Date:         Wed, 08 Jan 1997 11:46:17 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         WERNER SCHIRMER <werner.schirmer@snet.net>
Subject:      Re: More Heater Blower Problems

wsilva wrote:
> 
> Last week our highest speed on the heater fan (front) motor quit
> working and now none of the speeds work.  I looked in the Bentley manual
> and could only find reference to Diesel and air cooled heater fans.  My
> manual is 1980 through 1985 Vanagons.  My camper is an '85 built in '84.
> What should I be looking for?  Is this too a resistor problem as in
> HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR REPLACEMENT" previously on this list page?  If
> anyone has the same manual can they point me to the correct page number.
> Thanks,
> Wendy
> '85 Westy"

The blower on my '85 quit on me about two years ago.  I noticed this when 
the fuse kept melting (cheap fuses put in by PO) and the fan just sounded 
like it was working too hard.  Anyway, the blower motors apparently have 
the tendancy to seize, but CAN be fixed.  
I pulled dashboard to get at it, cleaned the bearing surfaces, then lubed 
it with sewing machine oil, let it sit overnight and turned it evry now 
and then to work in the oil.
After I reinstalled it I ran it on high for a while. It took several 
months for it to completely free up (the relay would get really hot), but 
now it hums happily away :-)
The dashboard job it tricky, give yourself a weekend.  I posted the 
procedure last year, but here it is as good as I can remember:
(also in Bentley pgs 70.5- 70.7)

-Disconnect battery
-Remove instrument panel
	:grab two notches on the windshield side and pull towards you- it 
	should come off easily)
	:take off dust cover
	:remove four screws holding IP to dash
	:remove all the wires from the switches
	:lift off IP being careful of the brake fluid reservoir
-Take off steering wheel (this is not absolutely necessary, but makes it 
much easier to work)
-Take off two shear bolts from steering column- they are cone-shaped(the 
book says to cut them  off, but a pair of vise-grips should do the trick)
-remove the two bolts lower down the column
-remove radio, glove box and heater controls
	:pull off dials
	:pull off knobs (mine have not been as sturdy since I did this, 
	so I'm not sure if there is a better way than to just carefully 
	wiggle them off...)
	:pull off the face plates being careful to take out the light 	
assembly
	:take out the screws holding the heater controls to the dash
-remove the heater cover plate in front of the shifter
	:grab it on each side and firmly, but carefully pull straight 	
back
-open the doors
-remove two screws holding the dash to the frame on each side
-remove six? screws where the dash meets windshield

This should be enough to release the dash- it is easier with two people
* careful of the brake fluid reservoir *

To get at the blower:
(Bentley pgs 80.12- 80.15 -water-cooled)

-Remove screws holding flap housing to body
-remove clips along seam
-break welds- cut through with a knife (seal when reassembling)
-remove upper part of flap housing
-remove blower 
-split case apart with knife

You can now also check the resistor, which is inside the flap housing...

Good Luck  :-)

Mark 
'85 retrowesty "Duckmobile"