What is it with these heater blower motors? When I bought my first Deuce several years ago it had a bad blower motor. I bought a new one which ran fine, I last used it early this year. When I sold that truck this summer the motor wouldn't work. I put in another before shipping the truck. My A3 arrived recently and it has a bad blower. On all 3 I tried wiring them directly to the battery and none worked. Do these have a resistor/transistor/diode/ internal relay that goes bad? The cases are sealed so I haven't been able to take one apart. Any thoughts?
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
Another Bad Blower Motor
- Thread starter renovate7
- Start date
Heavysteven
New member
- 2,090
- 10
- 0
- Location
- Hickory Flat Ga
I would like to know as well.
jasonjc
Well-known member
- 5,325
- 283
- 83
- Location
- Gravette Ar.
I open one up befor. Was not able to fix it bad brushes. If you all want pic's I think I still have it.
JDToumanian
Active member
- 1,655
- 14
- 38
- Location
- Phelan, CA
The brushes were worn down? Sheesh, you'd think it would take 20,000 hours of running to do that. I'd like to see pics since I don't plan on cutting mine open any time soon...
wreckerman893
Possum Connoisseur
- 15,611
- 1,981
- 113
- Location
- Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
I suspect that due to the lack of water proofing that they get a lot of water in them.
I have parted out several deuces with heaters and it was always hit or miss if the blower would work.
Just my thoughts.
I have parted out several deuces with heaters and it was always hit or miss if the blower would work.
Just my thoughts.
rz14rt
Member
- 55
- 0
- 6
- Location
- Vassar, mi
resistor?
I would also like to see photos of the inside. If the issue is brushes, I should think a generator repair shop could find the right ones. Another thought is the resistor used to provide two speeds. There is a resistor there somewhere. In many automotive HVAC blowers it is in the motor housing and when it goes the motor is dead. I have replaced these and life is good again. I wonder if the photos show a resistor inside?
I would also like to see photos of the inside. If the issue is brushes, I should think a generator repair shop could find the right ones. Another thought is the resistor used to provide two speeds. There is a resistor there somewhere. In many automotive HVAC blowers it is in the motor housing and when it goes the motor is dead. I have replaced these and life is good again. I wonder if the photos show a resistor inside?
ODdave
New member
- 3,213
- 38
- 0
- Location
- lansing michigan
aftermarket m35A2 heater blower motor ........... Search this.
This A3 motor is in the cab so exposure to the elements isn't the problem. I think the resistor is in the switch, not the motor. There is only 1 wire to the motor, plus a ground. I'm going to try and pull this apart later. If I can get some decent pics I'll post them...I'm also going to see if there is any way to run a continuity check on it.
212sparky
Well-known member
- 1,822
- 38
- 48
- Location
- Monroe/ Ohio
the resistor is usually mounted in the cab near the fire wall it it 4 to 5 inches long. trace the wires and you should find it. i will post pics. of mine when i am at my truck next.
It isn't the brushes, it probably isn't the speed resistor, it is a poorly designed motor.
The terminal lug, for the field wire that returns to ground, is attached to the middle of one of the bolts that holds on the motor's end bells. There is a nut on that bolt that squeezes the lug against a piece of plastic. The plastic gets hot and moves out of the way, and the ground connection goes open circuit.
To fix the problem, you need to add another nut to the bolt, and squeeze the ground lug between the two nuts... Your problem, if you are feeling handy, is to get inside of the motor and make that simple fix.
The idiots that designed the motor made a couple of serious mistakes that make fixing the problem quite challenging:
First, when they pressed the motor shaft into the armature, their press expanded the shaft's end slightly. It will jam in the oillite sleeve bearing when you try to take the end cap off. If you feel that happening, you must carefully file down the shaft end (around the circumference) so that it moves freely through the bearing... a fine mill file will do the trick. Do NOT attempt to use sandpaper of any kind!
Second, the bolt that has the field's ground terminal connection also holds the field laminations together. The other bolt does not. That will make the laminations cock on an angle, and jam the end caps from moving. They should move easily. [When you put the motor back together, be sure to add a nut so that both sides of the field laminations are squeezed equally, and that will make any future repairs easier.]
When you take this motor apart, it is crucial that you do not allow the motor shaft, and armature to pull out of the laminations. If you allow this, you will destroy the brushes!!! It is crucial that you do not press on the motor shaft with more than just finger pressure, no hammers, no presses. If you do not follow this rule, you will rip the commutator from the wires on the armature, and your motor will be ruined. DON"T MAKE THIS MISTAKE!!
If the laminations on the side with the loose bolt are jamming the end bell, slide that bolt most of the way out, and stick a punch through the front bell's bolt hole, and press the laminations towards the back of the motor. The bell should come off easily while you are pressing on the laminations... Remember, don't let the shaft pull out with the front end bell!
There is no need to disturb the rear end bell, bearing, brushes, commutator, or armature. Leave them be.
