Heater

[hudo12]

So for the past several days I have searched the archives for my question, UTL. Is there a check or trouble shoot list for me to do before I attempt to yank my heater box out? I have a 76 02, bought it about 6 months ago. When I turn the controls on their is no response or  noise, no fan movement, nada. Any suggestions?

[Schnellvintage]

Most likely the fan motor has seized. A very common problem, since the motor is exposed to the elements. You also check the fuses, however, I’m betting it’s seized.
Solution: try to use an electric cleaner or De-oxit along with some oil cleaner lube like Triflow or Breakfree on the shift bushings

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mike Self]

Heater fan troubleshoot 101:

1. check fuse
2. turn fan on high, then check for voltage at the motor--voltmeter applied to the two terminals on the motor. If there's power, then the fan switch and wiring are good.  If no power...
3. crawl under the dash and use fine sandpaper or emery cloth to clean the contacts on the fan blower switch.  The brass contacts are out in the open air and build up corrosion.  Once they're clean, again check for voltage at the motor--put switch on high to bypass the resistor pack--if there's voltage but still no blower...
4. With the fan switch on high, use your finger or a small screwdriver to try and turn the fan by hand.  Sometimes a little help--and some oil on the commutator (upper) end of the armature and a little manual encouragement will get the fan moving.  If not...it may be heater removal/dismantle time.  Lotsa tutorials on the FAQ for that project...

As an aside--when you examine the two motor brushes (where the terminals are located) and find they are deformed or melted, then you may be SOL.  That means someone turned the heater blower on and the fan didn't move, causing heat buildup that melted the brush holders before the fuse blew.

 

Let us know whatcha find...  

 

mike

[hudo12]

This is great, you guys on this forum are awesome to take the time and explain things. I am by no mean a mechanic, I just want to learn and see if I can do it myself. Thanks again!

[ray_]

Howdy,

 

You have read the tech article on heater box refurb,right?

 

Cheers,

[hudo12]

54 minutes ago, ray_ said:

Howdy,

 

You have read the tech article on heater box refurb,right?

 

Cheers,

Yes, but wanted to see if I could make sure it wasn’t something I could do or test, before yanking the unit out. 

aTm? 

[NYNick]

Have you purchased your anti-depressants yet?

[ray_]

2 minutes ago, NYNick said:

Have you purchased your anti-depressants yet?

It''s really not that bad a job.The SECOND time

 

hudo, get a rivet gun,etc, and maybe new heater hoses and clamps. Some washers to put behind the rivets, and maybe some epoxy ?

 

And some 3M strip calk.
 

Cheers,

['76mintgrün'02]

 

 

Tri-Flow loosened mine up, when it was having trouble. 

 

Weed eater fuel line between plastic straws allows you to squirt it with minimal mess.

 

Another fun trick is to melt the tip of the little straw, so it droops into a ninety degree bend; for those extra-hard-to-reach places.  

 

I give the bushings a squirt every couple years.

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by '76mintgrün'02

[Dudeland]

3 hours ago, ray_ said:

It''s really not that bad a job.The SECOND time

 

hudo, get a rivet gun,etc, and maybe new heater hoses and clamps. Some washers to put behind the rivets, and maybe some epoxy ?

 

And some 3M strip calk.
 

Cheers,

I just finished refurbing my heater box and in the process discovered JB weld for plastic.  It seems a little bit more flexible than standard epoxy, which is my usual go-to. 

 

[wegweiser]

i recommend you take a long slender screwdriver and see if the fan blades move ***BEFORE*** laying 12 volts on that circuit. A seized motor could very well zorch your wiring before the fuse blows. Melted wiring would make a miserable heater repair job even worse. 

 

Be smart.

 

And in reference to "being smart"....don't do what I did: DON'T Spray a bunch of flammable lubricant on the fan while the switch is on, and then create a spark by wiggling the wires with your finger while your face is cozied right up next to it, on the top of the firewall. You'll lose some eyebrows. You'll feel dumb. Trust me.   

[hudo12]

12 hours ago, wegweiser said:

i recommend you take a long slender screwdriver and see if the fan blades move ***BEFORE*** laying 12 volts on that circuit. A seized motor could very well zorch your wiring before the fuse blows. Melted wiring would make a miserable heater repair job even worse. 

 

Be smart.

 

And in reference to "being smart"....don't do what I did: DON'T Spray a bunch of flammable lubricant on the fan while the switch is on, and then create a spark by wiggling the wires with your finger while your face is cozied right up next to it, on the top of the firewall. You'll lose some eyebrows. You'll feel dumb. Trust me.   

I was able to get my finger tot he fan blade last night. The blade moved ( Barely ) I had to force it to pretty hard and it only moved a small amount. At this point, I think I am going to just remove the box and dig into it. its just funny how I hear not one bit of noise when I turn the fan on. I even tried the air condition and I get the same results. And I changed all the fuse when I first bought the car. ANd re checked them and all is good there. Oh, now that I am typing, do you know if there is a relay for  the a/c? and if so, where might it be located. Thanks...

[wegweiser]

I bet if you lubricate it with some spray stuff / penetrating oil and gently move it back and forth for about 15 minutes, you have a very good chance of bringing it back to life without spending 11+ hours taking the whole thing apart.

 

That's what I'd do.... in my 30+ years of 2002 silliness, I've had very good luck with saving these without complete disassembly. 

 

Relay for the AC is usually on the passenger side of the engine bay - and I think it's for the aux electric fan in front of the radiator. Rob Siegel is the AC guru... he'll be able to offer you more info than I can on that specific stuff. I pitch the AC on all my cars.

Edited March 8, 2019 by wegweiser

[hudo12]

18 minutes ago, wegweiser said:

I bet if you lubricate it with some spray stuff / penetrating oil and gently move it back and forth for about 15 minutes, you have a very good chance of bringing it back to life without spending 11+ hours taking the whole thing apart.

 

That's what I'd do.... in my 30+ years of 2002 silliness, I've had very good luck with saving these without complete disassembly. 

 

Relay for the AC is usually on the passenger side of the engine bay - and I think it's for the aux electric fan in front of the radiator. Rob Siegel is the AC guru... he'll be able to offer you more info than I can on that specific stuff. I pitch the AC on all my cars.

Yes, from what i am reading they (a/c) are pretty much useful, doesn't really keep the car cool. but its already there, and I'd like to try it before I get rid of it, ya know? 

[Conserv]

30 minutes ago, hudo12 said:

Yes, from what i am reading they (a/c) are pretty much useful, doesn't really keep the car cool. but its already there, and I'd like to try it before I get rid of it, ya know? 

 

But assume, at minimum, that the A/C system needs a recharge. And it probably needs a recharge because of a leak. And without fixing the leak, and recharging it, you're not going to develop a very clear picture of what '02 A/C is capable of... ?

 

I’m not saying that ‘02 A/C is great, no, far from it. But working properly, it can make a big difference as to when you are comfortable driving your car.

 

Like the heater box, it's a bit of a slippery slope. Besides the auxiliary fan relay that Paul (@wegweiser) noted, some Behr A/C cars have a relay for the heater blower that is wired into the A/C system. These relays are under the dashboard. See the Behr A/C Installation Instructions and Replacement Parts brochures for more info (hint: there are two wiring diagrams).

 

http://www.2002tii.org/kb/150

 

Mike S. (@mike) additionally reports that his Frigiking-equipped '02 has a relay for the compressor. I'm only familiar with the Behr and Clardy units, neither of which has a relay for the compressor.

 

All in all, simply buy a copy of Rob Siegel's excellent book on automotive air conditioning, Just Needs a Recharge!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Conserv