Heater Fan Wailing Noise

[BillD]

My heater/vent fan has started to provide me with unwanted "music" when activated. I am assuming that the fan bearing is shot. The obvious fix would be to replace the fan motor, but that is expensive. Is there any other fix that will work but not set me back $150 or so?

Thanks

[frank13]

BillD search the forums under interior/fan, blower. Theres a thread about using a Honda civic blower motor that sounds like it fits almost perfect. Minor modification. Same set up two wire. I am planning to do just this mod to my Z. :devious: .

O yeah thanks to the member who posted that thread. Don't remeber your name right off the top of my head. :devious:

[BillD]

The forum link is:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2780&highlight=honda+civic+blower

The thread was under electrical. I did a search but hadn't turned this up. Thanks! This looks like it will not only be a fix, but a major upgrade.

Thanks again.

[frank13]

Thousand pardons BillD. I was going off the top of my head. Glad you found it. Good for me you posted the link. The added speed of the blower is also very cool as an upgrade. That's the second reason I will be doing this to my poor old Z. Whata' say to post your findings and progress, as I will also. Maybe we should start a new thread in the most appropriate forum? Let me know. :devious:

[BillD]

No problem. I was searching under "heater fan" and didn't get a hit. Your tip sent me in a more productive direction. The wrong forum wasn't a problem at all.

I'll be scouting a blower next week and will post the results on this thread. Would love to hear about your experiences. If anyone else has done the switch and has some additional information, would really like to hear from them too.

Thanks,

BILL

[Zvoiture]

It's the poor little mouse in the squirrel cage! He's tired and/or near death! Hence the wail.

steve

[frank13]

Not funny Steve. My first beloved Zed was a flop house to the freeway rats next to where I grow up. For the rest of my Coco brown speed machines life it smelled of damp rat hair & bleech.

Nice avitar Steve, GeeeZZZZZ.

Bill next week I will hang out in the breakers. So i'll let you know what I find. But I still think we should maybe start a thread on the replacement in a different forum. Maybe electrical? Regardless i'll post my findings here to start with. Later. :devious:

[BillD]

New forum idea sounds good.

I found that Victoria British sells a blower motor replacement for $69.95. New bearings might be a good thing, but I'm still enthusiastic about a pulled unit with higher performance. A more muscular rodent, even with bad joints, might be an overall improvement. :classic:

BILL

[EScanlon]

BEFORE you go buying a new motor, take your unit apart.

You may find that the ONLY problem with it is the connection of the plastic squirrel cage to the motor. What you might need might be JUST the squirrel cage.

I had the same problem with my Z, and since I did have a replacement motor, I went to do the transplant. When I removed the squealing motor, I discovered that the squirrel cage had literally reamed it's splined shaft hub. Additionally, the remainder of the hub showed some stress cracks all the way through. Repair was deemed a loosing proposition, I replaced the cage and eliminated the squealing.

Unfortunately, if you do NOT have a replacement cage, it might be a bit of a challenge to fix it as the hub not only needs splined teeth within it's shaft opening, but the whole hub is integral to the strength of the cage.

2¢

Enrique

[frank13]

That also sounds good Enrique. For those of us who have space it's always good to save what little of these cars is left. For future use. As for mine, it's just dead. Motor wise. Theres all kids of rust and corrosion all overe the motor. So my thoughts are to just grab the honda piece being that it is newer, more powerful and more of them around. I hate waiting for the windows to defrost or even just being cold sucks. :devious:

[seerex]

Enrique , where did you get your new squirrel cage? I am in need of a new one myself , thanks

[EScanlon]

When my fan started making noise, I had access to a Z only boneyard here in the NW. I bought a replacement MOTOR and the cage came with it. I didn't get to install it till later, that's when I discovered that it was the CAGE and not the motor. Now I have a spare motor and a bad cage.

You might ask Chloe if she can source it.

Enrique