The title says it all. I don’t want to install a "new" motor with stinking Chinese windings. I’d rather service the old one.


Goatman

What I did when mine started to act up (mostly a kind of screeching noise when I turned it on) was take the console off then drill holes into the white fan housing. Then I oiled the bearings and covered the holes with a couple of layers of duct tape.
That was over a year ago. It's been nice and quiet since then.

Hi,


I just ordered a nice bent up OEM Heater Core on eBay a few minutes ago. This will be great fun!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170525258295

My blower housing has holes cut into it too! Now I know someone has been fiddling. Can't wait till next weekend to pull this thing out.


Goatman

that's not OEM. OEM cores have inlets and outlets in a cross pattern.

Yup, OE on the left, Four Seasons on the right.




--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Be thankful for problems. If they were less difficult, someone with less ability might have your job.

The both of you,


I really appreciate your help.

The OEM core looks crimped, is this true that no solder was used?

For some reason I thought that the cross-flow design was changed in later models.


Thanks,
Goatman

My first go at this job involved removing a working blower motor from a parts car one year newer (84)than the one it was going into(83). When I was done I had taken apart 2 dashes and broken or misplaced half of the trim pieces. The blower worked fine for years and outlasted the car. When I had to do the same on my 93, I went for an FCPgroton cheapo new one and pondered doing the chainsaw method because I dreaded the idea of disassembling everything again. You know what happened? - the job went without a hitch - I allowed myself a couple of days to work at it leisurely and did it in warm weather instead of outside in the winter like the first time. Now I'm not scared of the job, so I don't care if my $32 blower motor fails.

Toxic offgassing is another issue entirely, however.

Ron
93 245
93 944

I bought a VDO/Siemens motor from the local auto parts store and I have to say, I have not been too happy with it. It has run for two years or so, but not without squeaky noises. I think it was a Mexican product not German, like I expected.
Charles

I bought a VDO/Siemens motor from the local auto parts store and I have to say, I have not been too happy with it. It has run for two years or so, but not without squeaky noises. I think it was a Mexican product not German, like I expected.
Charles

Try overhauling the motor first. The older motors supposedly have leads off the windings that control speed vs. the newer ones which uses a resistor.

If the bushings are brass, you may be able to replace them with ball bearings. I've had motors last indefinitely as a result.
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.

This is my experience with replacing the blower motor- My mechanic, George, replaced my blower motor about 3 years ago. Since the originals were quite expensive for my pocket book I opted for an after market that he recommended. I hung around and several hours later I drove away, blower motor humming. So I get back into town, and about 60 minutes later, suddenly I hear this god awful scraping/grinding sound emanating from the blower motor area. Sure enough it was that "new" motor. I call George. Mind you this is only about hour later, and he says: “*&£%*&░#@*%*”, and, “Can you come back now?” I go on back, talk with him a bit. He says it's a surprise to him as he has used this particular brand motor with great success, but anything can happen-. Of course replacing it again I won't be charged as George fully guarantees his work and parts. I finally says: “Lets go for original and I will pay the difference of the part” -my decision-about $150 bucks more. My pocket book shudders--but----. He gets it, installs it and 3 years later its still humming away. Way I now figure it, that especially when you have a labor intensive product, and/or a product that you really depend on, which can be almost anything/everything, go for the good ones! Lesson learned--again.

... stinking Chinese windings.

They won't stink until you overheat them.

Seriously, I would hope your university's engineering program will bring you up to date on the dynamics of the world market; that country of manufacture has no longer a valid correlation with quality. I would expect that broad-brush bias to come from an unschooled consumer, with or without political influence.

Funny, quoting the ad copy. Reminds me of our local paper. The AP sends them well composed articles and the kids at the paper have to come up with the headlines. Lots of material for Jay Leno.

Anyhow, in the interest of being helpful, try a search. There have been many posts here on brickboard about Unimotor vs. Siemens over the years -- even some stories about how the factory survived in Canada come to my fuzzy memory.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.

Art, this reply is stinging, but I hope you will find it somewhat stimulating!


... stinking Chinese windings.

They won't stink until you overheat them.

No, not inline with my observations. I have purchased various motorized devices that had outgassing windings, those that did were not politically correct. Amines are carcinogenic, and if they have been halogenated with flame retardants, well... Improper procedures and impuritites in the chemicals used in the curing process are likely to blame. Just like the Dog Food, and the Baby Formula, and the nice colorful toys for America Child.

Yeah, they taught me about Engineering Ethics at the University. It’s something that the Socialist State of China seems to be ignoring.

If you are saying that a motor made in Germany by VDO is the same as GUANGLU MOTOR.

IF you are saying that Chinese caviar is the same as Russian.

If you believe that Hawtai is the same as BMW.


