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Another Blower Motor Thread

jlrohio

Well-Known Member
Joined
August 10, 2004
Messages
176
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City, State
Virginia
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 Ford Explorer XL
99 Ford Explorer XL
Manual Blower Motor Controls


Is this a blower motor problem or a resistor problem?

It all started when the blower motor would not come on at all, at any speed.

I originally thought it may have been a fuse but could not find any blown fuses. After inspecting the fuses, I just happened to start the Explorer back up and the blower motor once again started working.

A few days later, the same thing happens and the blower motor will not turn on, on any of the speeds. So, I checked the fuses again (hey, it worked once! :thumbsup:) and there were no blown fuses (again). I started the Explorer and the fan once again works!

:confused:

A few days later the blower motor does not come on (at any speed) for the third time. So, I reset the fuses and this time it did not temp. fix the issue.

After searching around the ExplorerForum website, I start inspecting the actual blower motor and tapped on the front of the blower motor and the fan start humming away and it is working again! (BTW, key was in ACC mode).

The last few days, I have had to resort to opening the hood and tapping the motor each and everytime I wanted to have air conditioning blowing.


So, here's a video of me tapping the motor and you can hear it start up. What's your best guess as to the issue??

Do you think the Blower Motor is going bad or that the resistor on the blower motor is going bad??? I'll have to see about removing it all this weekend.

https://youtu.be/Luh8IFu6FHg

 



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Buy motor and resistor. Put the motor in and if that fixes the problem, you're done. Return the resistor. If it doesn't, then put the resistor in and most likely you've solved your problem. I wouldn't mess with trying to diagnose components that are cheap enough and easily replaced. I understand not wanting to just throw parts at something, but they're both relatively inexpensive and most likely will fix your problem. And you get to spend an hour or so working on your Explorer!
 






Buy motor and resistor. Put the motor in and if that fixes the problem, you're done. Return the resistor. If it doesn't, then put the resistor in and most likely you've solved your problem. I wouldn't mess with trying to diagnose components that are cheap enough and easily replaced. I understand not wanting to just throw parts at something, but they're both relatively inexpensive and most likely will fix your problem. And you get to spend an hour or so working on your Explorer!

I will probably end up doing that in the end but I was hoping that someone with the same experience could tell me what fix applied to them versus throwing everything plus the kitchen sink at it approach.

In all of the blower motor threads that I read, most were geared towards the fan only working (or not working) at various fan speeds based upon a blown resistor. I could not find anything similar to mine whereas the blower motor would work at all speeds but would just intermittently decide when it wanted to work and an occassional tap on the motor housing may (or may not) get it running again.
 






Likely the motor, there are lots of posts on this forum (and elsewhere) about tapping a bad motor to get them to work (for a little while) for starters, fuel pumps, blower motor...
 






It's the motor. I just had to change mine last night.

Same issues.

MT
 






I will probably end up doing that in the end but I was hoping that someone with the same experience could tell me what fix applied to them versus throwing everything plus the kitchen sink at it approach.

Sorry, I should have prefaced my statement with the fact that my Ex was showing the same symptoms yours is. I didn't go through the diagnostics you have. I just went ahead and swapped the motor and resistor. Problem solved. So I guess I did not determine exactly which it was, and I probably swapped out a resistor that was still good. To some degree I guess I just bought a little peace of mind.
 






It's the motor. I just had to change mine last night.

Same issues.

MT

Thanks for sharing your experience MT,

I'll probably start with the motor swap.

If that does not work, I'll start swapping out parts 1 by 1.



To some degree I guess I just bought a little peace of mind.

Yes you may have...but a good investment none the less! :chug:


Likely the motor, there are lots of posts on this forum (and elsewhere) about tapping a bad motor to get them to work (for a little while) for starters, fuel pumps, blower motor...

Ah, the ole' "hit it with a hammer trick" on the starter...good point!

I remember years ago having to do that on my first vehicle (a 67 Mercury Cougar!) a few times until I could afford the $30 to take the starter down to a local shop for them to rebuild it (back in those days, starters were rebuilt locally - not imported from China).
 






:)
 






:usa:
 






It's not the resistor, if it were then it wouldn't start working again, tap or no tap. Could be a corroded connector instead, inspect the connector contacts.
 






I guess it was the motor that was bad.
I changed it out with another from advanced auto.
$30 out the door w/a $10 coupon code.

I got my son to help me, after making him watch the youtube video online. This was a good easy repair for him to do; unbolting & removing various components (ex. windshield washer fluid tank and coolant fluid tank), removing the blower motor, removing the old fan blade, cleaning everything up, & resassembly.

It took about 1 hr total. Just in time for the next heat wave!!

One question though. There was a fine powder dust, almost resembling black toner dust that came out of the motor housing when shaken and tapped. Does anyone know what this dust was from? Was it the signs of the motor basically frying?
 






One question though. There was a fine powder dust, almost resembling black toner dust that came out of the motor housing when shaken and tapped. Does anyone know what this dust was from? Was it the signs of the motor basically frying?

More than likely carbon dust from the brushes wearing against the commutator. Signs of a motor just being worn out and used up. Good to hear the new once fixed the problem.
 






Brush wear dust is normal. The question is whether the brushes were toast, lubrication gone, or motor winding shorted.

I might be delving into this more than someone who just *wants it fixed* wants to go into... It's not like they supply info on where to get new brushes (or whatever) if that's the problem, but it's a shame we keep having to pay dozens of dollars for $2 faults.
 






