Do these cars typically have relatively loud fans?


I don't really think the blower is going out, but I am surprised at how noisy it is. Just loud fan blower noisy, no squeaks or death rattles to suggest the bearings are failing. It has a very efficient heater.


I've read the process for replacing the blower, I'm not sure that I need heat that bad if it goes out. If the blower isn't usually noticeable though, I suppose I should start preparing myself for the inevitable.

 

Hard to say how loud is loud, but 240 heaters are not the quietest. I'd just use it the minimum, only when you really have to, and at low speed--this will delay the "inevitable". On the other hand you never know how long it will last.

 

Mine is loud. I mean, LOUD. But works fine on all settings. Of course I come from Mitsubishi, who make the quietest blower motors on earth.

 

if its loud, the blower motor bearings are likely toast. 240 blowers are a pain th get at to replace, its almost like they started with the blower motor and built the whole car around it.

fwiw, the 740/940 blowers are a lot quieter, and also a lot easier to access.

 

Can they be modified to fit?

 

no, the 740/940 HVAC is completely different. 240 blower is in the center behind the console, on a 7/9, its on the far right, behind the glovebox.

 

I've always owned Toyotas and the fans were very quiet at the lower settings, so I'm not sure if I have a bad one, or Volvos are just noisier.

 

Describe "Loud." Like loud screeching? Loud scraping? Loud air whooshing? Loud humming? 7xx series HVAC system totally different, came from GM, so, not the greatest either.

 

With the original factory blower, working properly, it should not be audible when set to 1 position. On 2, you will be able to hear it if the engine is not running. On 3 & 4 you should be able to hear it when driving. For years I thought mine wasn't working when on the 1 setting cause I never could hear it. When it finally went out and I replaced with a new VDO unit, I can hear it on all settings. Sounds like a small buzzing when on the 1 setting. This leads me to believe the replacements are not as quiet as the originals. Perhaps yours has been replaced already.

 

On 1, it is almost like a rattle. I can hear it with the engine running, but not highly noticeable except when stopped. I tend to find myself trying to figure out what is rattling when stopped at a stoplight or similar and then realize the blower is on.


2 is noticeable, moving or stopped, 3 or 4 is a very noticeable woosh (fan sound).


No squeeling, or clacking or other imminent demise noises. I've had a fan go out on a car before and it was pretty clear it was not long for this world.



Sounds like I'm ok, or at worst in the first stages of doom. Probably just not as quiet as the Toyotas I'm used to.


Thanks, I think after reading the horror stories about fan replacement I was psyching myself out a little.

 

the rattle suggests there might be something bouncing around in there.

2 is a noticeable whoosh, 3-4 is a loud whoosh on our 1987 240, has been like that since new. by comparision, I can barely hear my 740 fan on 3 or 4, and its not that loud on 5.

 

The blower motor has plain oilite bronze bearings. When these bearings are new the bearings have oil in the "pores" of the bronze. Over time the oil goes away. On the setting of 1 it often makes a noise because the bearing is dry and the shaft is sticking and slipping. You can learn more about it here: Stick-slip phenomenon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . On setting 2 and 3, the shaft is moving faster and tends to avoid this or the frequency is moved higher. I am not sure. It may be time to try to get some oil back into these bushings.

Here is a link to the drill and squirt method: blarf.homeip.net: Volvo 240/260 Frequently Asked Questions: Blower Motor

Let us know what you decide to do and how things work out.

 

Is it hard to relace/fix this on a 1995 850? Mine was squeaky at time but now roars. Of course the cold weather is hitting us now in dec. in N.S.
Roberta

 

I don't know how much expertise on the 850 you're going to find on this forum as it is for the 240/740/940. Try posting on the 850 forum.

 

act1292 is correct but I give you this...