1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Fan problem (Heater/AIrCOn)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 24, 2005 | 09:15 PM
  #1  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
Fan problem (Heater/AIrCOn)

So my fan isn't working, and I used my ohmeter and tested the switch like the haynes manual told me to do and my switch works, and my fuse is not blown. Do any of you guys know how I can fix my fan? I would like to be able to use my defroster thing, cuz my windows are hard to see through
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 12:41 AM
  #2  
SparkienSuggah's Avatar
buzzzzz!-ook!-buzzzzz!
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Toronto/Can.
well, first let me hate on you for living in cali and not NEEDing defrost the way we canucks NEED defrost.. ever seen an ice scraper in your lifetime? (im just ribbin ya a little)

now that the h8ing is done yo, your blower is shot if and only if it does not work on full speed
full speed operation means the resistor is shot - just ask later
no operation: remove the blower motor (right above the passengers feet) and see if attaching it directly to the battery with two wires (clip leads are perfect for this) makes it fly.. if it DOES it will kick like an angry horse, so hold it steady. if it does, i lied and your wiring is shot.

if it doesnt: theres only one failue mode for a fixed magnet DC motor (well, actually two) and thats the brushes. the motor will come apart like a clamshell after removing some long set screws. the brushes will most likely be worn down to nubs, and the commutator may be scored. get new brushes from an electric supply store and clean the commutator with sandpaper. re-assemble.

the easy way: get another from a wrecker.. even check other mazda vehicles form the same time period.. even if the blower shells arent the same,. the brushes will most likely be. swap brush boards if the shells dont match.
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 04:56 AM
  #3  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
I blew a lot of fuses and stuff when my electrical system got shorted. Could I have just messed up my resistor? How do I check that?
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 05:11 AM
  #4  
kenn_chan's Avatar
Savanna Rx-7
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,577
Likes: 12
From: yokosuka japan
Originally Posted by DwArF
So my fan isn't working, and I used my ohmeter and tested the switch like the haynes manual told me to do and my switch works, and my fuse is not blown. Do any of you guys know how I can fix my fan? I would like to be able to use my defroster thing, cuz my windows are hard to see through
D,

more than likely the resitor pad is burned out. there is a 3 wire ressistor pack that is bolted into the fan case with 2 small screws. they use high resistance wires to vary the speed of the fan. useually the low fan speed burns out first, then the upper speeds burn out next.

to fix it you have to replace the entire resistor pack. it is very easy just look in the manual.

kenn
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 10:02 AM
  #5  
bliffle's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
From: SF BayArea
Yeah, there's a resistor made of nichrome wire coils above the fan motor, and that can blow out, as it did on my 83. Incidentally, I got the replacement (for pennies) from that Pick 'n Pull in Newark on Mowry near where you live. There were about 5 wrecks sitting there last month, and I think Ford uses the same item in the escort, if you have trouble.

You need that fan motor working, even in CA, because otherwise the windshield will be hopelessly fogged during the winter rainy season. That fan draws a lot of current: I blew a 25 amp fuse last week. I think part of the problem is the high resistance of those damn contacts for the blade fuses, so that the fuse material actually melts from the heat of the resistance not the current going thru it. I actually had to replace some of the copper prongs a couple years ago: you can replace some sets of prongs in that fusebox, which is a heck of a lot easier than replacing the whole fusebox.
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 12:48 PM
  #6  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
So its on the passenger side of the car?
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 06:15 PM
  #7  
Ctrl's Avatar
My other car is a TVR
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Could be brushes too.... was the cause of two toyota fan failures I've experienced.
Reply
Old Nov 25, 2005 | 08:00 PM
  #8  
bliffle's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
From: SF BayArea
The fan is on the right (passenger) side and the fusebox is on the left. Both are pretty obvious. As I recall you undo 3 little cap screws to drop the fan: childs play.
Reply
Old Nov 26, 2005 | 11:44 AM
  #9  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
My dash is already out. I've conquered the hard.
Reply
Old Nov 26, 2005 | 05:52 PM
  #10  
nickj's Avatar
Full Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: San Ramon, CA
Okay, bliffle, first I've heard of a resistor thing for the fan. I've got third and top speeds, nothing one 1 and 2. Where exactly is this resistor pack?
Reply
Old Dec 7, 2005 | 08:24 PM
  #11  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
Ok, So I still have my dash out and i was driving home last night. And all of a sudden i seen a blue spark, where my console would be, and all of a sudden my fan started working, then it stopped, sparked again and started blowing, then stopped.

In the morning I looked @ all the loose wires and tried to see what could have made it start working again but i didn't. I connected all of the wires to each wire to see if it would work and im stumped. i wanna put my dash back in but not until i have my defroster.
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2005 | 01:50 AM
  #12  
bliffle's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
From: SF BayArea
As i recall it's all pretty simple and obvious. You just undo 3 obvious screws and undo an obvious electrical connector, the fan drops out and the nichrome coils are exposed.
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2005 | 03:00 AM
  #13  
FB II's Avatar
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,192
Likes: 0
From: wishing i was back in FL
well ****, i'll go with this thread instead of my "wire up heater blower" one. so by dropping the blower motor i can hot wire it to work?
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2005 | 02:34 PM
  #14  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
How did mine work for a second then stop? Is there more than the plug into the **** for it to work? THe control with hi med low off
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2005 | 07:09 PM
  #15  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY


To get my AC blower to work I need to have that little tab touching part of the logicon switch.
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2005 | 07:21 PM
  #16  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
What is this tab supposed to be connected to?
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2005 | 01:01 PM
  #17  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
Originally Posted by DwArF
What is this tab supposed to be connected to?
bump
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2005 | 06:03 PM
  #18  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY


Anyone know where this goes? MY ac motor only works if this tab touches the actual controls, but there isn't a place for it
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2005 | 08:07 PM
  #19  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
Uh, it goes on the Ciggarette lighter, but when its connected to that my blower motor doesn't work. maybe i should just solder it to some metal on the ac control?
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2005 | 08:09 PM
  #20  
kenn_chan's Avatar
Savanna Rx-7
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,577
Likes: 12
From: yokosuka japan
Originally Posted by DwArF
Uh, it goes on the Ciggarette lighter, but when its connected to that my blower motor doesn't work. maybe i should just solder it to some metal on the ac control?
\


hopefully a lesson was learned, mark your wiring and hoses when dissasembling.

kenn
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2005 | 08:31 PM
  #21  
DwArF's Avatar
Thread Starter
vrrmmmmm
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: BAY
Originally Posted by kenn_chan
\


hopefully a lesson was learned, mark your wiring and hoses when dissasembling.

kenn
I found out where those 3 wires go. THe black one goes on the bottom of the ciggarette lighter, the red one goes on the top and the blue goes in the middle. but my ac motor still no worky
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jeff20B
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
73
Sep 16, 2018 07:16 PM
imitek
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
9
Oct 18, 2015 03:35 PM
The1Sun
New Member RX-7 Technical
5
Sep 15, 2015 04:45 PM
Blastfastrotary
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
6
Sep 11, 2015 12:26 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:31 AM.