Did you take the opportunity with the bird cage out to clean/vacuum the AC coils? The blower side of the coils are perfect traps for leaves and dirt, and are a source of that "AC smell" when you first turn it on.
 






Did you take the opportunity with the bird cage out to clean/vacuum the AC coils? The blower side of the coils are perfect traps for leaves and dirt, and are a source of that "AC smell" when you first turn it on.

Yes I did. I only had one small piece of debris in there. The lower left corner of the a/c coils was caked in dust/dirt. I vacummed that as best as I could and took and old toothbrush to it to get the rest.
I then sprayed 409 on it to complete the weak cleaning I gave it.

Now I have a little 409 smell when I turn on the fan but I really don't mind the that smell and it will be gone in a few days.

Sorry I did not get pics...it would have helped those in the future with this repair to take advantage of the cleaning.

As to the bird cage, I cleaned that up really really well.
 






Just wanted to update...
Today (4 years later), the fan motor would not turn on. So, I tapped the motor and it came back on! Guess I have another blower motor going bad.

Thank-goodness for Advance Auto's Lifetime warranty...Just gotta take my receipt (again, thank-goodness for Advance Auto's online system that keeps track of your old purchases - even 4 years old) down to Advance and buy another one. Glad this is not a difficult repair that involves removing lots of stuff....but there's stuff to remove regardless!

Now, I just have to get the younger kid out there and show him how to do this repair and let him turn a wrench!!!

Ah, Fords....they're great for teaching kids how to work on cars!!! :snicker:
 






Just wanted to update...
Today (4 years later), the fan motor would not turn on. So, I tapped the motor and it came back on! Guess I have another blower motor going bad.
...
Now, I just have to get the younger kid out there and show him how to do this repair and let him turn a wrench!!!

Ah, Fords....they're great for teaching kids how to work on cars!!! :snicker:
Ford vehicles have their flaws, but this opportunity to teach kids comes from buying cheap after-market parts...
 






This is the exact symptoms my '96 Exploder has. Sometimes the blower works, other times, it doesn't. When it works, it works fine at any of the speed settings. When it doesn't, it's dead on all speeds.

That indicates that none of the resistors are burned out, but doesn't rule out a bad connection from one of the resistors, or a bad connection at one of the connectors in the system.

However, the fact that I was, like the OP, able to get the fan to start with a minor tap on the housing in the same place points very very strongly to worn motor brushes. Tapping can jiggle them enough for the springs to push them into contact with the commutator, thus letting the motor start and run for a while. But it's just going to happen again because the brushes are likely worn down so much that the springs can barely push them against the commutator.

I already have an aftermarket blower ready to install. But I may well buy the resistor gadget as well because it's easy to get at only after you've removed the squirrel cage, and that's most of the labor. So I might as well swap the resistor out just to have a brand new one of those along with the blower as long as I've gone to the trouble of gaining access to the motor.

It's nasty to not have the blower on a very hot day. But it will be even nastier to not have it when it's -20 outside! I have owned a '68 VW Beetle, and remember all-too-well scraping the INSIDE of the windshield while driving. I'd rather avoid having that happen.

Good tip about cleaning the AC evaporator while we're in there, too. Again, as long as you've got everything out of the way, you might as well do whatever needs to be done in there!

Speaking of these motor speed resistors: I also have an '91 Exploder. One day I was driving it and switched the heater on to one of the middle speed settings. A clump of dried leaves must've jiggled loose and lodged right on the resistor, which then proceeded to ignite them as the blower fanned the flames. The cabin filled with so much smoke that I had to stick my head out of the window to see where I was going! It looked like a scene from a Cheech and Chong movie!

So it really isn't a bad idea to get rid of any leaves and such that have made it into any part of the ductwork and system if you have a chance.
 






99 Ford Explorer XL
Manual Blower Motor Controls


Is this a blower motor problem or a resistor problem?

It all started when the blower motor would not come on at all, at any speed.

I originally thought it may have been a fuse but could not find any blown fuses. After inspecting the fuses, I just happened to start the Explorer back up and the blower motor once again started working.

A few days later, the same thing happens and the blower motor will not turn on, on any of the speeds. So, I checked the fuses again (hey, it worked once! :thumbsup:) and there were no blown fuses (again). I started the Explorer and the fan once again works!

:confused:

A few days later the blower motor does not come on (at any speed) for the third time. So, I reset the fuses and this time it did not temp. fix the issue.

After searching around the ExplorerForum website, I start inspecting the actual blower motor and tapped on the front of the blower motor and the fan start humming away and it is working again! (BTW, key was in ACC mode).

The last few days, I have had to resort to opening the hood and tapping the motor each and everytime I wanted to have air conditioning blowing.


So, here's a video of me tapping the motor and you can hear it start up. What's your best guess as to the issue??

Do you think the Blower Motor is going bad or that the resistor on the blower motor is going bad??? I'll have to see about removing it all this weekend.




That resistor is not on the motor - it's in the air plenum. So if you tap on the motor and it starts, the motor is bad.
 



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That resistor is not on the motor - it's in the air plenum. So if you tap on the motor and it starts, the motor is bad.


Yep, it was the motor! :shifty:

...and 5 years later, I'm on the 2nd aftermarket motor....but she's still running ice cold & strong! ❄⛄🌬❄
 






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