Heat backdate with fan

[madcorgi]

I removed the ugly engine compartment blower a couple years ago, but never got around to connecting up the heat again, since I didn't like most of the solutions I saw. After another winter of freezing and not having defrost (important here), I decided to address the problem.

While cleaning the shop, I dropped a dust buster on the floor, cracking the housing and making it useless. But . . . it had this cool little electric motor and impeller inside. Hmm.



Got a PVC fitting that would work for the plenum chamber.



Carved away at the motor mount from the dust buster with a Dremel until it dropped into the plenum chamber.








Wires from the motor



The takeoff duct from the engine shroud is a 930 part. This had to be connected to the plenum somehow. First step was turning the round outlet into a square, then using more PVC to reorient the outlet from horizontal to vertical. Lots of fiddling and cutting, then I filled the gaps with JV Weld.



Next step was fabricating the crossover pipe out of PVC. Inlet to the plenum is offset to direct the air to the vanes of the impeller. The thing works a bit like a salad spinner.

[madcorgi]

Machined pockets out of the plenum for nut certs that will hold the top of the plenum. This has to seal well to maintain the vacuum.





Glued up plenum. A real Frankenstein.



Parts ready for paint.

[Mixed76]

Madcorgi- if I understand what you've done, the impeller/ motor combo are upside down. Flow is from the inside of the impeller to the outside; flow path appears to be from the bottom of the little electric motor through to the outside edge of the black disk. Your new installation will fight the engine driven fan, as far as I can tell.

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[madcorgi]

Set screws into the side of the plenum hold the interior motor mount/motor assembly in place



Connected the wires that powered the original blower for power from the controller. The car has the automatic climate system with the rotary knob between the seats. Held my breath, switched everything on, and the blower motor whirred to life. We shall have heat!



I realized about 10 hours into this project that this may be an answer to a question nobody was asking, but it was fun to do.

[madcorgi]

Originally Posted by Mixed76

Madcorgi- if I understand what you've done, the impeller/ motor combo are upside down. Flow is from the inside of the impeller to the outside; flow path appears to be from the bottom of the little electric motor through to the outside edge of the black disk. Your new installation will fight the engine driven fan, as far as I can tell.

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I initially thought so too, but it works correctly this way, pulling a vacuum on the engine fan side and pushing the air down into the heat exchangers. It's set up the same way as inside the dust buster.

[madcorgi]

D'OH!

Apologies, Mixed76. I went back and looked, and you are correct! I flipped the motor assembly in the plenum, and it pulls better. Glad I mounted the motor with set screws.

The value of sharing ideas on this forum is proven once again!

[madcorgi]

Done, and thanks to Mixed76, it all works properly. Moved the wires around to the other side for a cleaner look.

Probably the most over-engineered solution possible, but fun.