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Date:         Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:06:04 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Bosch heater blower disassembly/reassembly
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

This will have photos later, but for now here's how to do it:

Removal - Have everything at room temp or warmer. Remove two wire spring clips retaining motor in case. *If there aren't any, stop right there, because it isn't a Bosch and you're on your own for now.*

Note the clearance between housing lip and impeller and then split the housing -- gently twisting a 3/8" screwdriver tip in the openings will release the catches one by one. Don't lose the rubber piece that you must remove. Note depth of shaft in impeller and angular alignment of motor in case. Take care not to knock off any metal clips on impeller -- they're for balance.

Set 4-6" vise jaws just wider than motor and align case so that lips of motor housing have maximum support from jaws. Make certain they don't foul the motor. If necessary you can improvise something but it needs to have some weight behind it. A foot of 3" pvc pipe stuffed half full of rags and sitting on concrete comes to mind.

Take a drift (1/4" IIRC) and *large* hammer - lead is great and a three-pounder is not too big - and drive the motor out in two stages. First stage is to fairly gently make sure the motor will move in its housing. If it's absolutely bound up tight in there with rust you could drive the shaft right down through the armature. Heating the housing with a blow dryer will no doubt help in that case, along with penetrants.

Once you've established that the motor will move without undue force, drive it down so the impeller is resting on the housing. Now if a small boy is handy station him with his hand under the motor. If not then tune your senses to the squeaking point. In either case make sure that the motor has clearance to fall through the vise without fouling anything. Drive harder and shift the impeller. As you get close to the disengagement point use gentle taps until you can gently wiggle the impeller off while supporting the motor -- dropping it end-first on the concrete may not kill it but it certainly won't improve it and will probably dislocate the shaft. If you're using the short pipe stuffed with rags method then it can fall on the rags.

Replacement - Align motor and insert by hand as far as possible. If necessary support housing on open vise jaws and use a socket to drive the motor in - do not strike the shaft. Since the impeller's not covering things you'll be able to see when the motor is seated. Put on the spring clips so you don't forget and to make sure they line up.

Now set the motor *shaft* on the vise anvil or other hard/heavy object and drive the impeller on to the same depth it was before. Don't overcook it -- if you go too far you'll have to go back to step one and drive it out a bit.

Clip the case back together and check the clearance between the case lip and impeller.

Before you button up the heater box, run the blower on all three speeds -- it should purr like a kitten.

Yrs, d


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