Heater fan motor dying?

[adamdegraff]

Hey All,
as we head from frigid Chicago up to even colder South Dakota for a couple of shows, my front heat exchanger stopped working. This is the unit attached to the webasto heated liquid. (Sorry, I know, my terminology stinks!) Last night I noticed that the fan was struggling. Then, I noticed it started to smell like a motor that was burning out (or, trying to spin, but meeting with sufficient resistance that it was overheating.) Well, this morning, it won't spin the little turbines at all. Well, actually, it will if I put on the 24 volt option instead of the 12 volt. But even with 24 volts, it struggles to get moving and never spins fast more than a few rotations. When I try to spin it by hand, it will move, but has a constant drag on it. (not sure if that is normal or not.)

So, this looks difficult to pull out. It is attached to the coolant lines and jammed into the front/passenger dash area. I see that I could probably pinch off both hoses, make a huge mess, take the hose clamps off the lines, and take out the whole unit. What do I need to fix though? It is getting plenty of heat. The fan just don't spin. Bearing? Motor? Whole unit?

I am on the north side of suburban chicago. (drove by Liberty by accident the other day! exciting :-) I'm headed up to MN, then over the SD later this week. But for now, I'm enjoying my relatives and old friends... and now, fixing, the bus:-)

Any thoughts what I should do?

Thanks,

Adam

[lonesome george]

Adam,
Our bus had a fan blade hitting the mounting housing on the front heat exchanger, it was annoying and only hit when the fan was starting up. With the trim panel removed I could get to the heat exchanger and with a flash light and mirror could see the mounting screws in the back of the unit, ours is screwed on top of the dash heat/air plenum, with the mounting screws out (it took a varity of screw drivers) I could move the heat exchanger around enough to get to the fans, this one has two. Our problem was how the fans had be mounted and we fixed them without replacememt, but I had them out.
The point is I did this with the water lines still connected, no mess. Our unit is a Aqua Hot and the heat exchangers were made by some other outfit and I don't remember the name. You may be able to do the same thing and replace your fans. Our fans looked like something you could get at Granger.

[Denny]

Adam

If you need help give our own POG member Joe Cannarozzi a call. He is in Chicago. His phone numbers are on Dale's Map listed under Quick Links. Joe knows his way around a bus and is close to you.

[Tully]

Ditto that. Joe has done work for me and would be your best bet- if he is available.

Tully

[adamdegraff]

Thanks! Talked to Joe and we agree that with Marathon willing to ship me a new fan motor for $135.00, it was kind of a no brainer. Its on the the way and I'll install it tomorrow before we head to South Dakota for our shows.

Thanks for the input. Anybody change one of these motors lately?

Adam

[dreamchasers]

Adam,

Mango Mike replaced one and documented the process on his website. Check out http://www.prevoman.com/Pages/Webast...wer/page1.html .

I have not tackled the project yet, but I do have a fan rattling on my front heater, so it only a matter of time. Let us know how it goes.

Hector

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Adam when will you have that motor and where will you be when you get it. I can shoot up to you. What kind of a window do you have after you get till you have to roll?

Hector, Mango replaced a prevo blower motor, Adam needs the one for his Webasto.

[adamdegraff]

Adam when will you have that motor and where will you be when you get it. I can shoot up to you. What kind of a window do you have after you get till you have to roll?

Hector, Mango replaced a prevo blower motor, Adam needs the one for his Webasto.

Joe, I should have the motor by tomorrow evening. I may try to tackle the project on my way up to Sioux Falls. As I see it, the colder the temperatures outside, the faster I'll get 'er fixed. I appreciate your willingness to come find me, but I fear that I may be hard to pin down. If for some reason I end up sitting put on Thursday, I'll give you a ring and we can see about getting together. Thanks for your help on the phone to day.

And, by the way, Hector was right. Mango did replace the webasto exchanger motor. The only difference is that my is made by frigid cool, not red dot.

Thanks again,
Adam

[Joe Cannarozzi]

It will be the First of March, end of the week

[dreamchasers]

Adam,

Any words of wisdom on what to do or what not to do when changing our a Wabasto blower motor?

Hector