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Heater works sometimes. Any suggestions


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I have an 87 Wagon. The heater blower will work on all four settings. The intersting thing is that if the heater runs for 15 minutes and the car is shut off, the blower motor will not come on on any setting. If the car sits for 15 minutes or the heater is shut off for 15 minutes or so, it will work again. I don't think that it is the resistor pack since all four setting will work. I have replaced the switch because the old one was very worn out(I would have to put pressure on the switch for it to work.) Could it be the blower motor? I do have another resistor pack I could put in. I am really at a loss on this. It doesn't help at all that I am not very bright when it comes to electrical.

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It is probably the Relay. That is ussually the case when all 4 blower speed stop. It is located in a cluster of 4-6 relays up under dash. either clipped to steering column, or up a little higher behind dash. It is round. There are several up there. Last time I identified by wire colors but I don't have my FSM here at work. You could turn on blower, and if it works, pull relays until you get the one that turns it off. I grabbed a handful of them at the JY and from and 88 I parted out. Just had to replace opne in my buddies 86.

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Gloyale may have your answer

but

 

before tearing into the dash to find this relay.

 

I would test the blower motor when it is non-functional.

 

It could be bad brushes as it is just a DC motor.

Try "Foonzie-ian" it

e.g.

When it is in a non operating state - turn it to high speed

(#4) and tap

on the motor (under the glove box).

If the motors starts, replace the blower motor.

 

OR

You could obtain a cig lighter adapter with cord.

The motor has two wires running into it,

one blue the other green/white.

 

Connect the wires from the cig lighter cord (ig. key must be in the run position) to the wires to the motor.

Polarity is not important as this is just a test.

 

If the motor runs then do as Gloyale says,

pull the dash panel that is above your knees when driving.

Lie on your back or use a mirror to look up above and beside the st. col. Four relays in tandum.

 

Relays are round canisters about the dia. of a quarter

and about 1" in height.

 

relay wire colors

blue/red

red/yellow

red/white

green/white

 

note fuses #

1,2, and 12 are used to control the relay/blower

 

Good luck,

Hope this helps.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I finally crawled in and looked for the relays tonight. I did not see them on the steering column. When you say up higher on the dash do you mean in the same general area as the steering column? I was working in low light conditions and could not get a good look up that far. I am just wondering if I am loking in the right place. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

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I must ask if you did any testing or just go looking ?

 

They are very hard to see,

dim light is not the answer here Dave.

 

The ECU is in the way and a mess of wiring.

 

 

 

 

My feeble old mind and body find it much EZ'r to prove

it is the trouble

before looking for more.

 

Should you inadvertently knacker another connector

loose in your search -

 

then come to find a nest of mice jammed the blower motor.

 

Sir you will not be the first to have this happen.

 

Good luck and use a good light.

 

You will need both,

as I doubt this helps,

sorry but I tried.

 

 

 

Forum Note: Unsubscribing to this post.

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i would test or replace the blower fan. very easy and common for them to fail or get insulation and crap mangled in the cages. pull it and at least have a look. you do have a strange failure mode, but swapping a blower fan is easy, i'd start there or test it. they can be had for next to nothing, someone will probably send you one if you post in the "parts wanted forum". if it was an XT6 and i was in the state where all my parts were i'd send you one for shipping costs.

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