1996 blower motor problemz??

Hi folks. First time here. Although about 3 years ago I joined an SS group to get some help with the digital speedometer - just the loose contacts problem.

Anyway - I have a blower that is not working.
About a year ago it began to make a vibrating noise on high. But it still worked OK. Then as time went on periodically it would not blow on any speed. Then a day or two later it would mysteriously start blowing again at all speeds. I suppose there were probably 5 or six episodes of this throughout the year - but then it always started working again in a day or so.

But - the last time it stopped working was about 2 months ago and it hasn';t started to work again since.

By the way - I hear a clicking sound coming out from under the dash down by the passenger side. The clicking is only when turning the switch from high to the next speed down and then back again etc etc - it clicks everytime you move between those two speeds. I took the panel off down by my feet on the passenger side and discovered the clicking was coming from a little box shaped thing about 1 or 2 inches sqaure.

Any ideas???

Where is the resistor on this particular 1996 Caprice? I got a diagram ff the web but still can't figure it out.

Thanks,

Woods

Hi Woods :)

Im gonna try to help you out but it can be many thing...hope u got a multimeter OR test lamp if not borrow/buy one test lamp are cheap

1- check for the fuse #17 HVAC BLO FUSE should be a 20AMP Yellow fuse,
check if it blown and to be sur check it with test light (key ON. touch
with test lamp both small metal pins and see if test lamp illuminate if both dont fuse is blown)
if fuse blown put new one and see if it work but if it does there is an electrical/mechanical problem with your blower

if the fuse is good then check Blower motor resistor its located under instrument panel passenger side just left to the blower motor check if evrything look good if not replace part

if evrything was good so far we will now check the blower motor..
now there should be a connector with 2 wire that connect to the motor one Purple and one black
now ground ur test lamp and put key ON and turn on heating at first speed and with the connector unplug check if purple wire has juice if it does probe with test lamp from purple to the black with test lamp and see if it illuminate if it does than im afraid ur gonna be in need of a new blower

i didnt make u test the whole thing but from your report its pointing in direction of your blower if u wanna test it right away get some jumper wire unplug blower connector and ground the pin wich the black wire connect on.. then get a long jumper with a 25amp fuse and plug it on the pin wich has the purple wire on
and then touch for like 2-3 sec the POS of the batt with the fused wire and listen if the blower goes on
if it goes on but noisy still replace blower and check fuses

now try this and report back :)

I had the same exact problem with my '85 Caprice I had years ago. All it was, was a corroded positive contact, the purple wire. Simply check that first along with the black ground wire. Thats the simplest, and one of the more common things to go wrong with a somewhat older car's blower motor. Make sure you clean the contacts and put the wires back on. Try it. If that works, great, you're all set. If not, try the above instructions.

Where do I check the purple wire for corrosion??

On the blower motor itself? or 2.On the switch on the dashboard. or 3. somewhere else??

Where is the blower motor anyway??

Thanks,

Woods

i think he meant on the blower to check for corrosion

the blower is under instrument panel passenger side like black cylinder u cant miss it puple and black or on it

Correct. There will be a male connector for the purple wire sticking out of the base of the blower motor (the plate the "cylinder" is connected to). Pull the wire and check the connector and the plug for corrosion. Same thing for the negative (ground) lead. Often times too where the ground lead is riveted to the blower base plate corrosion/rust will build and stop electrical flow.

I don't see any blower motor under there. I am lying on the passenger floor - and have removed the panel - and am looking up at the wires and stuff - I see some harnesses and various plugs and a little box (approx. 1.5" x 1.5")
(that's the one that clicks when I change the fan knob from highest speed down to the next speed down and back again) What is that little box?

Anyway when I am looking up under the dash to all that stuff - I don't see any blower motor (per se) That means I don't see a cylindrical object that is immediately identifianble as being a motor. Is it sheilded by a plastic housing or something? remember this is a 96 caprice.

See this link: http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl094d.htm

What is what on that digram? And where do I find it all??

Thanks
Woods

The thing you hear clicking is a relay box, the clicking is normal. I'm not all too familiar with the ductwork setup of a '96 Caprice as I've only owned mid-'80s Caprices, but the blower motor and how it works is basically the same. On the boxy Caprices the blower motor is actually under the hood on the passenger side towards the firewall.

Is the resistor the only other thing under there besides the relay and the motor itself that any wires are going to?? In other words I see what I think is the resistor and it looks like there are four little hex head screws holding it on. Is it that simple to change - just take those screws out and take it off and put a new one on??

Also, how hard is it to replace the blower motor itself??

Woods

In the older Caprices like mine replacing the blower motor is a piece of cake, probably a 3 minute job. You unscrew it, unplug the two wires, screw the new one in and plug the wires back in. I'm still unsure of the location of the blower motor in the 91-96 Caprices though.

In terms of the resistor pack, I would imagine it to be easy. In the older style Caprices (and even in my pickup truck) theres a place with a bunch of wires going into it mounted to the ductwork. The other side of the plate has the resistors. Thats again, cake to replace, I would imagine it's be fairly simple to replace the resistor pack on yours as well, even if it is different.