Toyotas are the best! Jill's little Tercel 4wd wagon lost the blower fan in the dash last week. I finally got the time to look at it today. The fan had power, so the motor was gone. Aftermarket replacement was three days away and $95. That was rather cheap for any Toyota electric motor. They tend to be rather pricy for a reason. They are high quality.
I took the motor out and put it on the workbench. Put her glove box back in and off she went.
I took the motor apart. As expected, after 23 years, the carbon brushes were worn down to nubs. I have some carbon brushes in the toolbox, and some of them fit nicely. I cleaned out the motor housing, polished the armature with a sanding sponge, and put in new brushes. I lubed the bushings with a few drops of WD-40 and put the motor back together. I connected it to the battery charger and turned it on. It ran, I haven't lost my touch!
I let it run for 20 minutes while I washed my paws, peed, and got a beer.
Then I put it back in the dash. It runs great.
Toyota and Honda use mostly Nippondenso electrics for a reason. While replacements are costly, it is not meant to cost you money. Everything that ND builds can be rebuilt by an enterprising person. These things are made to last for a million miles. Only certain parts fail, such as starter contacts, motor brushes and bearings. These are wear parts. The windings and shafts are tough.
For a rebuilt parts supplier like Autozone, ND components are a wet dream. They warranty parts for life. ND electrics are designed for a user to repair in the middle of nowhere with just a set of brushes and a small torch. AutoZone can handle that!
Delco and Motorcraft are another story.
Bottom line; When your alternater gives up, you can buy two bearings and a brush set from Toyota for about $100, or you can pay Autozone $295 for a lifetime warranty. Your choice.:whoops:
I took the motor out and put it on the workbench. Put her glove box back in and off she went.
I took the motor apart. As expected, after 23 years, the carbon brushes were worn down to nubs. I have some carbon brushes in the toolbox, and some of them fit nicely. I cleaned out the motor housing, polished the armature with a sanding sponge, and put in new brushes. I lubed the bushings with a few drops of WD-40 and put the motor back together. I connected it to the battery charger and turned it on. It ran, I haven't lost my touch!
I let it run for 20 minutes while I washed my paws, peed, and got a beer.
Then I put it back in the dash. It runs great.
Toyota and Honda use mostly Nippondenso electrics for a reason. While replacements are costly, it is not meant to cost you money. Everything that ND builds can be rebuilt by an enterprising person. These things are made to last for a million miles. Only certain parts fail, such as starter contacts, motor brushes and bearings. These are wear parts. The windings and shafts are tough.
For a rebuilt parts supplier like Autozone, ND components are a wet dream. They warranty parts for life. ND electrics are designed for a user to repair in the middle of nowhere with just a set of brushes and a small torch. AutoZone can handle that!
Delco and Motorcraft are another story.
Bottom line; When your alternater gives up, you can buy two bearings and a brush set from Toyota for about $100, or you can pay Autozone $295 for a lifetime warranty. Your choice.:whoops:
