GRRR..Interior heater blower intermittent

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Mercandy said:
Shude you still need brushes for your motor?
Yes!
Mercandy said:
When I get back on my feet in a couple of weeks or so I'll replace the brushes in mine if you still need them I could maybe get some in the post for you.
That'd be great, the best part about your whole post was:
Mercandy said:
cost less than a fiver
:D

There is a place in Rochdale (near where I live) that repairs power-tool motors and I'm told they might be able to sort me out with some brushes, I'm going to give them a call today I think! If I can get them to make me a set and they work, then I might ask them to make a pile of them to send to other members etc, no point in just getting one set made when it's obvious that lots of people could benefit from this.

EDIT:
Just called those guys and they said they have thousands of different brushes they can compare the worn ones to. They repair power tools and I reckon the blower motor is pretty similar. I'm taking it to them on Saturday morning, if I can last that long! :crazy:
 
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Shude said:
There is a place in Rochdale (near where I live) that repairs power-tool motors and I'm told they might be able to sort me out with some brushes
The place I use re-cons starter motors, alternator etc..you might get some slightly larger than you require, but they don't take much fettling with a file or sand paper. Hope you get sorted. :D

Andy
 
I went to the place that repairs power tools etc and they said they couldn't help me, they don't have brushes that size, and they are copper brushes, not carbon.

So I'm back to square one! :(
 
Just thinking out loud here Nick, I wonder if Dronsfields or The Garage have a totaled car that has K@nackered heater motors. Maybe if they were so damaged they would let you have the brushes. failing that let me have a drawing and some measurements and I will file you some out. I owe you that for your past help.
 
Ian B Walker said:
Just thinking out loud here Nick, I wonder if Dronsfields or The Garage have a totaled car that has K@nackered heater motors.
Dronsfields said they sell them for about £80, with 3 months warranty. The only problem with buying a second hand one is that it may only last a few months with the brushes it has. A new one would be good for what, 5 years or something?
Ian B Walker said:
Maybe if they were so damaged they would let you have the brushes. failing that let me have a drawing and some measurements and I will file you some out. I owe you that for your past help.
I don't know what new ones look like ;)

Anyone got pics of the new brushes, or at least some that aren't worn away to nothing? :)
 
Shude said:
Dronsfields said they sell them for about £80, with 3 months warranty. The only problem with buying a second hand one is that it may only last a few months with the brushes it has. A new one would be good for what, 5 years or something?

I don't know what new ones look like ;)

Anyone got pics of the new brushes, or at least some that aren't worn away to nothing? :)


They look the same as yours but about 30mm long.

Post us some measurements of the bit's you've got.

have you tried a local Alternator / starter motor reconditioners yet. They normally have loads in stock.
 
I tried a temporary fix today and it kinda worked.

I dropped a small nut in behind the brush and then put the spring back. The fan now works! It won't last for long but it should be enough for a couple of weeks more maybe! :)
 
Shude said:
It won't last for long but it should be enough for a couple of weeks more maybe! :)
Two weeks exactly in fact, the fan ground to a halt again yesterday! :(

I've taken it out for more surgery, taken a pic of the comedy brushes for everyone to have a good chuckle at! ;)
 

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I have dropped some little motherboard mounting clips in between the springs and the brushes, they add about 2-3mm either side and the fan now works again. I also stretched and tightened the springs a little. Will hopefully get another couple of week out of it :)
 
Shude said:
I have dropped some little motherboard mounting clips in between the springs and the brushes...
These are the clips, I just measured them and they add about 4mm to the effective length of the brush, either side. The spring neatly goes around one end, they slide perfectly down the shaft where the brush goes and the little notches are the right shape for the braided wire for the brush! It's so perfect it's almost oem... ;)
 

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Shude said:
These are the clips, I just measured them and they add about 4mm to the effective length of the brush, either side. The spring neatly goes around one end, they slide perfectly down the shaft where the brush goes and the little notches are the right shape for the braided wire for the brush! It's so perfect it's almost oem... ;)

Watch it mate when the clips hit the Commutator - :crazy: - goodbye motor. :crazy:
 
Brian WH said:
Watch it mate when the clips hit the Commutator - :crazy: - goodbye motor. :crazy:
Oh yeah I know about that! Thanks for the reminder though! ;)
 
Hi, my w202 2000 heater fan is begining to cut out aswell. At first I thought it was just my imagination but after reading the post i am sure its the fan. Its not that bad, when the car starts the fan will come on for about 10 seconds and then go off and the comes on a few seconds later and then stays on. I initially though it might be doing this as the engine was very cold when the car starts.
 
I know of a company that we use at work that can make a set, I just found their details as we use them regualrly at work, called them and im told copper brushes are not a problem. Ive got a friends motor from a w202 thats got the same problem, im taking the brushes to them on wednesday, Ill get some extra made, so who needs a set?
 
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Its possible to grind down brushes that are oversize. On an old Pug 205 the blower motor stopped working due to the brushes wearing. Of course it was impossible to get exact replacement brushes but it was possible to get brushes with the correct wiring fitment but they were too wide to fit in the holders in the fan. So 5 mins with a grindstone and they fitted. Worked fine, despite dire warnings about getting the right grade of carbon etc. Got them from a Black and Decker service centre but I suppose anyone who services motors should be in with a chance!

Of course, custom made jobbies will probably work as well....

Nick
 
DrNick said:
Got them from a Black and Decker service centre but I suppose anyone who services motors should be in with a chance!
I tried a place like that and they told me that the brushes were way too big to use power tool brushes, and they're also copper rather than carbon.

I am still tempted to try a place that re-winds motors in Rochdale but naturally they're shut right now thanks to xmas.
 
I had a mysterious filter replaced yesterday as part of the b-service schedule (not the cabin filter next to the fan, AFAIK) and the fan performance is literally twice as good. NEED to find out which filter this is! Part number is on the invoice so I can look it up later! :)
 

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