Replacing a blower motor - what's the secret?

EldoRedo91 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-09, 08:54 PM

Folks,

I need to replace the blower motor that is mounted on the firewall of my 1991 Eldorado. Obviously it's a simple job: just remove the bolt/screw things holding it in place, unplug the connector and replace, right? Here's my problem: there's seemingly not enough clearance with the valve cover that is right next to it. I can pull the unit out and tilt it back, but I can't figure out how to make the white plastic fan cage inside clear the opening of the mounting hole to remove it. It's right by a large cable bundle wrapped in that black plastic tubing. Surely you don't have to pull the block!

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks!

steelybill · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-09, 10:06 PM

Maybe you will have to remove the rocker cover. There may be enough room there, even with the valve springs etc being exposed.

If someone here has a factory manual for that car, they could look it up.

AMENCADDY · #3 (**permalink**) 06-10-09, 11:35 PM

Follow this link, click Automotive Repair, click your year and model, click Repair, under contents go to "chassis electrical heating and Air cond. -blower motor removal". It's near the bottom of the page. Apparently you have to remove the cage to get it out.

http://www.sjcpls.org/content/databases

Let us know how it goes. Thanks!

cadillac_al · #4 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 10:33 AM

That link Amencaddy included may be quite helpful in some situations but for the eldorado blower motor it says to "disengage it from the housing". That is the problem that eldoredo91 is having. How do we disengage it from the housing? On my Deville, I called it a chinese puzzle. It seemed almost impossible to get it out or in. I thought I may have to remove the cage but I didn't think it would be much fun trying to put it back on while it is partially in the housing. Somehow when everything including the stars are in perfect alignment it came out and a lot of fiddling got the new one back in. I think the Deville has a flat side on the blower motor for a reason; to allow it to fit around everything that is in the way. I think if you play around with it long enough it will come out.

AMENCADDY · #5 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 01:17 PM

the deville FSM instructions do not include removing the cage. maybe the Eldorado is even more difficult and impossible to get it out without removing the cage. I know on later models, I was kind of shocked that one has to "move the engine forward" as in jack up the car and unbolt the motor mounts. GADZ!!! for a blower motor????

EldoRedo91 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 08:30 PM

Gentlemen:

Thank you all for replying. I consulted the service manual, which indeed confirms that you DO have to detach what the manual refers to as the "fan," which I'm guessing is the spinning plastic cage? Here are the instructions:

Disconnect battery
Remove cross-tower brace
Remove cowl relay center bracket, position out of the way
Disconnect electrical connector and cooling hose
Remove MAP sensor mounting bracket, set aside
Tilt blower motor in case and detach fan from motor
Remove motor from case
Remove fan from case

Install is just those directions in reverse.

I do remember now what the problem becomes: the cage is held on inside at the bottom with either a nut or a screw. I've forgotten which and the engine is too hot to tilt out the motor right now to look. The problem is, it tilts out at such an awkward angle that it was very difficult to get either a socket (if its a nut) or a screwdriver (if its a screw) to loosen the damn thing.

Back then I think I was just trying to see whether I could lubricate it somehow to stop the noise it was making (which, BTW, is why I want to replace it). I shopped a bit online but I think the ones I found said they did not include the cage!

I think I'll unbolt it and see whether I can just destroy the cage somehow, then get a replacement that comes with the cage, since "re-assembly" starting with two separate components presumably should be easier.

Here's a photo -- I'm not sure what/where the MAP sensor mounting bracket is.

AMENCADDY · #7 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 11:07 PM

Gawwd! that is a tight fit. My Deville is much roomier. The MAP is that black rectangle thingy directly left center of your air cleaner in the photo about 2.5"L X 1" W with what looks like (?) a hex nut at the top and one at the bottom. Can't tell from your photo. bracket is mounted on your valve cover. I'd volunteer to move those hoses and the wiring harness aside a bit as well, IIWU.

cadillac_al · #8 (**permalink**) 06-12-09, 02:02 PM

It seems to me if you have to get your hand in there to put a nut on the fan then you should have enough room to put it in with the fan on. It looks to me like there is enough room to get it out if you remove a few things like that MAP sensor bracket and maybe the coolant hoses and crossbar of course. I hope you are replacing it with a new blower motor and not a used one.

kdcing · #9 (**permalink**) 06-12-09, 11:46 PM

On my '93 Eldorado, the rubber surrounding the fan area had 2 grooves molded into the rubber and a word "cut" also molded into the rubber. After I cut the rubber at the grooves, I could see a screw behind the rubber. Removing the screw allowed the removal of a plastic piece near the top of the fan's squirrel cage (i.e. from the 10 o'clock to the 2 o'clock position). Removing the plastic piece provided the necessary room to remove the motor and fan assembly. Give it a look on your car.

I read posts from other owners who have jacked the front of the engine to tilt the back of the engine down.

AMENCADDY · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-09, 01:11 AM

ah-ha! so that was why the database instructions said to cut that rubber insulation at the guides. That must be "the secret".

EldoRedo91 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-13-09, 01:10 PM

Yeah I'm absolutely going to use a new motor, which will be here Tuesday. Kdcing, are you saying that your cage actually disassembles into two pieces? Not sure whether that applies to a 1991...

kdcing · #12 (**permalink**) 06-13-09, 04:31 PM

No, the squirrel cage is 1 piece. The squirrel cage is pressed onto the shaft of the blower motor's shaft and the squirrel cage is removable from the motor's shaft with some persuation, however, the blower motor and squirrel cage were removed from my car as 1 piece to do the blower motor replacement.

The rubber piece that needed to be cut - as well as the hidden screw and plastic piece that needed to be removed - are part of the ventilation ducting that the blower motor/squirrel cage are attached to (i.e. the ventilation ducting is basically the area in your picture that the red arrow is pointing to).

EldoRedo91 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-15-09, 06:10 PM

OK thank you. I will let you know what happens; I plan to try the install on Wednesday.

EldoRedo91 · #14 (**permalink**) 06-20-09, 01:42 PM

OK folks,

I'm happy to report complete success! The old motor/squirrel cage came out with a little pressure/bending on the cage -- but thankfully without damaging it -- because I had to reuse it! The replacement motor came with a cage 4" deep -- while the original was 3". That extra inch just would NOT have fit! Then it was just a little of the Chinese puzzle thing replacing it -- but it works great. Thanks again to all who responded -- sometimes you need that extra bit of confidence to move forward....

awadecki · #15 (**permalink**) 06-24-09, 12:17 AM

Too bad I just saw this. Another trick of the trade would be to undo the front torque strut, then rock the motor forward about an inch using a tow strap. Good for the times when you can't get to the back plugs.

This was a trick you had to use if you had a 3.1 or 3.4L V6 equipped W car (Regal, Grand Prix, Cutlass Supreme). These motors had two torque struts that you would undo and reattach using separate bolt hols drilled into the mount to change the back plugs.