Blower motor - replacement time?

[Jelmer]

Gents,

I have a very strange issue with my blower, which started two years(!) ago: every now-and-then it makes rhythmic squeaks, which stop after a while. Oddly enough, it's dependent on the way I drive: corners to the right makes it worse, corners to the left make it better.

First I thought my blower motor itself: I thought it to be end-of-life. But then out of the blue it started making a loud "grinding" sound (scared the hell out of me), and after flipping it off and on a few times, it was perfectly silent again. This lasted for about a year, then exactly the same happened. Last week it happened again, with the grinding sound being worse, but this afternoon it became all OK again. Very confusing.

Could it be that there's just some junk inside the blower, somewhere? Maybe leafs or something? Or should I simply replace the damn blower motor?

If so: how do I determine the part number (manual dual-zone, WDB1240361B940142)? It seems there are three different part numbers to my VIN, and neither of my shops can tell me exactly which type I need. Maybe there are other things I can replace, while I'm at it? It's not a '94, so I don't have the cabin dust filters (I think! But it's an in-between-models, so who knows?!).

I'm thinking of trying this job myself, to save some coin (this year's repair bill was ~€9k ...). I found this old thread (http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?506-AC-blower-motor), but the links there are dead.

Thanks

 

[gsxr]

Sounds like the blower is failing, and I think you need part # 000-830-79-08 (for pre-facelift models, without dust filter).

PS: Love your new avatar. Is that Pumpish™ driving?

 

[Jelmer]

Thanks for the quick reply. Now, you know I trust you, so please forgive me for asking: how big is the chance I order the wrong component? ;-)

And, do you have the how-to's uploaded on your site, somewhere? On what used to be http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/MB CD/W124/Index/MiscFiles/83-140.pdf

About the avatar: Yeah, I kinda abused my admin powers to upload that, I thought it funny to have an animated avatar ;-)

 

[Jelmer]

Eh? I'm confused. The blower motor is $440, according to parts.com, yet I can find them on eBay for €75-€140??

See:
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Innenraumgeblase-/281006603112?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item416d4c7b68
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Premium-Gebl...982034946?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item1c2b175a02

 

[vatc5637]

Hard to say without opening up the enclosure. I was experiencing an intermittent "ticking" sound. I decided to both replace the cabin air filters and inspect the blower motor at the same time (following both Gerry's excellent instructions and the peachparts.com article referred to in the thread you posted earlier). Turns out that a piece of the foam weatherstripping broke off inside and was hitting the squirrel cages attached to the blower motor. Cut off the offending strip (actually replaced all the foam weatherstripping) and . . . no more ticking noises. Working slowly and carefully, took me a bit less than 2 hours from start to finish since I didn't have to actually replace the blower motor. Not a difficult task overall, toughest part was re-attaching the molding on the bottom of the windshield so that it laid flat (lots of finger pushing and pulling). Whatever you do, resist the urge to "pound" the molding on the bottom of the windshield into place. Don't ask . . .

 

[vatc5637]

Hope this works:

Auto%20related/Mercedes%20related/How%20To's/Blower%20Motor%20Removal-PeachPartsWiki:.webarchive

 

[emerydc8]

I experienced a low pitch humming noise when making right hand turns. It was a bad blower motor. Pulling it out and oiling it gave me an extra year, but eventually it began blowing the strip fuse so I figured the worn bearings were causing too much current draw. If you decide to just get the motor and not the whole assembly with the squirrel cage, I would use a heat gun to take the cage off the old motor shafts. The plastic is likely brittle and the heat gun will help you slide it off without breaking it (don't heat it too much or the cage will melt).

 

[Jelmer]

vatc5637, I doubt my issue is what you describe, but thanks for thinking with me. I don't have a ticking sound, it's a high-pitched rhythmic sound, which sounds very much like end-of-life bearings. I'm interested in your link, though. But the link you've posted isn't working, fancy trying again?

Jon, thanks for that thought. I also thought about a way to re-oil the blower, but if it gives me a year, or maybe two, it's not worth it for me. I want it fixed, and I don't want to think about it for 15 years!

I *am* worried about your distinction between the motor and the cage, though. Does the part # Dave posted contain the "full thing" or does that require me to go chopping up stuff? And any idea about the eBay links I posted?

 

[ccc]

Gents,

I have a very strange issue with my blower, which started two years(!) ago: every now-and-then ..... This lasted for about a year, then exactly the same happened. Last week it happened again, with the grinding sound being worse, but this afternoon it became all OK again. Very confusing.

Thanks

My 2 cents is that i note on my car, that some failing part symptoms seem temperature dependant. So maybe the squeal quieted for a while over summer and is now back with the cold. Just 2 cents
I vote blower motor bearings too.

 

[vatc5637]

Jelmer, I agree that my issue wasn't applicable in your situation. All I was trying to suggest is that it wasn't a difficult job to attempt and that with your "newly acquired" mechanical skills, you would easily be able to see for yourself what the true issue was by removing the various parts necessary to access the blower motor. There's an old saying here "well if he (meaning me) can do it, than anyone can . . ."

