heater motor

[Twistygit]

please could someone tell me or better a photo, where the heater motor is, and best way to get it out. thanks

[mattrosersv]

In passenger footwell on the left of your feet so...


When I did it..
Battery out
Heater pipes off (be ready to catch coolant, I managed to catch a bit in my face)
Peel back carpet, it should now be obvious to you the panel you need to remove with the connector on wires sticking put of it.
Cut around sealent fixing the whole panel inLocate most of the rivets burid in sealent and drill out.
Time to get violent! First lever the edges of the panel while waggling to break the seal. Jam fingers over the topof panel and waggle pull some more. It was a bit like trying to remove a loose tooth. Useful fact to know is at the heater pulls straight out sideways.

Your hand will now be scratched and sore, your hair will be wet with coolant, you will be dizzy and have a headache from operating upside down. The thing will still not be out.
At this point I got angry and attacked it will all my might and it pulled out sideways.

The motor is mounted on an upside down 'L' shape of fibreglass panel.

If I remember correctly the motor is from a mark 2 astra, but double check this.

I am afraid I have no photos but there are some threads on here somewhere with more info.

Good luck I don't envy you!

[Hedgehopper]

Don't know whether this will help you or confuse, but this Griff pic. is the nearest I've got. Chim. might be totally different!

(Ignore the red circle, that was for a previous post showing where the inertia switch is).

Hope it helps.

[Twistygit]

thanks for that description really looking forward to that now.
P.S. like the isolator switch was thinking of fitting one myself

[peaktorque]

That pic above shows no resemblance to a Chim fan I'm afraid. Maybe it is just the way I'm looking at it

The fan is situated in the N/S wing behind the side repeater if you like (my fan seized due to water leaking on to it from the seal becoming porous)

I managed to remove mine with the heater pipes still in situ... A pig of a job though, better keep a swear box near-by

[Twistygit]

why is everything a pig of a job

[over_the_hill]

What is the problem - has it stopped blowing.

If so it might not be the blower but the control box under the dash.

[Twistygit]

when i put on the fan it puts the batt. light on dim

[Twistygit]

Just removed heater motor today bench tested and its OK so that was a waste of time. So is the control unit a common fault and what tends to go wrong with them?

[peaktorque]

When you say bench tested it, have you carried out a RLA test (ampage)? Although if the running amps are excessive then the fuse will normally blow before putting excess strain on the alternator.

It would be worth checking the earth for the motor and/or run a new earth for testing purposes (you're next to the battery anyway in this case)

The motor control is nothing more elaborate than a Vauxhall Cavalier fan speed switch

[Twistygit]

Yeah tested off car seperate feed and amps were fine on all three speeds will look tomorrow at control unit but what normally goes wrong with them is it visual?
P.S. Peaktorque like your colour choice one of best I think, looks well with the head lights hopefully I get mine done soon.

Edited by Twistygit on Wednesday 1st February 20:31

[peaktorque]

Twistygit said:

Yeah tested off car seperate feed and amps were fine on all three speeds will look tomorrow at control unit but what normally goes wrong with them is it visual?
P.S. Peaktorque like your colour choice one of best I think, looks well with the head lights hopefully I get mine done soon.

Edited by Twistygit on Wednesday 1st February 20:31

It is just a multi stage switch, I can't really see it causing this problem as there is little chance of it shorting to earth and if the three speeds work, there isn't much else to go wrong. For what they cost you could swap it anyway just to rule it out.

I can't remember when I had mine out how the motor was earthed, but I would be inclined to add a new earth straight to the battery and see if the problem improves. Most electrical problems on these cars can be traced back to earthing issues.

Thanks for the comment on the car, the colour isn't my favourite but the lights I love. It needs respraying but can't decide whether to change or keep it this colour

[Twistygit]

peaktorque said:

It is just a multi stage switch, I can't really see it causing this problem as there is little chance of it shorting to earth and if the three speeds work, there isn't much else to go wrong. For what they cost you could swap it anyway just to rule it out.

I can't remember when I had mine out how the motor was earthed, but I would be inclined to add a new earth straight to the battery and see if the problem improves. Most electrical problems on these cars can be traced back to earthing issues.

Thanks for the comment on the car, the colour isn't my favourite but the lights I love. It needs respraying but can't decide whether to change or keep it this colour

I say that because mine is that colour I say keep it 1 of the best