Look for a little capacitor, and a wire with a terminal lug that attaches to one of the motor end bell bolts. That is where your problem lies. You need to remove the nut, and move that bolt part way through the rear of the motor so that you can slide an extra nut under the lug. You want the lug to be squeezed between two nuts.
After you have made the repair to the lug, add a nut to the other motor end bell bolt, so that the field laminations are squeezed by nuts from both sides. You will thank yourself later if you need to get into the motor again for maintenance.
Before reassembling, apply a few drops of oil into the felt around the sleeve bearing.
-Chuck
The terminal lug, for the field wire that returns to ground, is attached to the middle of one of the bolts that holds on the motor's end bells. There is a nut on that bolt that squeezes the lug against a piece of plastic. The plastic gets hot and moves out of the way, and the ground connection goes open circuit.
To fix the problem, you need to add another nut to the bolt, and squeeze the ground lug between the two nuts... Your problem, if you are feeling handy, is to get inside of the motor and make that simple fix.
The idiots that designed the motor made a couple of serious mistakes that make fixing the problem quite challenging:
First, when they pressed the motor shaft into the armature, their press expanded the shaft's end slightly. It will jam in the oillite sleeve bearing when you try to take the end cap off. If you feel that happening, you must carefully file down the shaft end (around the circumference) so that it moves freely through the bearing... a fine mill file will do the trick. Do NOT attempt to use sandpaper of any kind!
Second, the bolt that has the field's ground terminal connection also holds the field laminations together. The other bolt does not. That will make the laminations cock on an angle, and jam the end caps from moving. They should move easily. [When you put the motor back together, be sure to add a nut so that both sides of the field laminations are squeezed equally, and that will make any future repairs easier.]
When you take this motor apart, it is crucial that you do not allow the motor shaft, and armature to pull out of the laminations. If you allow this, you will destroy the brushes!!! It is crucial that you do not press on the motor shaft with more than just finger pressure, no hammers, no presses. If you do not follow this rule, you will rip the commutator from the wires on the armature, and your motor will be ruined. DON"T MAKE THIS MISTAKE!!
If the laminations on the side with the loose bolt are jamming the end bell, slide that bolt most of the way out, and stick a punch through the front bell's bolt hole, and press the laminations towards the back of the motor. The bell should come off easily while you are pressing on the laminations... Remember, don't let the shaft pull out with the front end bell!
There is no need to disturb the rear end bell, bearing, brushes, commutator, or armature. Leave them be.
Look for a little capacitor, and a wire with a terminal lug that attaches to one of the motor end bell bolts. That is where your problem lies. You need to remove the nut, and move that bolt part way through the rear of the motor so that you can slide an extra nut under the lug. You want the lug to be squeezed between two nuts.
After you have made the repair to the lug, add a nut to the other motor end bell bolt, so that the field laminations are squeezed by nuts from both sides. You will thank yourself later if you need to get into the motor again for maintenance.
Before reassembling, apply a few drops of oil into the felt around the sleeve bearing.
-Chuck
Last edited:
- 12,196
- 314
- 0
- Location
- gainesville, ga.
I think the HASSLE VALUE of going though all of that is more then a replacement moter
Perhaps...
But I can fillet and fix a heater motor in well under an hour. Parts cost is zero.
How long does it take to find, order and ship a new motor from some supplier? If the new motor is made by the same vendor as the old one, it too will soon fail.
-Chuck
Last edited:
rz14rt
Member
- 55
- 0
- 6
- Location
- Vassar, mi
Some get satisfaction from making repairs themselves and I am one of those. I really like this forum for that reason.
You went a little further than was necessary, but it doesn't look like you broke anything too serious.
The only trick in putting it back together from there is holding the brushes in their sleeves so that you can get the commutator to go past them. I used a piece of thin wire that straightened itself out when I pulled on it.
-Chuck
tractors0130
New member
- 137
- 4
- 0
- Location
- Joliet, Illinois
I too had a bad blower motor on one of my A3's, checked the wiring first at the blower with a test light and seen that it had power at both settings. Pulled the motor and it was totally burnt and smoked. After checking with several vendors, I bought the NAPA 24V replacement blower motor # 655-1320. Worked well with no issue, just soldered & heat shrank bullet connector on the hot and soldered an eye on the neg. to bolt to the original ground.
Attachments
Last edited:
rattlecan6104
New member
- 357
- 6
- 0
- Location
- Oak Harbor, WA
I havent ever had an issue with blower motors... granted my heater system consists of a generator, extension cord, and a small space heater 
Thought I'd report in the final results...I bought a new blower motor from the local parts store. It's a Factory Air/4 Seasons brand, part # 35552, $43 plus tax. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I found a used milspec for $20 but after 3 in 2 trucks I think the warranty on this new one is worth the extra $.
Marlboro
New member
- 263
- 2
- 0
- Location
- Mullica Hill/NJ
Name of the part store please?!