mmcilroy

Does this look right? Took apart my fan motor last night and the inside of the fan looks a bit trashed. Or is that whats left of a bushing? Also included a picture of the original shaft set up with that odd spring/clip/washer thing that looks like it would space the fan off the motor body? Does all this look right or am I missing a bushing and need a new fan.

close up.JPG

fan.JPG

original motor shaft set up.JPG

on another note, how do you guys insert those large images and still stay within the file size limit, it's making me crazy trying to figure it out

Lady72nRob71

This would not be a bushing, as the blower wheel is supposed to be securely fastened to the motor shaft. It should not turn there.
Not sure why the blower wheel looks damaged like that, but I bet it did not allow it to mount squarely and caused vibration. A dremel tool should be able to clean that up.

If this is an original motor, you might replace it while it is out if it is a pain to get to later.

2blu442

Years ago I had one where the fan blades came loose from the electric motor. I'm guessing that's what happened to yours. I agree with Rob, these are a pain to replace, I'd put on a new one while you have it apart. John

mmcilroy

That was the plan, I bought the new motor, figured "fan blades" don't wear out. But not sure I should mount this fan to the new motor. I'll hit it with the dremmel and whats left and how it fits. I guess if it doesn't rub it should be good to go?

Thanks for the input guys!

2blu442

I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly how its held secure to the electric motor shaft. But be sure your confident that its on tight before putting it all back together. John

Lady72nRob71

And before tightening the cage down, make sure the motor shaft is secure to the cage with minimal slop. It is possible that if the old motor shaft was spinning in the cage hole, it could have wore down. Using a new motor with a worn cage hole can cause problems.

mmcilroy

The motor shaft is a double "d" or has two flats, that fits into the same shape on the fan. It's only held on by a nut. It might be that something got down between there and got the garbage disposal treatment? I'm going to go take a closer look, can't be to hard to figure out????

J-(Chicago)

Once you upload your image as an attachment.... Right click its link and select PROPERTIES.
Then a gray box will pop up & a long sentence of gibberish computer code will be at the bottom of the box.

Highlight the whole code, right click, and select COPY.

Then in your thread box where where you type your message to everyone....
type: [img]paste the gibberish here[/img]

mmcilroy

Well' all those episodes of CSI have paid off!

Here are the clues:

1) It's clear that someone has been in there before because of the nut and poorly sized flat washer (new motor came with a star washer) that was holding the fan blades to the old motor shaft. The brilliant minds at Oldsmobile would not have done it that way. (Dusted for finger prints but didn’t find any, well. only mine but I have an alibi)

2) The hub of the fan blades can only go so far down the motor shaft by design due to the length of the machined flats on the shaft and the length of the fan blade hub. Therefore, unless a catastrophic failure could be determined the fan blade hub could (and didn’t) make contact with “this motor” housing. The fan blade hub length and corresponding flats on the shaft were examined and determined to be within my tolerances for a correct fit. By matching the cross sectional profile of the shaft and the fan blade hub the single nut and star lock washer (came with new motor) on the end of the shaft is clearly the intended method of securing the fan blades to the motor shaft.


3) Since the fan blade hub is clearly all mashed up but the corresponding face of the motor had no marks, scratches or deformities, I can safely conclude that the fan blade mashing did not happen while “this motor” was spinning (does not mean that the fan blade hub was not mashed while assembled to another motor, although as detailed later in this paragraph due to the pattern of the mashing it’s unlikely). After close examination the mashed up area of the hub did not display any observable circular, revolving, orbicular, ring-shaped or rotational patterns in the mashed area of any kind. (That backs up the “this motor” or any motor was not spinning the fan blades when the mashing occurred)


4) While spinning the fan blades it was observed that the fan blade hub and the fan blades did not share the same axis causing a slight wobble. This would indicate either the fan blades and fan blade hub assembly was either damaged at one time, poorly constructed at the time of manufacture (not an Oldsmobile option) or modifications were made to the original assembly by an inexperienced craftsman.



My conclusion is that the fan hub to fan blade connection became loose enough to be an annoyance someone. This inspired said someone to mash over the edge of the fan blade hub, probably with a heavy striking device to decrease the gap between the two components in an attempt to alleviate the annoyance. Or said someone mated a different hub to the existing fan blade assembly or visa versa to fabricate something that would substitute for the correct fan blade and fan blade hub assembly.

Well, I guess however it happened I'll replace the fan blades……..

Might have to install a clear window on the A/C housing and illuminate it with an interior light. That way everyone can see the shinny new fan blades. Hate spending money that does not make the car look better, run better or go faster..............

Your right, it’s raining, very windy and cold here today, causing a severe lack of motivation.

My442

Be sure to use 3M Strip Caulk between the motor housing and the firewall.

Lady72nRob71

Nice big picture - I did not even see the D-flat. Therefore the cage would not have been able to spin on the shaft if the nut got loose.