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| Blower Motor Resistor - Really stupid questions (Page 1/2) |
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Akheron
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MAY 06, 05:22 PM
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My 87 GT had a small fire in the evaporator core due to the blower motor resistor igniting what apparently was a mouse nest. I discovered this when I was changing the evaporator core last summer after pulling it out of storage. Luckily, the fire flamed out quickly and didn't burn the car or the house down, but it was a fire nonetheless, and it was hot enough for long enough that it melted the evaporator core cover, making a quarter size hole in the bottom of the cover. So this year, I've asked the storage facility to unplug the resistor before starting the car, so I can get it home and scope the evaporator core area with a camera. My stupid questions are as follows:
1.) Will this cause any problems that would make you NOT unplug the resistor prior to driving it home?
2.) What does the resistor control? Fan speed only? Are there other functions that need this resistor?
3.) While the resistor is unplugged, I simply won't have a functioning blower motor, correct? But I will still be able to heat the interior just from "blow by" through the vents, right?
Sorry for the elementary questions, but I just want to make sure that I don't do something with the best of intentions, and really screw myself.
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Gall757
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MAY 06, 06:59 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Akheron:
1.) Will this cause any problems that would make you NOT unplug the resistor prior to driving it home? |
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It will work, but it's not necessary. If the heater is off, the resistor will not get hot.
| quote | | 2.) What does the resistor control? Fan speed only? Are there other functions that need this resistor? |
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Fan speed only...and only the lower speeds. The high speed does not use the resistor.
| quote | | 3.) While the resistor is unplugged, I simply won't have a functioning blower motor, correct? But I will still be able to heat the interior just from "blow by" through the vents, right? |
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There would be no air movement through the heater core...it will not heat the interior.[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 05-06-2020).]
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cvxjet
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MAY 06, 07:14 PM
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You can disconnect the heater fan resistor plug when it is stored.....Before driving it, simply pull the resistor pack out and look inside. If you see anything then drive home with it unplugged.
I actually am curious about how mice can get in there; Do they only come in thru the vent at the base of the windshield or can they climb in thru the water drains? I have personally never experienced this problem- My car was parked outside for it's first 20 years but since has been in the garage. The foam around my hood latch is intact....that was the only place I could see them getting in......
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wftb
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MAY 06, 08:18 PM
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I usually clean the mice out by pulling out the blower assembly. But on my car they get in because the grill at the base of the windshield doesn't always sit flat and there are gaps too. So they can squirm in there. I have a small chunk of mouse poison in the front trunk. They go in there first because they can smell the poison. There is a gap in the otherwise pristine front trunk rubber seal. They get in to the trunk that way. The poison keeps them out, no more nests now. ------------------
86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo
rear SLA suspension
QA1 coilovers on tube arms
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fierofool
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MAY 06, 08:51 PM
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Gall757, wouldn't the mixer door still operate? If it does, there may be some air flow through when the car is moving and the Vent button is activated.
If the cowl vent cover isn't warped, about the only place mice can get into the hvac ductwork is through the drain hoses on each side. Even with a car that's a daily driver, small leaves, tassels from trees and the like can pass between the windshield and the cowl cover and make their way into the ductwork. From time to time, I have Maple seeds, pine tree tassles and needles and some small leaves that will pop out of my dash vents. It's a good idea to make it a yearly thing to clean out the fan cage and the resistor pack area.
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David Hambleton
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MAY 06, 09:06 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Akheron:
3.) While the resistor is unplugged, I simply won't have a functioning blower motor, correct? But I will still be able to heat the interior just from "blow by" through the vents, right? |
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The resistors slow the fan speed at other than high speed setting; the top speed should still function.
If the fan is off, the designed air exchange will occur when the car is moving, so heat will enter the cabin.[This message has been edited by David Hambleton (edited 05-06-2020).]
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Gall757
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MAY 06, 09:32 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by fierofool:
Gall757, wouldn't the mixer door still operate? If it does, there may be some air flow through when the car is moving and the Vent button is activated.
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Yeah...some air flow would happen with the car in motion; probably need to get up to about 85mph tho...  Using the high position on the fan knob would work better (with no resistors operating).
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theogre
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MAY 07, 01:32 AM
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Quick is just pull the resistor to look or clean that...
Best and easy to clean the whole area is to pull the blower so you see better etc.
See http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/141959.html
You don't actually put you face is there but any smallish camera will show you.
If have mice...
Do Not use a vacuum cleaner. Not even ones claiming has "HEPA" filters.
Wear gloves and clean carefully so you does get mice crap etc in the air and contaminate a garage or worse a house. Put this trash in own bag too.
Mice et al carry germs that can kill you way before CCPvirus currently making problems.
Often this can depend just where you live but most can tell so just be careful.------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)
The Ogre's Fiero Cave
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Romsk
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NOV 30, 04:53 PM
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I can see a nest under the mesh in the my Wiper Cowell. I am going to remove the Cowell, Blower, and Resistor, clean it all out then put 1/4 inch steel mesh over the air input port so mice can't get into the HVAC system. Then, under the car where the windshield drains empty out, I am putting steel mesh over those openings to keep mice out of the tubes. My mechanic will clean them during my yearly state vehicle inspection.
I put mesh over the coil and alternator cooling tube outlets and on the associative fan inlet port in the frame (located inside the rear trunk). I also took out the trunk liner and put mesh over all the frame holes in the trunk area just in case. I also have mesh inside the air intake scoop that I check weekly. I am going to put mesh bent into a lazy L shape around the front and rear trunk seals that just touch the lids when closed - making an outter fence around the rubber seals to keep mice away from them. I put removable mesh around the air cleaner to wheel well fire wall area to keep mice from making nests there - they like that cozy spot - ate through my IAT Senor wires but I now have steel braid over those wires.
Mice get under my doors and hang out in that long/flat/tight area but they don't get in the car. I made winter door jam rubber seals that I tuck into the all the gaps on both doors and I made wire mesh covers (coated in thick rubber paint) that go over the side mirrors.
Mice can now only get into the engine compartment and front area around the lights and radiator. Checking them is now simply lifing both hoods and a visual inspection without needing to remove anything (except anything mice have left behind). Keeping mice out of the cabin is paramount.
Next year I am building a 1/4 inch steel mesh cage for my Fiero just like the one that I built for my Benz. It works great, I have cameras on it, mice can't get/chew through the mesh or crawl under the cage frame, only baby garden snakes can get in but they stay on the floor. It only takes 5 minutes to dismantle the cage with 16 wing nuts. I will post photos if anyone want to see what I did to keep mice out 100% during the winter storage.
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Paul Romsky[This message has been edited by Romsk (edited 11-30-2022).]
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fierofool
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NOV 30, 05:22 PM
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Romsk, mice can still get into the system via the rubber drain hoses on each end of the cowl.
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