Hey everyone:
Just mulling over the overheating issue a post back and it brought a joy-filled memory of a trip to the stealership over the resistor pack on the cabin fan motor.
Does anyone out there have a working unit with the resistor pack out there that they can test for and post the values?
Andy
BTW: the stealership has the cheapest wheel bolts anywhere at 3.87 each. The aftermarkets around me wanted 6, 6.50 and 5.75.
I really dont think you need the specific values for testing.
If you test one leg of the resister pack you'll see X amount of resistance, if you test the other leg you get X-Y ohms, ect. This should probably be done with an analog meter not a digital one.
I assume your heater works on high but not the lower settings? This probably means the higher resistance legs will test completely OPEN (infinate resistance). If that is the case you may be able to repair your resister pack.
There is a "fuse" IN the resister pack for my car. I assume your car probably has the same. When that fuse blows you get no power to any of the higher resistance (lower blower settings) legs of the resister pack. The fuse looks like a little resistor/transistor thingy (thats the technical description), and not a coil winding. I had a parts car and someone had cut out that "fuse" and had soldered in a couple wires with a "in-line" fuse (large amps!) and run the wires out of the airbox, (to make the fuse easily changeable). So when my resister pack failed I just swapped in the one with the fuse soldered in. Still works to this day and fuse has never blown.
Note: The "fuse" in the resister pack probably blows due to the motor drawing too much amperage, as was the case with mine. Make sure you have no problems with your motor. If the new "in-line" fuse blows you probably need to replace your motor.
Try it you'll like it. Saves a bunch of money.
Maybe some day I can make a "HOW TO".
that thingy is a thermal resistor, meant to blow when overheated i.e. left on low speed all the time. Just jump the resistor with 2 small strands of wire . If there is a real short they will burn and act like a fuse. I have yet to burn any blower fan resistance because i always turn the fan off when shutting down and when i do want the fan on i will turn on high first then turn it down. This makes sure that the fan is spinning before the resister has to regulate the speed .
"They all do that Sir." French made motors.
It is usually caused by the motor shaft bearings drying out and seizing up. The motor is harder to spin, draws much more current through the resistances, resistances get hot, blows the thermal fuse. If the thermal cut out is bypassed, then presumably eventually the dashboard catches fire!
But if you are reasonably good at electrickery or know a mate who is, buy some generic thermal fuses at some domestic & catering appliance repairers, about 100c centigrade would do 60 pence each?, solder one of these into the resistor pack, use meaty pliers on the fuse wires to keep the heat away from the fuse itself. Oil the bearing with some heavy (non smelly!) oil, the bottom one is easy. Top one is behind the fan, but I just stand the thing on the fan, fill the "dish" behind the fan up with oil, and let stand for an hour. Once done, tip oil, and spin off the excees. Dont get oil on the windings or brushes, else it will die. Repeat in three years time when the bearing dries out again.
you can also test the fan if it's seized or seizing with the MR HSU pinky test. If you can spin the fan with your pinky ,its loose enough, if not then free it up or replace it. other wise the resistance will blow again.
Apologies to any Québécois, but I do so hate these heaters. :twisted:
why should i be insulted ? I didn't design them.