Intermittent Heat/Blower Motor

[MaddyRae]

A week ago my blower motor started working intermittently. What I found is that the first time I start my car after it has been sitting for a while, the blower motor will not come on. However, if I let the car warm up and then shut it off and turn it back on again the blower motor will work.

Initially I thought it was a blower motor problem. However, my father suggested that I may be low on antifreeze just enough that my blower motor isn't kicking on, but not so low that my car isn't overheating. So, I first checked the overfill tank and it was at the MAX fill line. With the engine cold, I opened the radiator cap and could not see the fluid. There is a metal obstruction (possibly the radiator core) about 2 inches down the shaft so you can't see past that. My father and I added antifreeze to the radiator last night (maybe 2 cups at the most). I had heat when I started the car up but it had only been sitting for 3 hours or so and it usually doesn't have heat after it has been sitting overnight. This morning again the blower motor did not turn on.

My father still thinks its the same problem and that the coolant is getting pushed out of the radiator when the engine is hot (under pressure) into the overfill tank, however, once the car is turn off and sits the coolant cools and contracts to its original volume. He believes I may have sludge/crud at the bottom of the overfill tank and hose and the coolant can't makes it's way back to the radiator when it's not under pressure.

Anyway, I'm not trying to second guess my father, I was just wanting to know if anyone has heard of a car having this kind of problem where the blower motor works intermittently. And it works only after the car has been running and warmed up. I desperately need it. The last couple of days here in Iowa has been getting to -16 or -17 and it is cold!

Thanks!