Re: Heater motor...

["Daegrigg (Don)" <daegrigg@domain.elided>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Witek" <pwitek@domain.elided>
To: <alfa@domain.elided>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 9:19 PM
Subject: Heater motor...


> Well, I'm sure this approach will draw some criticism, but bear in mind I
was a poor college student at the time.
>
> When the heater fan motor in my 81 Spider was found to be a solid lump of
rust, I too balked at the high price of a replacement.  "This is a freakin'
electric motor", I thought, "how special can it be?"  So I paid a visit to a
cousin and her husband who had inherited a whole stack of unknown auto parts
that were left behind when they bought their house.
>
> I chose a motor that was approximately the right size, diameter-wise, and
had the same shaft diameter as the original. It was a bit longer, so I had
to cut a hole in the bottom of the heater box, and "massage" the
transmission tunnel a tiny bit with a hammer for clearance.
>
> The motor was a snug fit into the heater box, and I secured it with a
little epoxy.
>
> The upside to this approach was twofold:  1) it cost me a few dollars for
a tube of JB Weld, as opposed to $100+ for an original motor, and 2) the
replacement fan must've been from a freakin' school bus, because that sucker
put out the air!  No problem at all defrosting the windshield.
>
> So, my advice?  The heater motor can probably be substituted with one from
a lesser make (at a lesser price) without negatively impacting the inherent
value of a Spider.  Stop by your friendly auto parts store during a slow
time, and see if you can find something that'll work.  You could, I suppose,
use a used motor like I did, but knowing what a pain it is to get the heater
out, you probably would do well to use a new one.
>
> YMMV, etc. etc.
>
> - Paul Witek
>
Jim's spider page has a useful alternative that worked on my 86 Graduate.
Copious amounts of wd40 or Silicon lubircant while turning the fan manually
works.  It may require a day to sit and a second manual manipulation.  Put
fan on high setting and help it along manually when it starts to run.
Worked for me.

Don


>
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