A/C fan

[mejulihn]

I have a VPC air conditioner in my car. The other day when I turn on the A/C fan switch, I heard a crunch sound from the squirrel cage fan under the unit and it stopped working. My guess is that it sucked some kind of a foreign body and it jammed the fan. The fan unit in the front trunk still operates normally. My question is, what is the best way to R&R the squirrel-cage fan assembly?

[Joe Bob]

I hope you are not are speaking of the "squirrel cage" fan that cools the engine, you will need to get that sorted out real quick. That is the only way to get air to your oil cooler. It is not part of your a/c.

Your a/c compresser is just along for the ride via the fan belt that shares a pulley. Run, don't walk to your a/c tech/mechanic and get it fixed....

If the fan in the dash is what you are talking about then that can be rebuilt....

Good Luck.

[This message has been edited by mikez (edited 08-15-1999).]

[Jim Philpot]

If you are, indeed, talking about the fan under the dash---part of the A/C console that runs along the bottom of the dash--- it's not much fun to work on(few things under a dashboard are). After you remove two screws, one on each end of the console, that brace and support the A/C console to the dash, (the console is then held up by a formed sheet metal bracket that runs the length of the console and fits over the lower lip of the dash) you can push the console forward and then lower it into the floor of the car. You must then remove several small screws that fasten the vacuum-molded portion of the console (the part you see when seated in the car)to the main body. After you have pulled the two control knobs off their shafts, the cover can be removed. The fan should then be accessible.
I have removed and replaced the unit by myself, by providing a temporary support under the unit, but it would be much easier with a helper. The unit is pretty heavy and it's hard to get much leverage in such a confined space. When replacing the unit, you'll first have to position the console well forward of the lower edge of the dash, lift it into place, and make sure the sheet metal bracket fits over the lower lip of the dash. Then slide it backward so that the bracket fits over the the dash lip. The whole thing is pretty crude, but it seems to work OK if the brackets on either end are properly adjusted and tightened.

Oh, yeah---you'll certainly have to remove the seats, unless you're a real contortionist!

[This message has been edited by Jim Philpot (edited 08-15-1999).]

[mejulihn]

No, we are not talking about the engine cooling fan!! Thanks Jim, for the detailed description of the underdash A/C removal. Sounds like an all day sucker!

[Jim Philpot]

I probably made the job sound worse than it really is. As I said, I did the job alone.If you've got a helper, at least for the removal/replacement parts of the job, it's a lot easier, I'm sure. Someone to help lift and hold the console while you remove/replace mounting screws, etc. Removing the vacuum-formed housing is simple. I haven't gotten into the guts of the console--I was simply replacing a broken housing with a perfect one--so I can't judge the degree of difficulty of R&R of the fan. I simply hate any job which involves working under the dash. Somehow I lose my sense of direction when I'm scrunched-up on my back. Plus--I'm always nervous about disturbing wiring and terminals that have been in place for a quarter century. I always wonder if stuff will work properly after everything is buttoned up again! I'm sure lights and other electricals would work better if we would periodically disconnect/clean/re-connect terminations on switches and lights, etc., but I tend to follow the dictum "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Sometimes the one that says "if it ain't broke, fix it till it is" takes over!

[This message has been edited by Jim Philpot (edited 08-16-1999).]

[mejulihn]

Upon further inspection I discovered several blades sheared off in one of the two squirrel cage fans -- a carumba! My guess is that the motor is OK and that replacing the damaged fan will take care of this problem. Thanks for your ideas.