of the passenger side will be wet. Usually it's where the inlet and outlet tubes are soldered to the heater core that goes bad. Repairs like this are what makes owning an older classic car so much fun. Enjoy the satisfaction of fixing it yourself. Kudos to you. 

I'd also like to remind and encourage all to reffer to your Buick Service Manuals for trouble shooting, repair instructions and diagrams to help us do-it-yourselfers. For those that do not have a Buick Service Manual, go to the Electronic Garage on the Home Page, it's all there.

John Egel