Man It's Cold Out** Heater Problem

Sidewinder · Post by **Sidewinder** » 18 Dec 2008, 12:52

I am hearing this sound I think from the heater. It sounds a little like a bearing in the fan motor or something. Here is the weird part. It only does it when the car is accelerating. Once I level off and cruise no noise. If I turn off the whole HVAC system then no noise at all. Car runs great. Turn the heater back on in any position and the noise comes back. I am also getting an occasional antifreeze smell inside the car. At first I thought great heater core but if I turn the heater to REC then no more smell ever. I would think that if the HC was bad then there would be a smell no matter what. Could the smell be coming from a leaking water pump? Any suggestions would be great.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 18 Dec 2008, 15:25

It would be helpful to know what kind of noise, "that noise" is. Can you describe it a bit more/better?

Mike-Halewai · Post by **Mike-Halewai** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:09

I have the exact same problem... if you're sure the noise is from the passenger side.. then it is 99% your blower motor.

I'm replacing mine this weekend, if you check out the thread here: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=17743

Then you will see the thread that is going there, including pricing, symptoms and lot's of different advice, etc.

Sidewinder · Post by **Sidewinder** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:11

The noise sounds like a whirring like a bad bearing. Kind of like when you turn on a fan with a dry bearing, noise on startup but then clears up. Only problem here is that the noise is the same regardless of fan speed or vehicle speed. Seems to make the sound when accelerating. I was wondering if maybe there was some kind of vacuum check valve that might be leaking or something when the system changes from vacuum to boost on the turbo. It is weird because I get heat and the dual zones work fine. Just with it being in the teens and forecast to be 4 for the high this weekend I would hate to find myself without a heater.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:47

I agree that it's most likely the blower motor.

Mike-Halewai · Post by **Mike-Halewai** » 18 Dec 2008, 23:48

Well.. mine has been howling for about a week now. Acceleration and braking made a difference up until yesterday, now it howls from when it turns on until after the car is shut-off.

You should keep moving the heated air until that motor seizes, and that should last for at least a week or more. I have read on a few other sites that people have lived with that howling for up to 1 year or more.

Sidewinder · Post by **Sidewinder** » 19 Dec 2008, 09:06

Thanks. Sounds like I will start with a blower motor. At least it sounds like I have a little time. I can look around the junk yards for a replacement.

Mike-Halewai · Post by **Mike-Halewai** » 19 Dec 2008, 12:21

If you go with a used unit be sure to add a little di-electric lubricant if you can. Shouldn't hurt, and maybe give you a little extra life, especially in the cold, which also brings with it a dry factor which certainly doesn't help a bearing stay lubricated...

SnookWhaler · Post by **SnookWhaler** » 19 Dec 2008, 18:32

Sidewinder wrote:Thanks. Sounds like I will start with a blower motor. At least it sounds like I have a little time. I can look around the junk yards for a replacement.

Bad idea... Better to try and repair/lube your existing motor or just get a "new motor" and replace "just the motor". Instead of the entire assembly.

You can remove the entire "fan motor assembly" from the car, remove the "fan motor and fan" from the assembly, remove the "fan" from the motor shaft, install the existing fan on a new motor and install the "fan motor and fan" back into the existing assembly.

Mike-Halewai · Post by **Mike-Halewai** » 20 Dec 2008, 17:49

SnookWhaler wrote:
Sidewinder wrote:Thanks. Sounds like I will start with a blower motor. At least it sounds like I have a little time. I can look around the junk yards for a replacement.
Bad idea... Better to try and repair/lube your existing motor or just get a "new motor" and replace "just the motor". Instead of the entire assembly.

You can remove the entire "fan motor assembly" from the car, remove the "fan motor and fan" from the assembly, remove the "fan" from the motor shaft, install the existing fan on a new motor and install the "fan motor and fan" back into the existing assembly.

I'm not certain as to why it would be "a bad idea" to replace the entire assembly with a used one? It might be good for you to explain this thought a bit more in depth?

I just replace my entire assembly this afternoon and with absolutely no problem at all. The used unit sounds even quieter than mine did before the bearing went south.

I did however make sure to spray some silicone based lubricant as recommended by billofdurham .. thus far... -9 Celsius.. no problems. The squirrel box is exactly the same as my last blower motor even though the manufacturing dates were different.