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Heater fan bearings

S

SOHC

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Location
NZ
Is there anyway to lubricate or replace the heater fan bearings in an 1981 245? mine have been making a screaming noise and jamming, this car has the best heater ever but it seems the blower motor is buried deep within the dashboard?
 
Replacing the fan motor is, indeed, a difficult job. Here is Art's pictoral of how it is done: http://cleanflametrap.com/

The bearings are not the only thing that need replacing as the motor brushes also wear as well as the commutator. Replace the entire motor after all this effort.
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Yep, Art's tutorial is more than handy when it comes to this. It's as if they held the blower motor in place at the factory, and built the car around it. Take a close look at hoses, heater cores, and heater control valves while you're in there, too.
 
Do it while it's warm out. Last winter I did the one in my Outback at -10 inside my unheated garage. A few years ago I did one in Saskatoon Saskatchewan at -40.
Trust me as much of a bitch as a heater fan is on a nice day it's worse with frost bit. :)
 
Thanks guys for info and links, I am not looking fward to this job, I would rather make a new exhaust system from scratch with the car on jackstands.:lol:
 
I took a failed heater motor out of a 145 and set it on the parts counter for a new one. Everyone gathered round with the comment that they had never seen an owner take one out before.

One of those lifetime experiences.
 
1. Art's tutorial is a must read.
2. There's a way to drill the front of the box and try to oil the motor, search and you will find it. I tried it and it didn't work very well.
3. Do. Not. Lose. The clips that hold the blades on. Nothing else will do.
4. Remain calm.

Mike
 
Its not so bad if you just cut into it and tape/epoxy it back up again. I've only done one and it was maybe 6 hours, would be much quicker next time. I wouldn't even consider doing it 'properly' and removing the dash etc. unless you are trying to make a show car
 
I'm working on this right now. I have the new motor in and working, just need to finish installing various dash parts and my seats.

In addition to buying a motor, get the resistor and the switch. Also get two new fan clips. You can possibly get by without the switch and the clips, but given how much work this job is, it's cheap insurance. In my case the resistor was crispy looking, with lots of burned insulation on the wires and a few cracks in the body. The old motor was completely seized up and won't turn.

The cleanflametrap instructions are great. However, contrary to Art's suggestion to only pull the driver's seat, I recommend taking out both seats as that can be done quickly and it makes the job easier.

Another tip: get several layers of carboard (eg, an old box) to lay on the floor. When you're contorting yourself underneath the dash, this will prevent the seat bolts from stabbing you.

Label everything as you take stuff apart! A multitude of ziplock bags will be helpful.
 
SOHC said:
Is there anyway to lubricate or replace the heater fan bearings in an 1981 245? mine have been making a screaming noise and jamming, this car has the best heater ever but it seems the blower motor is buried deep within the dashboard?
Click to expand...

Peel back center switch console. Drill small hole in housing, spray in oil, run fan until quiet, attach "FOR SALE" sign to beater Volvo.

Ok it's about 3-6 hours of misery to change it depending what else needs done or should be done. One guy in Canada used to rebuild them with sealed bearings. It would be an ok design if it never broke...
 
It runns very quiet and smooth until you hit a bump then it goes wwwwwwwweeeeeeeehh screech wwwwwwweeeeeeee.


I might try the oil trick, what kind of bearings dose it have?
 
I believe they are oil impregnated bronze. It really isn't as bad a job as people say. I have done them in less than two and a half hours before, the first time took maybe four.
 
Lando said:
I believe they are oil impregnated bronze. It really isn't as bad a job as people say. I have done them in less than two and a half hours before, the first time took maybe four.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have heard stories of it taking full weekends. My first time was on a friend's '93, and it took 7 hours. I followed Art's walkthrough step-by-step, took a dinner break, and just generally took my time. I don't think it's as serious of a job as folks make it out to be.

Definitely do it in warmer weather, not just for your comfort, but also to preserve your interior. You will break a large amount of plastic pieces if you do it during the winter when they are brittle.

I am at 320,000 miles with my original blower motor/resistor. Don't really know how...
 
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