scrivyscriv
Active Member
- Joined
- June 1, 2008
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- City, State
- Memphis, TN
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 02 Ranger XLT 2WD auto
If you've done your research and found that you need (or might need) to replace your blower motor and/or resistor, this is a step-by-step pictorial guide to remove and replace both.
You'll first need to remove the air cleaner housing - the top half is held in place with two straight-slot screws. Remove these two screws and loosen the clamps on both ends of the snorkel pipe running from the air cleaner to the throttle body. Remove the upper half of the air cleaner housing and push it out of the way. Next you'll remove the lower air cleaner housing. It's held in place by one screw and a lower air intake snorkel. Remove both and pull the lower air cleaner housing out.
You now have access to the blower motor and resistor. Disconnect the two-wire wire harness connected to the blower motor and move the harness out of the way. There is a rubber hose at the base of the motor, connected to the air plenum, and is held in place on the motor by an integral rubber band. Slide the band off and pop the hose out of its hole on the motor. The blower motor is held in place with three 5/16" screws, of which the top screw also holds the bracket for the motor wire harness. A 1/4" drive socket set and short extension are very handy at this point. Remove the three screws and pull the blower motor out and slightly up, to clear the power distribution/relay box in front of it. My fan was held in place with a clip; yours may have a clamp. Remove the clip/clamp from the motor shaft and pull (with even pressure, to avoid distorting or breaking anything) the fan straight up. You may find it helpful to put a drop or two of penetrating lube on the shaft first.
If you are replacing the resistor, now is the best time to reach it while you have easy access. It is mounted on the evaporator shroud, on driver's left of the blower motor, in the immediate proximity, and held in place with two 5/16" screws. Don't try to remove the wire harness at this point; it is most likely stuck in place and hard to remove without damaging the connector. Remove the two screws and pull the resistor pack straight back. You might need a couple of screwdrivers to pry up on the tabs of the harness: it's a little tricky.
Location of the resistor.
Old resistor on left, new on right.
Lightly coat the wire harness terminals with dielectric grease to ensure a a safe, cool connection. This is where you don't want any extra resistance; a poor connection could burn out your harness plug or the resistor pack.
Install the new resistor pack (it is installable in only one direction, so if the holes don't line up then turn it around) and screw it in place. You may wish to keep the harness unplugged until you have installed the blower motor, if you removed it.
This is what you should have at this point:
Install the old fan onto the new blower motor shaft, making sure it seats correctly on the D-shaped shaft. Clip/clamp the fan in place, also ensuring the clip/clamp is firmly in place. Angle the blower motor downward and ease it into the plenum. Before screwing the motor in place, check to make sure the cooling port is facing the cooling hose. Screw the motor in place, reattaching the harness bracket and cooling hose. Apply a light coat of dielectric grease to the terminals to ensure a good connection - the wire harness carries plenty of amps to heat up and catch fire if there's a loose or bad connection.
Re-use the harness plastic bracket if possible, attached with a snap-type clip to the connector.
A zip-tie will hold the new motor wire harness to the bracket very nicely. Check all your connections and make sure your fan is operating at all speeds. Everything else is easily re-installed from here. Hope this helps!
Sorry for the huge pictures!!!! I know it's a pain to anyone not on DSL but I can't re-size them too well!
You'll first need to remove the air cleaner housing - the top half is held in place with two straight-slot screws. Remove these two screws and loosen the clamps on both ends of the snorkel pipe running from the air cleaner to the throttle body. Remove the upper half of the air cleaner housing and push it out of the way. Next you'll remove the lower air cleaner housing. It's held in place by one screw and a lower air intake snorkel. Remove both and pull the lower air cleaner housing out.
You now have access to the blower motor and resistor. Disconnect the two-wire wire harness connected to the blower motor and move the harness out of the way. There is a rubber hose at the base of the motor, connected to the air plenum, and is held in place on the motor by an integral rubber band. Slide the band off and pop the hose out of its hole on the motor. The blower motor is held in place with three 5/16" screws, of which the top screw also holds the bracket for the motor wire harness. A 1/4" drive socket set and short extension are very handy at this point. Remove the three screws and pull the blower motor out and slightly up, to clear the power distribution/relay box in front of it. My fan was held in place with a clip; yours may have a clamp. Remove the clip/clamp from the motor shaft and pull (with even pressure, to avoid distorting or breaking anything) the fan straight up. You may find it helpful to put a drop or two of penetrating lube on the shaft first.
If you are replacing the resistor, now is the best time to reach it while you have easy access. It is mounted on the evaporator shroud, on driver's left of the blower motor, in the immediate proximity, and held in place with two 5/16" screws. Don't try to remove the wire harness at this point; it is most likely stuck in place and hard to remove without damaging the connector. Remove the two screws and pull the resistor pack straight back. You might need a couple of screwdrivers to pry up on the tabs of the harness: it's a little tricky.
Location of the resistor.
Old resistor on left, new on right.
Lightly coat the wire harness terminals with dielectric grease to ensure a a safe, cool connection. This is where you don't want any extra resistance; a poor connection could burn out your harness plug or the resistor pack.
Install the new resistor pack (it is installable in only one direction, so if the holes don't line up then turn it around) and screw it in place. You may wish to keep the harness unplugged until you have installed the blower motor, if you removed it.
This is what you should have at this point:
Install the old fan onto the new blower motor shaft, making sure it seats correctly on the D-shaped shaft. Clip/clamp the fan in place, also ensuring the clip/clamp is firmly in place. Angle the blower motor downward and ease it into the plenum. Before screwing the motor in place, check to make sure the cooling port is facing the cooling hose. Screw the motor in place, reattaching the harness bracket and cooling hose. Apply a light coat of dielectric grease to the terminals to ensure a good connection - the wire harness carries plenty of amps to heat up and catch fire if there's a loose or bad connection.
Re-use the harness plastic bracket if possible, attached with a snap-type clip to the connector.
A zip-tie will hold the new motor wire harness to the bracket very nicely. Check all your connections and make sure your fan is operating at all speeds. Everything else is easily re-installed from here. Hope this helps!
Sorry for the huge pictures!!!! I know it's a pain to anyone not on DSL but I can't re-size them too well!