I don’t know what else to say, except that you have reinforced my decision to check and overhaul my existing blower.


Thank You,
Goatman

The tiny Chinese motors driving the cooling fans in my Dell computer have been working perfectly for five years continuously. The only off-gassing is from the.....wait for it.....owner of the computer......
Are you seriously proposing that North American made products have never been responsible for ill health or deaths?
Remember the Pinto.

Yes, Minamata Bay is my favorite actually.

I'm too young for the pinto.

So you're to young to remember the Love Canal disaster in upstate New York, or Three Mile Island? The Exxon Valdez also comes to mind...
That no country can claim a "spotless" record on safety or product liability is my simple point.

probably will be better received in the off topic forums. There they at least drag up isolated examples to "prove" their political points.

However, I applaud your resolve to rebrush and rebush your Electrolux, product of Sweden. I think that is all an "overhaul" will be comprised of. Your car's long term project status will allow the time to measure and find sources for the parts.

Again, I suggest the obvious. Search. There have been many discussions here on the practicality of repairing the blower motor, often with the goal of improving it with ball or needle bearings. Re-invention can either be a great learning opportunity or a waste of good creative energy, when you're trying to improve the longevity of a moving part that already made it 34 years.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Why do we leave cars worth thousands in our driveways and put our useless junk in the garage?

I have not, but I believe my brother needs to do his. Could you post what you end up doing?

Thanks Goatman,

Luke

VDO/Siemens,I believe these are produced in Germany,I have had good luck with this motor,I think it is OEM

Reply to "Stripping 90":

From my July 1, 2010 post:

"I ordered a new blower motor from FCP for $66, VDO brand, made in Canada."

I believe the Siemens unit sold by IPD is made in Mexico. (Actually, their picture shows a label that reads "Assembled in Mexico".)

This is what NAFTA was designed to do...
--
If it needs to be maintained, repaired or replaced on a 1990 240, I've probably done it. '90 240DL, 294K looking forward to 300K badge (or sticker??). >>You haven't really worked on a car until you draw blood<< :-}

Funny you mention IPD.

I was in their neighborhood a couple years ago and purchased a blower kit that had all those extra parts to cover all my cars. I got a Siemens motor over the counter.

When I install a motor, I run small oil tubes to the bearings from outside the housing and locate them behind the vents.

During this process, it requires I drill a hole into the hub housing. I hit the felt that feeds the sleeve bearing with the drill.

A few months ago, I ordered a motor only from them and had it shipped to my home.
I did not receive a Siemens motor. I thought what a surprise it is not a Siemens but went with it as long as it fits and they specialize in Volvo.

I had seen the same "Four Seasons" motor at Rockauto.com. For about the same price, I thought a Siemens would be better and I'll give IPD my repeat business.

First time I have ordered from them over a phone and I should have pinned them down. It was my mistake. I assumed! I let my guard down! Guess they run two games from the picture in the catalog of the kit versus a single motor purchase, shipped. Reminds me of the 1965 Eastwood movie "title" called “For a Few Dollars More” and who gets what, when!

When I started to modify the motor, it did not have any felt in there!

Since I had drilled a small hole into the motor, it just became mine. Therefore, I opened up this brand new motor and found it dry of lubrication except what may have been put in by dampen finger tips for assembly! Sounds like it may have been the brand motor that was in another posters 1 hour expensive repair job.

I did not install the motor and instead modified the original motor with my tubes and it has run just fine for about six months now. The armature had some wear from the brushes but heck it has been 20 years too! Another 10 years will be just fine and I may have to oil it once! I soak the felts nicely with some light turbine oil.

My plan is to make some felt rings to put in that Canadian motor and park it North, on my shelf FOUR some Seasons.

Phil

Just checked FCP, I laughed my &$$ off after reading the description.

"Your heating system works by taking in hot coolant from the engine and sending it through the heater Blower Motor, where heat is absorbed by the Blower Motor's tubing system. Your Volvo's heater blower motor blows air over these heater Blower Motor tubes, resulting in heated air entering into the vehicle's cabin."

The current product looks to be a Made in Mexico Siemens


Goatman

Realistically I think the trick is find where in the life cycle the product is. Chinese made products are ramping up FAST in terms of design, reliability, and wide availability, with little price increase. Todays Chinese product may be cheap and OK, but tomorrows will still be cheap and "gooder?", and found in HP, Apple, IBM, and other well known names. Remember that the BUYER, i.e. Siemens, specifys the quality level, not usually the manufacturer. The really scary part is how FAST the Chinese products have evolved in design and quality - much faster than Japan and Korea.Having said that, a hard to replace part like blower really needs a top end product. I wonder about bench testing it for several hours FIRST to see if failure results. Many electronic devices fail in a non linear fashion, perhaps electrical do also?

bmw john in avon / indy