As I understand it, if one orders a new blower motor here in the 'States (parts.com or autohausAZ), they usually come with the squirrel cages attached, but I don't know that for a fact, perhaps another board member can.

Here's another try re: link for the peachparts wiki on the blower motor:

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124BlowerMotor

There is other good stuff there as well.

Good luck!

vatc5637

 

[vatc5637]

This is the other article which may be bit more relevant and was very helpful to me:

http://www.davebarnhart.com/mb300e/Blower/Blower1.htm

 

[gsxr]

Thanks for the quick reply. Now, you know I trust you, so please forgive me for asking: how big is the chance I order the wrong component? ;-)

I think it's >90% likely the blower motor is at fault.

And, do you have the how-to's uploaded on your site, somewhere? On what used to be http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/MB CD/W124/Index/MiscFiles/83-140.pdf

The ps2cho site migrated here - update your bookmarks:
http://www.w124-zone.com/downloads/MB CD/W124/Main.html

I think Gerry did a detailed DIY writeup on this a while ago? There may also be one on the PeachParts forum/Wiki.

 

[gsxr]

Eh? I'm confused. The blower motor is $440, according to parts.com, yet I can find them on eBay for €75-€140??

See:
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Innenraumgeblase-/281006603112?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item416d4c7b68
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Premium-Gebl...982034946?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item1c2b175a02

The cheap eBay blowers are likely Chinese junk. I'd get either Genuine MB or OEM, which I think is Behr...? That part number is not used on USA models, apparently the manual climate control uses a different blower assembly.

 

[emerydc8]

Jelmer, you can get a new Bosch motor for about $75 but it doesn't have the cage or the plug in connectors. You have to use a solder gun to remove the old connectors. You can save a significant amount by going with the Bosch like this. It wasn't difficult for me to do and I have limited soldering skills. I would stay away from Uro motors at any cost. I tried to save $50 with a Uro and ended up doing the job twice.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Bosch-0...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

 

[Jelmer]

Thanks guys! I'll try and hunt for a new Bosch motor first. At the moment I can't find any in Europe, all US, which adds a lot of shipping costs. Other option is the new OEM part - I've read enough about Uro to stay away from it

I think it's >90% likely the blower motor is at fault.

As do I. But I meant, how big is the chance that the part I order doesn't fit in MY car

vatc5637, thanks. I found those links ages ago, but couldn't find them now.

 

[gsxr]

... how big is the chance that the part I order doesn't fit in MY car...

Assuming the EPC is correct, if you buy the complete assembly, I think it's >99% likely to fit properly. If you choose to replace only the motor, I'd remove it first to check for part numbers on the motor assembly. I don't know if the motors are the same, they could have different shaft lengths or electrical connections, like the facelifted models do (click here). Also, I'm not sure what the trick is for getting the plastic cages on & off easily, but make sure you only pull/press on the very center. The spokes are toothpick thin and will snap with any pressure.

 

[Prime]

+1 on the brittleness of the cage blades.

A couple more pointers from my memory of doing this job -
#1) be careful with the spikes that attach the weatherstripping to the top of the firewall. They like to eat fingers.
#2) Before you remove the old motor, make a note of which way the fan blades curve. My new motor came with them installed opposite the original, so when I installed the motor like the old one it would blow, but not very hard. Flipping the whole assembly over is a very simple fix, but you need to know which way to install it based on the fan blades - not the motor housing. As a double-check, start it up and feel how hard it blows through the vents before reinstalling everything.

 

[jano]

#1) be careful with the spikes that attach the weatherstripping to the top of the firewall. They like to eat fingers.

This. Three years later, I still cringe in my sleep and cry for mommy just thinking about those tiny little idiotic sources of the greatest evils known to mankind.

For what it's worth, I replaced the full motor + squirrel cage assembly; considered doing just the motor replacement, but I was ultimately turned away from it with the understanding those things had to be installed completely true to work properly.

A year leater, I salvaged the motor for an unrelated project, and as a personal exercise, attempted to remove the cages. Try as I might, was unable to remove the cage assembly without destruction, tried heat, cold, gentle, rough, battery pullers, lube, rubber hammers, strap wrenches, handcuffs, etc. Others seem to have had luck doing it,

 

[emerydc8]

It would be a good idea to take a picture before removing the old motor. This is a picture of the new Bosch motor with the old cage. The motor kit comes with blue wire crimps so you can reuse the wires from the old motor.

 

[Jelmer]

Well I guess that settles it, then - I'm going to order the complete assembly (that is, if it isn't double the parts.com price!). And I'll be sure to make a photo-report for myself. I'd go crazy if I find out afterwards I made an error, and need to re-do the whole exercise!

 

[Allgonquin]

I have the same "squeaks differently depending on taking a left or right turn" issue with my '95 Diesel blower motor. I've always attributed it to the blower motor bearings, but it has not gotten bad enough to replace yet. Interestingly on that car several years ago I was driving on the highway when all of a sudden tons of smoke and a bad burnt electrical smell came out of the vents. Pulled over in a panic, popped the hood, could not see anything. Long story short, one of the blower motor leads had burned up for some unknown reason. I soldered new leads and it has been OK since then (apart from the squeak!)

Rgds,