Date:         Fri, 26 Jul 2002 20:14:17 EDT
Reply-To:     Willolyn99@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill Marshall <Willolyn99@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: fan speed?
Comments: To: FlowerRO@CPF.NAVY.MIL
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

""My fan switch doesn't _turn_ - at all""

BTDT -- your switch is melted.  What was once a smoothly operating switch is
now a molten pile of plastic and brass.  The fans pull a lot of amps when
they get old and sticky, and this big current draw overheats the delicate
switch.

Ya got two options:

- pull the dash, lube the fan, get a new OEM switch (lots of time and money)
or
- go to Radio Shack and get a big beefy SPDT center-off switch and replace
the one from VW.  ($4 and 30 minutes work)  Find the High and Medium speed
wires, and use them.  Power to the center plug.  Drill the faceplate to the
right size (3/8" ?), mount the switch in the faceplate.  (the face plate is
held in by two prongs that friction-fit into the dash -- slide a butter-knife
under the faceplate and twist to get it off)  Piece of cake, and cheap --
that's what I did.  Someday I hope to pull the dash and fix it right, maybe
after I retire someday.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it

Bill Marshall
85 GL Tiico
Bradenton FL (don't use the heater/defroster much here anyway)