855T 1994 Fan Bearing? How to replace?

[Mike-Halewai]

My 94 turbo wagon has been being a good lad as of late. However, now that the cold weather and snow has arrived I've noticed that my heater makes an interesting sound depending on turning, speeding up or down, etc.

It sounds like a "whirring" sound under the glove box, and sometimes comes on with the fan, sometimes doesn't.

I've done some poking around to learn that it is likely the fan bearing. I'd like to tackle it once I find a heated space to do so... how easy/hard - cheap/expensive is this to DIY?

Thanks.

[Ozark Lee]

I think your biggest problem will be sourcing the replacement bearings themselves. I recall some guy over on VS took the motor apart and lubricated the bearings but I don't think it lasted for very long.

Most people simply replace the motor or the entire blower assembly.

...Lee

[Mike-Halewai]

Blower assembly or motor; what do you recommend of the two? Cost isn't a huge factor to me, but what about easy of re 'n' re of either of these options.

With the cold I would prefer to be as "bolt-in/bolt-out" as possible, but not if it's going to cost a truely significant amount more.

Any thoughts?

[billofdurham]

I had a similar noise on my 850 about 3 years ago. I pulled the motor out then found I was going to have to wait 5 days for a new one. I squirted some silicone based lubricant onto the bearing with the intention of replacing the fan when the weather was warmer.

Honest, I was going to replace it and I shall, if it starts making a noise again.

Bill.

[Mike-Halewai]

What kind of replacement costs should I be expecting for replacing the fan motor?

[turbotim2]

I believe the new motors are about $120. Both of ours have been squealing for quite awhile but I haven't bothered replacing them. It seems that a name like Bosch would build a better 12v motor...

[Ozark Lee]

FCP has the motor for $95.00 and the blower assembly for $169.00. There is a writeup somewhere that details how to move the squirrel cage from the old motor to the new one either here or on VS - I just can't seem to find it.

...Lee

[Mike-Halewai]

Well, I tracked down a brand new assembly for about $250 CAD which seems to be a little reasonable... but a bit more than I was hoping.

The sound howling sound has become fairly consistent... when you shut the engine off, it sounds like a turbine (all be it a small turbine) grind slowly to a halt.

I'll pick it up and do it on the weekend... man it's going to be cold.

If anyone can point me to a DIY guide for this I would appreciate it, as I have not been able to find anything that was too straight forward etc.

[renns]

Mike,

If you are of the DIY type, pull the motor out, and take a look. If the bearings are bad enough to allow the fan impeller to move in contact with the housing, then you are likely looking at a motor replacement at the least. If the bearings are OK, perhaps the impeller itself is a bit too far down on the motor shaft. That could cause it to rub as well.

I had a squeaky fan problem last year, and pulled it apart to inspect. The bearing was dry, so I polished the shaft, lubricated the bearing well, and reassembled. It took a bit of fiddling, but it has been running noise-free for nearly a year now. It's certainly worth doing if you enjoy that sort of thing, but there is always the risk you will need to dive in there again soon. The other option is to spend the money on the replacement, and do it once. It's the old money/time trade-off.

[JFO]

Mike,

This will show you how to get at the blower. You should be able to figure out how to remove it when you get to it...it's not hard. I hope you have a warm place to work!

Jim
http://volvospeed.com/Repair/pdash850.php