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Heater blower packed up
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:45 pm
by Cloggy Saint
As above, it's been squeaking for a day or two but now it's died. Looking at the wiki it says if it only works on position 4 it could be the resistor pack, is this also a possibility if it doesn't work at all?
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:08 pm
by daimlerman
A good,almost free,starting point would be to remove the fan unit and oil it.
It's removed via an access hatch on the engine bay side of the bulkhead and some spring clips that will tax your patience and teach your next door's kids some new words!
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:38 pm
by jonny323i
Mine only works on 4 I keep meaning to replace the resistor but not got around to it yet
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:05 am
by capnmchl
Sometimes mine doesn't work, except for on 4. If I leave it on 4 for 5 seconds, the rest of the speeds work. I just put it down to needing a good ole' lube
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:35 am
by scallyally
If removing the fan to oil it as daimlerman suggests, put a pointy pin in the hole at the bottom of the retaining spring clip and lever it off. Simples

Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:01 am
by Rtaylor2208
The resistor is getting quite expensive for what it is from BMW. It was £16 last year and £24 when I bought one last week.
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:09 pm
by daimlerman
scallyally wrote:If removing the fan to oil it as daimlerman suggests, put a pointy pin in the hole at the bottom of the retaining spring clip and lever it off. Simples

The clips come off quite easily,it's putting the little swine's back that causes the swearing!
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:47 pm
by aimlessrock
daimlerman wrote:scallyally wrote:If removing the fan to oil it as daimlerman suggests, put a pointy pin in the hole at the bottom of the retaining spring clip and lever it off. Simples

The clips come off quite easily,it's putting the little swine's back that causes the swearing!
+1.
my hearter motor was in a poor state and I had to swallow for a new..
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:31 pm
by Cloggy Saint
Just checked the motor and it's spinning freely so that seems ok. Resistor next I guess, but as before, if it was knackered would the fan not work at all or just on the highest speed? Also, the wiki says where the resistor is on non AC cars but where is it on AC equipped models?
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:39 pm
by Monkey27
Cloggy Saint wrote:Just checked the motor and it's spinning freely so that seems ok. Resistor next I guess, but as before, if it was knackered would the fan not work at all or just on the highest speed? Also, the wiki says where the resistor is on non AC cars but where is it on AC equipped models?
I've got AC on my E30, my resistor is under the blower motor.
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:26 pm
by jonny323i
Monkey27 wrote:Cloggy Saint wrote:Just checked the motor and it's spinning freely so that seems ok. Resistor next I guess, but as before, if it was knackered would the fan not work at all or just on the highest speed? Also, the wiki says where the resistor is on non AC cars but where is it on AC equipped models?
I've got AC on my E30, my resistor is under the blower motor.
Iv been trying to figure that out as mine has AC
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:26 pm
by jonny323i
Monkey27 wrote:Cloggy Saint wrote:Just checked the motor and it's spinning freely so that seems ok. Resistor next I guess, but as before, if it was knackered would the fan not work at all or just on the highest speed? Also, the wiki says where the resistor is on non AC cars but where is it on AC equipped models?
I've got AC on my E30, my resistor is under the blower motor.
Iv been trying to figure that out as mine has AC
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:26 pm
by Monkey27
jonny323i wrote:Monkey27 wrote:Cloggy Saint wrote:Just checked the motor and it's spinning freely so that seems ok. Resistor next I guess, but as before, if it was knackered would the fan not work at all or just on the highest speed? Also, the wiki says where the resistor is on non AC cars but where is it on AC equipped models?
I've got AC on my E30, my resistor is under the blower motor.
Iv been trying to figure that out as mine has AC
I found it somewhere on another forum the Bentley E30 Service Manual is very helpful. There is a link on here for an electronic version

Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:43 pm
by Cloggy Saint
It was the fuse

. BUT, with the new fuse it worked for about 10 minutes, still not sounding too healthy, before popping the new fuse. Is this normal behaviour for a fan that's on it's way out?
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:47 pm
by macas
If you decide to replace your blower,remember yours is a different size to a non aircon car,yours is slightly bigger....
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:48 pm
by Brianmoooore
No, it's very unusual for the fuse to fail, since the stall current is barely enough to pop a 30A fuse.
What size fuse was there?
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:49 pm
by jonny323i
Mine too !!

Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:15 pm
by Cloggy Saint
Brianmoooore wrote:No, it's very unusual for the fuse to fail, since the stall current is barely enough to pop a 30A fuse.
What size fuse was there?
It was 30 amp. The AC blower fan is bigger? Typical, I bet that's not easy to pick up second hand.
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:14 pm
by Brianmoooore
Take the thing out and lubricate it! Power it up while it's out and check that it runs freely.
I've only ever come across very few motors that can't be returned to as new performance with a bit of cleaning out and a drop or two of oil.
Re: Heater blower packed up
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:34 pm
by Cloggy Saint
macas wrote:If you decide to replace your blower,remember yours is a different size to a non aircon car,yours is slightly bigger....
Realoem does list 2 different part numbers for the blowers but doesn't mention anything about airco. I guess mine would be the more expensive one?
