Blower Motor Disassembly Question (1 Viewer)

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Hi Folks,

1996 LX450. I tried searching and only found comments on how easy and simple it is to pull the blower motor, and a few mentioning the the three screws holding the motor and fan in.

However, when I started taking things apart, I noticed I have a black cover over the bottom of the blower motor area with a flap attached to a little linkage. I did not see reference to this flap anywhere on MUD. It's easy enough to take out a couple screws to loosen the cover, but I don't know how to disconnect the linkage to the flap, so I can't get the cover out of the way to access the final screw to pull the blower motor and fan out.

Anybody know what I'm talking about? FSM assumes you just know what you're doing here.
 
This little guy

20200712_155828.jpg
 
Hi Folks,

1996 LX450. I tried searching and only found comments on how easy and simple it is to pull the blower motor, and a few mentioning the the three screws holding the motor and fan in.

However, when I started taking things apart, I noticed I have a black cover over the bottom of the blower motor area with a flap attached to a little linkage. I did not see reference to this flap anywhere on MUD. It's easy enough to take out a couple screws to loosen the cover, but I don't know how to disconnect the linkage to the flap, so I can't get the cover out of the way to access the final screw to pull the blower motor and fan out.

Anybody know what I'm talking about? FSM assumes you just know what you're doing here.
That is your fresh air / recirculating air vent door.

As stated, rotate the clip away from you and pop out the linkage and the linkage will slide out of the hole.
 
OK, yeah that was easy enough--just felt like I was going to break something wiggling the plastic bits on the clip.

Follow up question for bonus points: is it possible to detach the squirrel cage/fan from the motor? I'm trying to give my whole HVAC system a thorough cleaning as something in the AC is setting of my wife's respiratory problems. Q-tips aren't cutting it and I'd like to clean the fan off in the sink or even a few minutes in the dishwasher.

So far I've removed the little clamp on the top of the fan (doesn't seem to do much) and tried to push the fan off by hand. Nothing budges.
 
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OK, yeah that was easy enough--just felt like I was going to break something wiggling the plastic bits on the clip.

Follow up question for bonus points: is it possible to detach the squirrel cage/fan from the motor? I'm trying to give my whole HVAC system a thorough cleaning as something in the AC is setting of my wife's respiratory problems. Q-tips aren't cutting it and I'd like to clean the fan off in the sink or even a few minutes in the dishwasher.
The nose of the fan should have a few tabs if I recall, carefully pry them outward a bit and the fan should come off. Typically mold or other odors come from stuff up against the evaporator and heater core. I've seen dead rodents layed up against evaporators. Pretty gross.
 
Like this?

 
OK, so the fan does come out. As @White Stripe decribed, there is one "tab" on the nose of the fan. I tried to pry it out but it was more like a smoosh than a pry. It then took LOT of force to get the fan off. I pushed with my fingers and got about 1mm of movement, so I knew it was mobile. I then stuck 2 screwdrivers through the motor assembly into the back side of the nose cone and pushed on them with all the kung fu grip my hands could muster. After a few minutes, the sucker came off.
 
Pics

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About 100 q-tips later and still a ways to go:

20200713_142509.jpg
 
Dishwasher should do a good job (for the cage, not the motor). New cages are still available from Toyota if the old one breaks on anyone taking it off. FWIW.
 
If you are in there and concerned about smells take a look at the evaporator. Mine was caked in an ungodly amount of filth, removal is the only way to clean it.
 

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