3.2's A/C fan - where is it - can I lube it?

[Bob Prosser]

Re. my '87 Carrera daily driver:

Hi. It's warming up here in So. Cal and I have noticed my AC fan, when it is on the lowest speed setting, now emits a slight but VERY annoying squeak, sort of like a bird chirp. It sounds as though it just needs a spot of librication. Before I start inspecting every fan in the front of the car, can anyone tell me which fan is directly controlled by the right knob in the AC control panel?

Even an image from PP's catalog would help. I looked but couldn't find one.

Tip: The squeak stops when I decelerate and increases when I accelerate. Is there a fan with an axis that runs parallel with the direction of the car?

Any advice is appreciated.

[TMH]

There are 2 fans on a 3.2 A/C system: One in the smuggler's box and one blowing down over the front condenser near the left front bumper. Neither of these are affected by acceleration/deceleration. It sounds like it might be belt slippage on the A/C compressor, as this would be the only aspect of the A/C system which is variable at engine speed. Check belt tension and/or try some spray-on BeltGrip. Alternatively, it could be that your compressor is going bad, but we don't want to think about that.

Tom

[RickM]

Originally posted by TMH
There are 2 fans on a 3.2 A/C system: One in the smuggler's box
Tom

Do you mean behind the smugglers box? I see the fan when I remove the black panel at the back of the trunk area. Also, wouldn't a bushing or bearing problem create the noise mentioned?

[Bob Prosser]

Tom, thanks for the reply. I know you cannot hear what I hear, but believe me -- I know the difference between a belt squeal from an AC compressor, and a tiny squeak coming out of from (what it sounds like) the center dash air vent. I'd guess with you it's a dry squirrel cage blower.

I may have misguided you with the acceleration / deceleration thing -- it has nothing to do with throttle / load / engine speed. As example, the squeak intensifies as I pull away from a stop sign. It's definately a dry surface or tiny bearing talking to me.

The smuggler's boot fan -- does it run any time other than when the AC fan is on? There is no squeak when I just run the fresh air fans, for what it's worth.

Thanks again.

[Wil Ferch]

It's the fan in the smugglers boot...almost certainly so. Only when A/C is on.

--Wil

[Kurt B]

Yeah, I have all my AC disconnected/removed but that fan, and I did take it out and lube it and it got rid of the noises. Not hard to take out of there and take apart. It's the same as the footwell blower type fans, just incredibly huge.

[Bob Prosser]

Originally posted by RickM
Do you mean behind the smugglers box? I see the fan when I remove the black panel at the back of the trunk area. Also, wouldn't a bushing or bearing problem create the noise mentioned?

Rick, that's what I am looking for -- the fan that operates only when the AC is on -- not the fresh air or heat. This happens at parking lot speeds, when things are fairly quiet -- that's when I hear it coming out of the vent.

Thanks!

[Wavey]

I'm almost positive that to get to that fan motor you have to pull the evaporator box out of the smuggler's box, which requires you to first evacuate the A/C system because the expansion valve is part of the assembly. I believe some have been successful in drilling a small hole in the plastic housing to lube the motor, but if the motor is shot (which it is likely to be) you'll have to replace it. Went through this with my '88.

[Bob Prosser]

Sorry, I am a little out of sync with the replies.

So it IS the smugglers' boot fan. Great. Did the German engineers that put it in there, in all of their infinite wisdom, give us lube holes to dribble oil into? Or do I have to break it down? I can't get to the car until this evening to see.

Thanks!

[masraum]

The fan that is controlled by that knob is the one inside the smugglers compartment. It's actually relatively easy to R&R, but becareful of the clips (you'll know when you get there) or you'll drop them down under the evaporator.

You don't have to pull the evaporator. There are two brackets that hold the thing steady, and then there are 2-4 clips that hold the evaporator box together. Getting the clips off is easy, getting them back on is next to impossible. Like I said, I R&R'ed this motor without ever cracking the A/C and did it because several other people did the same and posted here that you don't have to. I think the books say that you have to remove the whole thing because of the clips.

Yes, that fan will change speed slightly at and just above idle, but from 1500 or 2000 rpm and up it should be pretty steady.

The fan behind the board in the trunk is the fresh air fan and only comes on with the dash controls.

[RickM]

I have this area apart in my car. I'll look tonight, take pics and post tomorrow if necessary. I can swear I saw a squirrel fan/blower behind the rear panel. But my memory has proved wrong before.

I need to clean this ventilation track out so I'll be pretty much disassembling the same components

[Bob Prosser]

Thanks. Sounds like I know what to do now. I hate it when clips fall into the never world. I can spend hours trying to get them back. Any rational person would let them be and just get some new ones. This time, maybe I'll invert the car first so the clips fall on the floor. Yeah, that's it!

[RickM]

Originally posted by masraum

The fan behind the board in the trunk is the fresh air fan and only comes on with the dash controls.

Good to know. Thanks.

[Bob Prosser]

Hi. Just a follow-up, FYI -- before I rolled up my sleeves and got into the project, I thought I'd try a quick fix. I opened the smuggler's boot and drilled a small 1/8" hole on top of the fan housing, directly above the fan bearing. With the fan off, I pushed a WD40 spray tube into the hole and gave a liberal squirt. I didn't flood it, just a couple of three-second bursts to fog the area. This is with the fan off, since I know WD40 vapor is combustible. I then turned the fan on, and after the smell of WD40 coming through the vents went away, I noticed no squeak whatsoever. This was a couple of weeks ago -- the day of the original post -- so far, the squeak has not come back. I'm happy. We'll see how long it lasts.

[Wil Ferch]

Let's see if it lasts..... some have reported success with this method..but only for a short time.

--Wil

[Wavey]

I wonder if there's a better lube, something that won't throw off, like maybe a motorcycle chain lube?