81 rabbit pickup blower motor removal

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

How do I remove this blower motor from a 81 Caddy? It does not look obvious to me and I don't want to break anything. It does not resemble any of the drawings in the Bentley. There are 4 screws that go through the deck but they do not look like they hold the blower and motor.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Figured it out. After prying the resistor out of the spring clip, there is a screw under it and the blower lift up. It was a real tight jig saw puzzle fit to get it out of the mount. The blower won't come out of the rain bay unless the plastic housing is disassembled. VW never cease to amaze me how they build cars.





RTV curing on the first piece of aluminum flashing, second piece will be glued in next then the aluminum screen on top.

[ORCoaster]

I don't remember having trouble with removal on my MK1 Rabbit.  Seems like the blower came out with a bit of twisting of it down on the end of the bay by the hinge.  Tight fit yes, but nothing more.   

What is the purpose of the flashing? 

Wind blowing in or stuff in the blower motor?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I don't remember having trouble with removal on my MK1 Rabbit.  Seems like the blower came out with a bit of twisting of it down on the end of the bay by the hinge.  Tight fit yes, but nothing more.   

What is the purpose of the flashing? 

Wind blowing in or stuff in the blower motor?

Is your MK1 German?  Caddy is Westmoreland and the fit may be different.
Main purpose is to keep the mice out. Secondary purpose is to keep the water out when the drains are clogged.

[ORCoaster]

I was wondering if perhaps you had lost the rain tray and were putting in something to keep out the debris.  I am with you on those drains I make sure they are clean about every month or so by poking my fingers in them to push the leaves and such all the way through them.  Living on the coast I don't want to have that tray filling up with water and coming in through the blower motor. 

My magic ride was built in the US of A in Penn.  I doubt they made any changes to the tolerances of a VW.  Company rules you know.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I have the rain tray, but the blower motor is open and mice can get in. I just noticed this pic from wolf_walker's caddy mini refresh thread. There is a black plastic cover over the blower motor. Mine does not have one and I thought that's the way they were built. Are those covers OE and do you have a part number?

[TylerDurden]

I think that pic shows the fresh intake for the AC version. Notice the vacuum dashpot...

I presume yours is non-AC?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I think that pic shows the fresh intake for the AC version. Notice the vacuum dashpot...

I presume yours is non-AC?

Mine is non AC. Fresh air intake for AC would cover the blower motor wouldn't it? Then all is needed is a screen on the intake snout to keep the mice out.

Can't imagine the non AC version blower is left open like mine.

[TylerDurden]

My caddy is long gone, but IIRC, the AC version has the blower in a different place.

The non mighta had an inverted basket over the intake.

[ORCoaster]

I think I would have gone for screens on the ends of the blower motor, maybe with changeable filters? 

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I think I would have gone for screens on the ends of the blower motor, maybe with changeable filters? 

That would be less work but it would not keep the water out.

Tis is what it looks like and everything is held together with RTV. The white styrofoam is temporary till I get a piece of HEPA filter material to sandwich between the screen.



I added a sheet of flashing as an extra water shed under the rain tray


Finally more aluminum screens to keep the leaves and bastards out. I am not sure it's sealed good enough to keep the bastards out. I think they can still crawl in through the slits by the hinge but they  hopefully won't get through the blower. If I don't find acorns in there, it's working!

[ORCoaster]

OK, looks serious to me.  I don't have trouble with the mice or squirrels because I feed them in the backyard in a pan in a tree.  Lower it down, put food in raise it up and tie off the cable.  They stay away from the car as there is nothing they want there. 

Were you having water leaks even with the rain tray in place?  Serious water then. 

[deepgrooves74]

Too bad… I just sold a NOS Non-AC leaf basket that covers your blower motor. Though you definitely have gone to the Nth degree to accomplish your goal.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Too bad… I just sold a NOS Non-AC leaf basket that covers your blower motor. Though you definitely have gone to the Nth degree to accomplish your goal.

Do you have a p/n, a pic or another one? How much did you sell it for? Is it an after market item? My Bentley does not show a leaf basket.

[damac]

i could have sworn somebody told me the diesel part was its own for non ac, but i got multiple white blower motor covers from the junkyard from cabriolets.  they fit my truck and rabbit just fine.