88GL turbo wagon heater problem

[wynkoop]

Well my 88 1.8L turbo wagon had to sit idle

with a broken timming belt for about a month. Just

got it fixed and it is running better than ever!

 

Unfortunantly durring the month that it was idle the

heater fan developed some trouble. It makes a loud grinding

sound on setting 4 and produces very little air flow, I

would say it is about like setting 1 used to be. Setting

3 produces less air flow, and there is no noticible air

flow from settings 1 or 2. I suspect that while

sitting in the driveway of my mothers home in rural

PA that a critter decided to stuff it with nuts, or maybe

with leaves to make a bed. I have tried to figure out

how to get at the heater fan with no joy so far. The

Chilton I have that is supposed to cover all Subarus from

197?-1988 has nothing on 1988 heater blowers! The blower

for the AC is working just fine.

 

I have taken the glove box out and removed all the clips on

the fan unit on the right side of the car behind the

glove box, but still no joy! Can anyone give me clear

simple instructions on how to gain access to the blower for

the heater in my 88GL turbo wagon so I can fix the problem

before it gets cold here in the north east?

 

Beyond that can anyone suggest a good subaru mechanic

in the greater NYC area. I have located one in western

PA near my mother's house, but I would also like to know

of one nearer to where I live.

 

Thanks!

 

-Brett

[Bill90Loyale]

I removed the trim panel under the glove box (three plastic trim screws), then removed the three shiny bolt screws holding the fan blower inside the housing. This allows you to remove the fan. This was fun. The fan was entirely filled with leaves and paper from whatever animal had built a nest in my ventilation system. I clean it all out, put the fan back in, hit the on switch, and it started snowing leaves and paper in my car. I pulled the fan again, cleaned it again, installed it, and the blower now sounds and performs like a small jet engine. Superb.

 

This whole operation can be performed with a Phillips head screwdriver. I highly recommend it to others.

[idosubaru]

exactly what he just said....pull panel, remove some screws/bolts and it comes right out. clean and you're done.

[wynkoop]

Thanks guys! I just pulled off the trim

under the dash and the rest was simple.

 

I shudder to think what else the critter did to the

car while it sat in the driveway for a month. The

inside of the fan was packed with threads and fabric

chuncks that match the color/pattern of the padding under

the carpets!

 

Well now I have full fan and heat/defrost again and

it looks like the critter never really set up living

in there as there were no droppings or urine trails.

I guess I was very lucky. I suspect that the car was

trailered to the mechanic to get the new belt the same

day the critter was working on his winter home. I bet

he was confused when he came back and found his new house

was no longer there!