thanks guys, your advice was the ticket!!! i bought the new resistor and filters and replaced them this afternoon. the old filters were disgusting and full of debris. i'm suprized any air got through at all. the new resitor looked a bit different, atleast the part that got installed inside the air duct. the 2 plugs were the same so i installed it and everything worked as it should. i now have all speeds working 1-5. thanks again for the tips guys!!
rich