2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission HVAC fan

[BEnglish]

My HVAC fan has been getting weaker and lately it has been periodically not working at all.

I am pretty sure I just need to replace the fan, and pretty much know what is involved in changing it.

But I was wondering

1. Is there anything else I should check first (relays, wiring, switch or something like that), or is it most likely going to be the fan? The truck came from Florida (I am guessing a lot of fan use) and has 250,000 mi. on it.

2. Since I will most likely need a replacement, do you have any suggestions of a good (mostly inexpensive) place to get one from?



Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Ben

 

[DonTX]

I thought mine was a goner too, but when I pulled it out, it had a batch of leaves in it. For sure when you pull the motor (real easy quick job) reach inside and see if you got leaves and trash in the compartment.

 

[wilsonsh]

I would think it was the switch or a relay if it works sometimes. Does it work in some positions and not others or some positions some days?



Otherwise, the fan would be making noise (bearings) or not work at all.



It really sounds like a relay problem to me but maybe someone has had experience with this.

 

[BigPapa]

Ben, I'm on my 4th with 300K miles but I run it on high almost constantly. When mine have failed you could whack it with a stick or something and it would kick on. Gets old quick. I've tried cheap ones from O'Reilly's but it didn't last 6 months. Best bang for the buck I've found are used ones from the junkyard.



Scott

 

[cuevas623]

well here is another question to go along with that one... I have a vibrating sound when I turn mine on high! is this the same problem maybe a bunch of junk and how do I get that thing abpart to get leaves out of it.

 

[BEnglish]

well here is another question to go along with that one... I have a vibrating sound when I turn mine on high! is this the same problem maybe a bunch of junk and how do I get that thing abpart to get leaves out of it.

Yes that is going to be your problem. It is super easy to take the fan off. All you need to do is look under the dash where the glove box is and there (on mine) were three 8mm bolts/screws that hold it up into the big air handler box.

I say that is going to be your problem because sure enough, I pulled mine off at lunch today and it was full of leaves and tree schmuts.

I cleaned out the fan itself and I could feel more in there that I just couldn’t get to. I will do a better job later, but I wanted to see if there was anything in there, and there was. It was also a little rusty.

Does anybody know what years are interchangeable with my ’98? Is it all the second gens and that is it, or are the new ones the same too. that way if i go the wrecking yard route, i will know what i am looking for.

 

[BigPapa]

To clean it out good, take your shop vac and duct tape a piece of heater hose or something to the end of the vac hose and stick it down in there to get the little stuff out of the bottom.



As far as what other models and years will work, I don't know, but I do know that any truck, gasser or diesel, 94-01, will work. There's lots of them in the junk yards. The plug may be different but a little soldering and shrink tube and it's all good.



Scott

 

[BEnglish]

Great! Thanks for the reply. Just what I needed to know.