Change your heater blower motor, a How-to

Blazee posted a general how-to with the shop manual instructions a while ago. I figure I would throw in actual application

This how-to applies to 95 to current trucks only. (blazer/jimmy/bravada/s10/sonoma)


So for the longest time my heater blower has been squeaking like hell, that is when it decided to come on. (The brushes inside the motor had a flat spot). So of course I got sick of it and decided to tackle changing it.

There are 2 ways to go about changing it. One is to cut into the rubber outer shroud over the inner housings.

The other is to replace the rubber outer shroud.

Either way, it requires removal of the fender. #2 requires the inner fender to be removed as well.

Unfortunatly I had to go with #2 because the rubber was so brittle from age that it just crumbled from touching it.

Tools required

15mm socket and box wrenches
2 14 mm box wrenches
7mm socket
13mm socket
10mm socket
Razor Blade

Parts required.

New fan motor (includes hampster cage) Part # 22136118
If you go with option #2- Part number 221-36118 (upper outer shroud)

52478294 (lower outer/inner shroud kit) The lower kit comes with both pieces, not sure why, but I wasn't going to let it go to waste.


So we start the removing the inner/outer fender process. 1st remove the passenger side head light and grille.

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower1.jpg

Next disconnect all wiring to the ecm, horn, ac thermo , dryer, et-al. Then use your 10mm socket to remove the ECM from coolant recovery bottle, then remove the coolant recovery bottle itself. You should be left with this. Remove any bolts/screws holding anything to the fender.


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower2.jpg

Next remove the passenger side hood hinge bolt with your 2 14mm box wrenches. Use a thick rag or towel between the hood edge and the windshield for padding so no paint gets damaged.

Then remove all bolts along the inner fender and outer fender (don't forget the 2 in the door jam. All bolts are 13mm. Drop the inner fender 1st and let it rest on the tire. Remove the outer fender. Set in a safe place then simply pickup the inner fender and set it aside.

Here we see a shot of the fender removed and the upper outer shroud removed w/ the blower motor exposed. Again I not that I had to replace mine because the upper and lower were so brittle. Normally you would just use a razor blade to into that area. Either way the fender has to be removed.


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower3.jpg

Here's a pic of the outer shroud parts (or what was left of em, I had a huge pile of debri under my truck by then)


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower4.jpg

Here are the new outer shrouds


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower5.jpg

Now simply use a 7mm socket to remove all 5 screws around the fan plate and pull the motor out. When you pull the motor, there is a rubber hose connected from the fan to the housing. This hose needs to be moved to the new fan. It's for breathing and cooling the motor.


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower7.jpg

Now as stated in the parts portion, it came with a new left inner shroud casing for the fan. (Again, don't ask me why but I used it. And boy was the evaporator dirty! Looked like a mouse nested in there.

Anyway, remove all the 13mm bolts running around the entire inner shroud. There are 8 of them. Clear away any old pieces left of the outer shroud. Use a 7mm socket to remove the screws holding the inner shouds to each other (there are 6, 2 top, 2 bottom and 2 side). Seperate the the inner housing and throw the fan side away.

Here is a shot of the housing removed...


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower8.jpg

Here is a shot of the old one and the new one side by side...


http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/blower/blower9.jpg

There is a plastic plate on the inside (about 8"x8") that you need to move to the new one. It simply snaps on and off.

Install everything in reverse. Start your truck and enjoy your heat.

another amazing post. A question for you, all of these how-to's, is it stuff that you are familar with, or do you kinda dive into things and learn as you go?

another amazing post. A question for you, all of these how-to's, is it stuff that you are familar with, or do you kinda dive into things and learn as you go?

A little of both. Some I've done before, but some like this heater blower thing are a 1st for me. So when something crops up I can usually do it and I just take pics along the way...:)

well, i hope to be as ballzy with my vehicle on day.

well, i hope to be as ballzy with my vehicle on day.

I wouldn't say what I do is balzy. They way I view things are that engines/cars in whole are all generally the same. A few extra or less screws here and there. But they all are the same (even rotory engines). So as long as they remain that way it's easy to dismantle and reassemble.

i usually take apart, don't take notes, then am confused on putting things back together. gotta remember to take notes!

Great post, should help me to change mine this spring if it does not go out before then.

i usually take apart, don't take notes, then am confused on putting things back together. gotta remember to take notes!
If you're lazy about taking notes, then as you remove things put them on the floor or on a bench in a straight line from left to right. That way when you reassemble you assemble from right to left

Added to the FAQ. Good job, rlith.

Good post, Hmmm...
I've a 95 , and I did it a little differently. A lot differently actually... Didn't have to replace the housing.

removed the computer, took the knife to the shroud, cut around the blower motor, removed it, replaced it, and the computer and that's it. Didn't remove the fender at all.

Good post though, goign to do a nice overhaul in the spring of the engine compartment, new wires and other stuf.

~Xpc...

Good post, Hmmm...
I've a 95 , and I did it a little differently. A lot differently actually... Didn't have to replace the housing.

removed the computer, took the knife to the shroud, cut around the blower motor, removed it, replaced it, and the computer and that's it. Didn't remove the fender at all.

Good post though, goign to do a nice overhaul in the spring of the engine compartment, new wires and other stuf.

~Xpc...

Well as I said, there are 2 ways to do it. I talked about cutting it, but mine was so bad that the second you touched it it fell apart.

Nice post Rilth. Mine is also brittle, I was amazed at how if you just touch it, it just breaks. Now I see how this is to be done, I am going to look into it. I havn't touched it(literally), for fear of it breaking any further than it is. Mine still works, but makes noise, and it bothers the hell out of me, plus just like a week ago(only once so far), I smelt burning, so this is either the fan motor itself, or the resistor pack for the fan speed.

nice post. i don't think i have any shroud left, it all crumbled away. my fan works, but intermitently. i think i have a bad ground on the fan itself, not the connector that plugs into it. there are no odd noises though.

heres a senario; one time i'll start the truck and turn the fan on and it will work fine, but if i turn the engine off for a bit then back on, the fan may not work. if it doesn't work, i have to pop the hood and hit the fan housing, then it will work. it sucks to be driving and turn the fan on and it doesn't work. i'll have to pull over, pop the hood, and hit the fan housing if i don't want to freeze my ass off.

do u think this nessesitates fan replacement?

Just what i needed to see, I just need to replace the housing around the evaporator on my 95 jimmy. Do i really need to take the fender off to do that or can it be done with it still on?

anybody have a suggestion on leaving the fender on or is it definitely coming off

If you want to completely get the motor off, only the outer fender needs removed. Then you simply cut a hole in the outer shroud to get to the fan. (Use sealent and weather stripping to reseal)

I love this thread...The pictures are great! I'm having a problem locating new shrouds for this repair(mine are brittle and falling apart too) can anyone suggest where I may be able to still find them new ? Dealer discontinued them.
Thanks for your time,
sediver
North Idaho

It is possible to do this without removing the fender. My plastic is in good shape, but sealing it back up is not as easy.
The whole project took just under two hours this way.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58001355@N05/5649602196/

Just finished doing this job, and you do NOT have to remove any fenders. If you knock out the rear stud that holds down the coolant reservoir, you have just enough room to work the fan out of the mount, and work the new one in. It's then easy to re-insert the stud from the bottom of the wheel well.

It's COLD here and it feels great to have my heat back! :runaround: