My heater motor works about 1/2 the time. Codes say the motor is pulling too much current. Not certain why that would make it not work part of the time? At any rate, my local shop (not dealer) wants $500 to replace. I found a motor for $92 on line without the fan blades. I've read on the forum, they are pressed on, but I certain I can get the old ones off and re-pressed onto the new motor. However, the shop says the fan will be out of balance if I do that. Thoughts? The whole blower motor assembly is $195.

 

Sounds like someone wants $500.

The motor is balanced and the squire cage is balanced. You can do it.

 

Yeah .. that's what I thought. I've put hundreds of pulleys on motors, pumps, engines, etc. and have never had a balance problem. Just wondering if someone did have one, exactly how would they balance the motor/squirrelcage? They have a balancing machine and balance weights?

 

When I removed mine I used two 2x4s to prop up the the squire cage and taped the motor drive shaft out. On mine there was a small metal clip attached to the blade for ballancing. You will need to assemble and then run to check the ballance just keep moving the clip till you get it right.

 

The likely reason it works half the time is the bearings are starting to go out and cause it to drag. That creates more resistance and the motor has to work harder (higher amps) to spin. Spin when it can that is. Change it soon or it can take out the blower motor resistor as the resistor isn't made to handle the higher load.

Unless something changed drastically lately this balance thing isn't even a question. I've worked in shops since the seventies, no one balances fan motor squirrel cages that I know of. The question has never even come up before. Every technician I've worked with including me just moves it over to the new motor and you're done. I've never had a complaint or come back on this nor have I ever seen anyone else with one.
Think about it. What is changing in the weight of the blower cage? The only thing to be worried about is breaking it.
Better yet, buy one with the cage on.

 

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the help. It's hard to make myself pay an extra $100 (more than the motor) for the squirrelcage. it feels like I can drive that cage off and then on the new one without breaking it. Odd .. this volvo shop has been so great, honest, fair. love them. just can't pony up the $500.

 

You can also get one off rockauto.com for 62 bucks new with the squirrel cage.

RockAuto Parts Catalog

 

When I did mine I was able to pull it off by hand. It was not super tight. Its been a couple years but i seem to remember clips on the fins for balance. Just dont mess with them and you should be fine.

 

Cool! I used to get stuff at rockauto all the time and completely forgot about them! thanks.

 

Opps, I forgot all about the ones I've seen with those metal balance clips !! You don't see them very often lately. I think they have the injection molding process down now where they hold a better tolerance.

 

I sent email to the manufacturer for the rockauto part asking about their warranty. Their warranty says "This warranty applies only to those products which have been installed in accordance with accepted industry standards by a recognized service dealer and certified technician". So, no real warranty if I install it?

 

That is the trade off from the 130 dollar Autozone, Oreilly, Carquest part and Rock. Autozone is lifetime, Oreilly is 1 year and they are both VDO with the same part number !!
I know because I bought the Oreilly one before I saw the better warranty at the zone.

 

Make sure your ground is good, too. This is common on older cars.
Ed