Toyota Van Front Heater/AC Blower - Revisited!

[Larryvan]

I am the (original) owner of a 1984 Toyota Van Wagon LE. It's still a daily driver, and everything on it still works well, with 156k on the odometer. Over the years, I have done all routine (and some not so routine!) maintenance myself. A developing problem, though is with the front heater/air conditioner blower. The symptoms all point to the blower needing to be replaced - not atypical for a van of this vintage and mileage. I do have the Toyota factory maintenance manual (bought when I got the Van in January 1984), which is one of the least useful auto publications I've ever seen. There's all kinds of detailed info on rebuilding the transmission and engine, but when it comes to some items (heater/ac blower, and windshield-wiper motor, for example), they might as well not be on the van. There's no information in any Toyota publications I am aware of that have anything regarding accessing the blower. I have pored over the postings on this forum, and have found some information and images showing how some have accessed the blower. Thanks to the design of ac-equipped vans, a structural crossmember is directly in the way of pulling the motor and fan from under the dash by removing the three bolts holding it to the housing.

A. One posting and photos showed the right side of that crossmember unbolted and pulled back far enough to remove the blower from the inside.

B. Another one described removing the right front headlight and associated bezel to allow access to unbolt and remove the squirrel cage fan from the blower shaft, so there's then enough clearance to remove the blower motor from the blower housing. ( leaving the fan inside the blower housing, to be rebolted to the blower shaft when it is replaced).

Either seem incredibly painful! For example, it seems that A. (above) might well require removing the entire dash - yuck! As for B. (above) , if the fan doesn't have a hard stop for positioning it back onto the blower (motor) shaft, that would well involve a lot of trial and error to get the fan back onto the shaft to keep it from rubbing on the inside of the blower housing - more yuck!

All this is an attempt to find the easiest way to do what should be a very simply job, but most certainly is not. The designers for this and other such unreasonably work-intensive
arrangements on the van should have to replace one themselves (and using the "instructions" (arf, arf!) in the factory manual). So, after my tale of woe, has anyone any
further suggestions than those already posted? My grateful "thanks" for anyone that can provide further information!

[JDM VANMAN]

Very nice explanation and just point out that before you start that process did you happen to check the resistor pack that control the fan speed? I’m thinking your fan has stopped working because of the resistor? I’m just throwing it out there in case you haven’t already looked at it.

JDM

[JDM VANMAN]

Check out this thread if you missed in your search-

https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/...pack#post35325

JDM

[bigeo]

I've done this from inside my 86 and it did require a lot of "dash" disassembly and partially unbolting and pulling back the "knee bar" member to extract the old blower. Yes it is a PITA but it feels good when it's done and you have heat again. Remember, you're doing this repair for the first time on a vehicle that is 35 years old. Give those Toyota designers some credit. And do check the resistor module that provides the speed control for the motor before you rip into it.

[Larryvan]

Very nice explanation and just point out that before you start that process did you happen to check the resistor pack that control the fan speed? I’m thinking your fan has stopped working because of the resistor? I’m just throwing it out there in case you haven’t already looked at it.

JDM

Thank you for your reply, and the referenced image. Resistor pack is good (all three lower speeds - low, medium, medium-high work), but symptoms are strange. About a month ago, I noted that going from "medium high" to "high" resulted in the blower speed quickly decreasing, but then slowly (after 15-20 seconds) picking back up to high. This has progressed to the point that it is now beginning to affect the three lower blower speeds. A couple of days ago, with the ignition on (but engine not running, so as to be able to listen to the blower) I turned on the blower (low speed position). There is a sort of soft rubbing sound, as if the squirrel cage fan is rubbing against something. Nothing has fallen into the defroster outlets, and there is no "electrical" smell accompanying any of this, nor have any circuit breakers, fusible links, or fuses been tripped. I thought that, given the trouble to even examine the blower/fan assembly, it would be wise to replace the blower motor at the same time.

[originalkwyjibo]

I would agree. If pulling the fan to investigate, best to at least have a new one available. Of course, the resistor is far easier to replace and cheaper too. I bought two from Amazon a while back for my two vans. Toyota part and only $15 and change? Figured at that price it was good to have spares even if I didn't need them(which I did).