Brat Blower Motor Relay~Problem solved!

[Bratmobile]

Ok~ended up doing trial and error on the Blower Motor relay location in an 86 Brat. I removed every relay behind the fuse box in the Brat one at a time to see what was affected.Results: found the relay for the headlights , (2 relays for that) the turn signals, the seatbelt warning lights, the intermittant wipers. And found no other relays there. So I went back under the hood & looked back where I started. I had one good/new square type relay that I switched out for the 3 available one at a time.The photos show what ended up being the relay for the blower motor~ it's a regular square type, actually pretty easy to find at a parts store. The fan works at all speeds now.First time in over two months~ I'm so happy!!

[Bratmobile]

Oh~ and thanks to GLoyale for the help.  Getting a handle on the correct diagnosis was tough but you helped me through it.Thank you!!

[Bratmobile]

Started putting the dash back together and double checked the fan midway~Worked for about 3 seconds then off again!! :banghead:I'm guessing some type of short to make the new relay work and then cut out.

I'll keep you posted.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Maybe the "New" Relay isn't good?    

 

I've seen many New Cheapo Relays that comes bad out from their Boxes.

 

I Suggest you to Try with a Bosch...

 

But also Be Sure that Power gets to the Relay all the Time when Key is in "On" Position.

 

There "could" be some kind of Power Cutoff while A/C (and thus the engine) isn't Running, Depending on the A/C wirings.

 

Kind Regards.

[Gloyale]

That's not the blower relay.  It just isn't.  It can't be?

 

Brat's without A/C don't even have those relays there.  And honestly, those don't look like Factory FHI relays...more like an aftermarket or at least a Dealer installed A/C kit.  Looking closely at the pic I can see A/C high side pline is wrong type to be factory either.  Those relays are part of the A/C kit.

 

Now those relays are tied to the blower circuit, so perhaps a backfeed provided power.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Gloyale

[Gloyale]

I just checked my 86 Brat and my 84 wagon and neither has ANY relays in that location but both have working fans.

[Gloyale]

Let's start over. 

 

Do you have 12v on the GW wire at the fan with key on? Yes---it's not the relay anyhow.  problem would be on the ground side....check the switches and resistor pack.

 

 

No-----Provide 12v to the GW wire at the fan.

 

Now turn on the blower with the switch,  does it work?  if yes the Switch and resistor pack are good.

 

You could then simply add a relay to provide power the GW wire.  Or find the relay.....it's definately in the instrument panel wireing....shown in the FSM with 4 wires, square connector, most likely a round relay, but definately a square connector.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Yep, that was what I thought... Aftermarket / Dealer installed Air Conditioner; it could have a Backfeed provided Power.

 

You can Bypass it by installing an alternate power source wire, but in some cases it becomes Tricky, because the Alternate Power source could make the A/C compressor to Engage each time the Blower is Powered, or even Worse: It could engage it all the Times, since it will be Receiving Direct Power, that could be rerouted by the old Wiring to the Compressor.

 

I posted some info about Relays & Wiring ~► Here.

 

But Photobucket Sucks as Photo Hosting website, so sometimes my Photos aren't viewable.

 

Kind Regards.

[Bratmobile]

Wow~you guys have given me a lot to think about. I'd like to see if I can find the previous owner & verify if he had aftermarket AC installed. And I hope everyone understands that I'm not saying anyone led me down a wrong path. I'm assuming pretty much everyone here is more knowledgeable than I am. I'm reassured that the consensus seems to be that an aftermarket AC was installed.That also explains why no one's advice seemed to work. All I know is changing the relay under the hood was the only thing that got the fan spinning again.I'll try to digest and follow what you guys have given me. I'll probably feed some of this to an Electrical Tech that I know, and see if he can walk me through some of the more technical stuff. I'll keep you posted. Not sure how soon I'll have an update. My daughter's getting married in six weeks, and funding for anything else is kind of low priority.Thank you!! 

[Gloyale]

Found it.  There is no relay.

 

There is a jumper setup at the relay connector.  I guess when you add A/C, you take over the stock blower circuit, and reroute it through the relay (supplied 12v+ by the glass fuse).  But in the stock form, with no A/C there is just a jumper from the Blue/black wire to the Green/white wire in the relay bundle.

 

The FSM always shows the full A/C setup....I've not found any references to the jumper setup.  Probably mentioned in the install literature for the A/C system.....which I don't have those books.

 

Anyhow....I'm uploading the pics now.   the pics of the setup in both my 84 wagon, and in my 86 Brat....both with no A/C.

 

You're aftermarket a/C setup may not have removed the jumper and replaced with a relay this way.  Maybe your jumper is disconnected.  Or if there is another issue on the Blue/black supply circuit.........just pop a relay in and use the glass fuse circuit.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Gloyale

[Gloyale]

Here it is in my Brat

Here in my 84 Wagon

 

And here's what it would look like with the Subaru dealer installed setup.  W/relay

[Bratmobile]

Thank you GLoyale!~ I'll be reviewing everything you and Loyale 2.7 Turbo passed along with my Electrical Tech Friend in the next day or two. I trust his knowledge/judgement more than my own. Great info & photos. As soon as I get that motor to spin again I'll let you know. Thanks again!

[Gloyale]

Keep us posted.

 

This was a fun thread.

 

Discovered something new I didn't know still, after 15years+ of working on old gen subarus.

[Gloyale]

Ever get this fixed?

[Bratmobile]

Yes~well sort of.

By fixed if you mean does the fan work now, yes it does. But here's how I fixed it, I turned on the fan switch and it worked.

All fan speeds work, and it works every time now. Nervous that it may not stay that way, but we shall see. I'm pretty sure that I her two rapid clicks when I turn on the switch, one under the dash and one under the hood... I think. When I turn it off it's the same thing. But the fan is working, so I'm happy. Thanks for asking. I'll give an update if it craps out again. 

[JoeChasse]

Thanks fellas!  I have been chasing down the same thing in my 84 GL 2 door hardtop coupe'.   Maybe I can get the defroster running again!  Pretty essential out here in cold rain country!

[Moto7man]

This was a very cool thread. I'm fixing the fan on my loyale right now. I'll try to post some updates.

[coxy]

Most Japanese Fan speed switching is done by a resistor board found inside the heater box inside the Vehicle, When these go bad sometimes you loose all fan speeds, Sometimes just one or two speeds or the fan works but too slowly.

 

The actual switch just sends power to different resistor circuits on that damn board inside the heater box and that controls the fan speeds so never forget there are two parts to the fan speed switching on most japanese vehicles, They can be fixed by those with some electronics knowledge but are pull the heater out and apart to access to fix, So always do a power feed check from the switch at the heater connection before condeming the relays or switches as being the problem because just like the rheostat for the dash light dimming plays up as they get older same as do fuel sender units these resistor boards also play up as they get older.