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front blower motor problem on 2001 dodge Caravan Sport

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Virgil2U

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Jul 17, 2011, 7:14:47 PM7/17/11
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I have a on going problem with the front blower motor on my van. Sometimes the front blower will run and sometimes it won't. The rear blower works fine. I have replaced the fan resistor behind the glove box and it did not solve the problem. I would appreciate any help and advice on how to troubleshoot this problem.


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danny burstein

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Jul 17, 2011, 9:28:09 PM7/17/11
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In <4e236cf2$0$19694$c3e8da3$c8b7...@news.astraweb.com> "Virgil2U" <n...@spam.net> writes:

>I have a on going problem with the front blower motor on my van. Sometimes the front blower will run and sometimes it won't. The rear blower works fine. I have replaced the fan resistor behind the glove box and it did not solve the problem. I would appreciate any help and advice on how to troubleshoot this problem.

Dead spot in the motor, umm, rotator/commutater? Basically if
the fan motor omes to a stop in that dead spot, it won't
start up again.

Hitting it with a stick, or driving until you hit a pothole...
will often get it started again.

But the actual fix involves... replacing the blower motor.

I had a local junkyard here install a used one for about $75.


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_____________________________________________________
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cl...@snyder.on.ca

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Jul 17, 2011, 9:45:30 PM7/17/11
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On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:28:09 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
<dan...@panix.com> wrote:

>In <4e236cf2$0$19694$c3e8da3$c8b7...@news.astraweb.com> "Virgil2U" <n...@spam.net> writes:
>
>>I have a on going problem with the front blower motor on my van. Sometimes the front blower will run and sometimes it won't. The rear blower works fine. I have replaced the fan resistor behind the glove box and it did not solve the problem. I would appreciate any help and advice on how to troubleshoot this problem.
>
>Dead spot in the motor, umm, rotator/commutater? Basically if
>the fan motor omes to a stop in that dead spot, it won't
>start up again.
>
>Hitting it with a stick, or driving until you hit a pothole...
>will often get it started again.
>
>But the actual fix involves... replacing the blower motor.
>
>I had a local junkyard here install a used one for about $75.

It's either a bad motor or a bad connection on the switch/relay. Look
for discoloured connectons - not as common on Chrysler as on Ford.

As for the motor, often the brushes are worn and/or stuck. Replacement
is the best bet - but if installing used stuff, for crying out loud
make sure it's in better shape than what you are taking out!!!!.
For the work involved, it does NOT make sense to install something
that is already worn out.

n...@spam.com

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Jul 18, 2011, 12:21:33 AM7/18/11
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I agree about installing used parts like a blower motor. I have
priced them online for around $50 so I think if it is the blower motor
I would be better off getting a new one instead of throwing money on
something that has probably not run or sat idle for years.

danny burstein

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Jul 18, 2011, 10:25:33 AM7/18/11
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In <v2d727pdrnftrv9ch...@4ax.com> n...@spam.com writes:

>> It's either a bad motor or a bad connection on the switch/relay. Look
>>for discoloured connectons - not as common on Chrysler as on Ford.
>>
>>As for the motor, often the brushes are worn and/or stuck. Replacement
>>is the best bet - but if installing used stuff, for crying out loud
>>make sure it's in better shape than what you are taking out!!!!.
>>For the work involved, it does NOT make sense to install something
>>that is already worn out.

>I agree about installing used parts like a blower motor. I have
>priced them online for around $50 so I think if it is the blower motor
>I would be better off getting a new one instead of throwing money on
>something that has probably not run or sat idle for years.

Agreed, but in my specific case the yard is local and gave
me a one year guarantee. And... they had the part right
there so it was 30 minutes of in-and-out.

(They're "the" chrysler used parts/fix em up place for this
part of the state).

Hachiroku ハチロク

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Jul 19, 2011, 7:09:37 PM7/19/11
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Geeze, Clare, brushes are EASY!

They can be had for a couple dollars at the hardware store.

Hachiroku ハチロク

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Jul 19, 2011, 7:10:11 PM7/19/11
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On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:25:33 +0000, danny burstein wrote:

> In <v2d727pdrnftrv9ch...@4ax.com> n...@spam.com writes:
>
>>> It's either a bad motor or a bad connection on the switch/relay. Look
>>>for discoloured connectons - not as common on Chrysler as on Ford.
>>>
>>>As for the motor, often the brushes are worn and/or stuck. Replacement
>>>is the best bet - but if installing used stuff, for crying out loud
>>>make sure it's in better shape than what you are taking out!!!!.
>>>For the work involved, it does NOT make sense to install something
>>>that is already worn out.
>
>>I agree about installing used parts like a blower motor. I have
>>priced them online for around $50 so I think if it is the blower motor
>>I would be better off getting a new one instead of throwing money on
>>something that has probably not run or sat idle for years.
>
> Agreed, but in my specific case the yard is local and gave
> me a one year guarantee. And... they had the part right
> there so it was 30 minutes of in-and-out.
>
> (They're "the" chrysler used parts/fix em up place for this
> part of the state).


Cool. um, did it solve the problem?

danny burstein

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Jul 19, 2011, 6:23:37 PM7/19/11
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In <4e2600c4$0$28086$c3e8da3$3863...@news.astraweb.com> =?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?= <Tru...@e86.GTS> writes:

>> Agreed, but in my specific case the yard is local and gave
>> me a one year guarantee. And... they had the part right
>> there so it was 30 minutes of in-and-out.
>>
>> (They're "the" chrysler used parts/fix em up place for this
>> part of the state).

>Cool. um, did it solve the problem?

Eyup. and while they were at it they cleaned
some of the gunk out of the ductwork. Trust me,
you don't want to know just how dirty that
area is....

cl...@snyder.on.ca

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Jul 19, 2011, 8:09:29 PM7/19/11
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On Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:09:37 -0500, Hachiroku ???? <Tru...@e86.GTS>
wrote:

Hey, I KNOW they are easy - Which is what I meant by make sure it is
in better shape than what you took out and replacement (of the
brushes) is the best bet.

Sadly, replacing the brushes doesn't always fix them when they get to
the point they don't run any more, because the commutator gets worn
/burned/ gouged to the point it cannot be readilly cleaned up. Then a
good used one (check and replace brushes if necessary) or a new one is
required.

When having a used unit installed by a scrap yard you want to make
sure they warrantee both the part and the labour - and they have
actually checked the part before installing. The good ones do - but
MANY do not. The labour, generally, is worth more than the (used)
part.


n...@spam.com

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Jul 20, 2011, 9:50:21 PM7/20/11
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I agree with you Clare, if I had not taken my caravan to a garage to
verify that the blower was bad I could have used that $77 toward a new
blower motor, which I was able to find online for $59. But I did not
want to be buying parts until I knew for sure it was the motor. And
as busted up from Iraq like I am I can not just install a motor and
then find out that it was not lhe problem so I went to a garage and
paid the money to get it verified. But geting brushes like you
mention and then going through all the hassle of installing them and
then put the motor back in just for it to work for a week or two and
then having to go through all the hassle of taking it out and
replacing it with another motor, you are better off getting a new one.
I was forced after paying the $77 to go to a junk yard and pay $35 for
them to take the motor off for me and it is not guaranteed, just only
can get store credit which is about the same anywhere if the motor
should not work but not sure just how long it will work.

Thanks all.
>

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