Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 22:32:34 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Heater Refurbished Still Questions
In-Reply-To: <BAY22-F28948FDA99EE7B77AFD1E2CD7B0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Michael, I have not done this job myself, but probably face it sooner or
later.
I have read repeatedly over time on this list that failure of the
bearings in the blower motor will occur, even after all the effort put
in to restore them. The only real fix is to replace the blower motor and
not have to do the job twice.
One of the problems is that the bearings are supposed to not require
servicing. What a crock. Sooner or later all bearings require servicing.
Somewhere sometime I read where at least one list member solved the
problem by installing oiling tubes down to the oil-less bearings, and
once in a while would add a few drops of MMO down the tube. The real
MMO, not the Top Overhaul or Fuel Additive stuff.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Michael Knight wrote:
> Well first let me start by saying my symptoms were:
>
> -Fan switch on (every position) no blow. Power Draw was evident.
> -Swapped switches, still no go.
> -Toes still cold in stop and go traffic.
>
> I asked you wonderful volks out there and I recieved many suggestions.
> Most
> of which led to the fact that the fan was dead replace it. Now some out
> there believed it could be oiled by drilling holes and given the right
> squirt of lube. Others frowned.
>
> Well I pulled the dash this weekend and went to it. The fan was really
> tight, frozen even. I shot down the bearing and all exposed contct points
> with some PB Blaster. I let it sit as I examined the flaps and housing. I
> pulled all the old crusty foam off and removed everything for cleaning. I
> threw all of that into a big rubbermaid bin with some Purple Power and
> water. Back to the fan. I reconnected the switch to the wiring and
> connected
> it to the battery. It was now working slowy like like it was pulling a
> ton
> of weight. Whilst it was spinning I broke out my can of QB Contact
> Cleaner.
> QB = Quick Blast Electrical Contact Cleaner, available at your FLAPS.
> So as
> it was spinning the fan, I sprayed it down really well trying to gett
> all of
> the windings cleaned and the brushes for the electric motor. What do you
> know after about 5 sec. it start to scream like a high powered leaf
> blower.
> I ran it for about 10 minutes varying the speeds and kept spraying a
> little
> here a little there. Man it works like new. No replacment needed, no lube
> smell. I did follow up with a touch of 4 in 1 oil on the end of the shaft
> and the bearing. Now the flaps. I went to Lowes's and found some weather
> stripping that was called Camper Sealer. I will have pics up very
> soon, this
> evening perhaps. But this is self adhesive foam 3/16" thick, about 1
> 1/4" to
> 1 1/2" and it comes in a roll for about $5. So replaced all of the foam
> after cleaning every thing. It all seals up tight. Now it is all back
> together and reinstalled in the van. Note my van is an '85 GL and I am
> not
> sure how others are setup but looking at the Bentley diagram it is
> exactly
> backwards from mine. It shows the flap levers to be on the left side
> of the
> housing mine are on the right. So now it is all toasty in my van well
> sort
> of.........
>
> So my question is:
>
> After all this I still have cold air blowing in from the outside
> through the
> dash vents, what gives?
> Where does the air come from? Are there flaps inside the van's body up
> front
> that I have not seen?Could something outside of the housing be stuck
> open?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael Knight
> '77 Westy Deluxe, "el Verde"
> '85 Vanagon GL, nameless
>
>
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