Clean that AC / Heater Blower (5 Viewers)

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Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Threads
18
Messages
70
Location
Chula Vista, CA
Website
www.lancerushing.com
I just got my LC. One of the things I noticed before purchase was a vibration coming from when the fan was turned up high.

I figured it would be an easy fix (and it was).

Under dash on the passenger side, there is a black fan housing. Remove the 2 Phillips screws.

You can see the the fan now. Un-clip the warning harness, and remove the 3 torx heads.

Prepare for ugliness.

IMG_0109.jpg


Yes, that's an acorn, feathers, and misc other schmutz. The fan didn't want to come off the motor shaft, so I just carefully cleaned with a toothbrush.

Looking back up in the dash, I noticed a good amount of lint, so I took a vacuum to it also.

IMG_0110.jpg




After putting it all back together no fan vibration is noticeable. I wonder if I should take apart the big A/C box next to the blower??? to much trouble?
 
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Nice pics. I'd be willing to bet there will be several folks checking theirs very soon. I know I'm opening mine since it has something making squeaking noises on low speed. Thanks again.
 
Not too much trouble - basically some screws and a bit of jiggling not to force it. Behind the plastic is the evaporator and I'll bet that acorn you'll find it coated with dust. I had it washed the same time as re-filling the A/C gas, and it looks like you need to release the A/C pressure and disconnect at the firewall so it's best left when you need to top up your A/C gas.
 
Nice info, is there also a 'cabin filter' incorperated in the system....?

[holy-cow, how does an acorn get in their...]
 
sweet next project for me to do this summer including brakes, e-brake, bumpers, and springs. ;p
 
Excellent pictures and description!!! Like stated before, I am sure that there will be quite a few fans seeing the light of day very soon.

I am also curious if there is a cabin filter involved (my BMW has one buried deep in the dash that takes about an hour to get to).

Thanks again for the info :cheers: !

Riley
 
Aw come on, another thing just got added to my PM list....stop it.....! :)

edit: glad I cleaned out my blower, look what I found inside of it! :eek: I didn't see a cabin filter BTW.

IMG_2890.jpg
 
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IAfter putting it all back together no fan vibration is noticeable. I wonder if I should take apart the big A/C box next to the blower??? to much trouble?

The big A/C box next to the blower is the evaporator. I just took mine out to change the expansion valve. The a/c system was empty cause I broke the line from the condenser to the drier when I hit the drier on a rock - thought it'd be a good time to change the expansion valve.

It was a pain to get out cause I didn't have a manual, and didn't see the top two nuts holding it on cause they are hidden behind a bunch of wires. Here's a short list as I remember it.

1. Take out the glovebox.

2. Take out the cross brace below the glovebox - you have to remove the speaker in the dash to do this.

3. I think there are two screws at the bottom, and if you disconnect all the wire connector blocks you will see two 10mm nuts holding it at the top. They're a pain.

4. Inside the engine bay you'll see the lines go into a block right at the firewall. You have to disconnect these - and if you haven't already sprayed refrigerant out accidently - you will want to evacuate the system first.

5. Once you remove a computer box off of the front, you should be able to pull it out.

6. Once the big plastic box is out, you can take it to the workbench and seperate it - several screws and 3 or 4 clips.

7. Remove the sensor from the evaporator.

8. Plug the lines and clean the evaporator.


It was a bit of a pain since I thought I'd be able to just drop the bottom of the big plastic box and have access to everything, which is not the case. Ultimately though I'm glad I did it. My blower wasn't nearly as dirty as your guys, and I had nothing storing food or nesting in there. The evaporator though was full of lint and dog hair (previous owner was a dog owner too). I cleaned it up best I could, straightened a few bent fins, replaced the expansion valve, new o-rings, and put it back together.

Also at this time I repalced the drier and the broken line, and as long as I had the grill off I went ahead and soaked the condenser with engine bright degreaser, let it sit 1/2 hour, then hosed it off. I was surprised that there was enough crap in there to make it noticable on the driveway.

Cleaned Blower
Cleaned Evaporator
Cleaned Condenser
New Expansion Valve
New Drier
New Line
Recharged system

After all this, when I start the truck up I get cool air immediately. By the time I get out of the work parking lot, I have to turn it down as it's nearly painfully cold. It's only in the 80's here right now, but it sure seems to be working better, and with the amount of blockage on the evaporator and gunk on the condenser, it sure would make sense. We'll see how she does once it hits 100.
 
Mine has just started to make noise on low. Adding this to my to-do list.
 
were lucky it's that easy to get out. I had an old volvo with the classic chewbacca moan due to bad bearings. I think volvo hung the motor from the factory ceiling and built the car around it.
 
were lucky it's that easy to get out. I had an old volvo with the classic chewbacca moan due to bad bearings. I think volvo hung the motor from the factory ceiling and built the car around it.

LOL
I thought I was the only that took that challenge.
What a bad design!
 
a vibration coming from when the fan was turned up high.

Lately, have noticed a similar noise with the fan speed up high. Assumed it was blower motor bearings.

After seeing the pics in this thread, maybe not! Worth taking a look this weekend.

Thanks for the info!
 
has anyone found a way to clean the evaporator with out removing it?

There isn't one unless you want to start drilling holes in the bulkhead!

The two halves of the box are held together with clips. One or two of these clips are on the firewall side of the box with about 3/8" clearance between the box and the firewall.

IMHO it is not worth doing as PM because you need to degas the air con, but if your A/C is not working you may as well do it before regassing the system.
 
The two halves of the box are held together with clips. One or two of these clips are on the firewall side of the box with about 3/8" clearance between the box and the firewall.

IMHO it is not worth doing as PM because you need to degas the air con, but if your A/C is not working you may as well do it before regassing the system.

One clip on the firewall side, and two screws on that side as well.

Not worth doing as PM. Worth doing if you're having A/C performance issues. Yesterday left the moonroof uncovered in direct sunlight, 81F out, 90+% humidity, and blew cool almost instantly, then within a couple miles on surface streets was comfortable, and then once on the highway, had to turn it down to keep from freezing out. Definately the 80mph wind through the condencer helped compared to 35mph, so a condenser fan is definately on the to-do list.
 
were lucky it's that easy to get out. I had an old volvo with the classic chewbacca moan due to bad bearings. I think volvo hung the motor from the factory ceiling and built the car around it.

I had a 70's Mercedes that the fan totally burned out on, it was 20 hours of labor to replace the thing because it was the first thing in the dashboard. I spent many a cold (by CA standards 30-40f) morning running the A/C (separate fan) to clear the windows.
 
Blower was clean

I guess I should be happy, but I had to cram my 6'4" self into the passenger footwell in a 100 degree apartment parking lot here in phoenix to do it...only took a few minutes, and good to know its clean in the blower, not even 1 leaf, almost disappointing. Next step is the BG foaming evaporator cleaner in my 1/4 :banana: summer maintenance series.
 

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