Blower Motor Upgrades?

[Oliver Holler]

I searched the archives but haven't found anything recent.
My blower motor is squealing more and more, and I figure if I'm going to replace it, I sure would like for it to move MORE air.
Any suggestions on a faster or bigger motor that would fit?
Thanks!
Oliver
10694

[David T]

The OEM motor moves enough air and the replacements will too. If you are not moving enough air there are several things to check.
Is the motor running in the correct direction?
Is the fan loose on the shaft?
Are the doors and actuators working or is the mode switch hissing and hard to turn?
Is the ductwork inside the doors connected and not leaking?
Is the boot that connects the center vents installed correctly?
Do all of the speeds work?
Is the air box and coils clean? You can check that when you remove the fan motor.
When the fan motor is squealing the bearings are worn out and the motor will not go fast enough anymore.

[gongloo]

I searched the archives but haven't found anything recent.
My blower motor is squealing more and more, and I figure if I'm going to replace it, I sure would like for it to move MORE air.
Any suggestions on a faster or bigger motor that would fit?
Thanks!
Oliver
10694

+1. I'm in exactly the same boat and was thinking that, like the cooling fan upgrades, there have to be better options now than there were when the car was made. I do suspect that my blower system is working fine besides the squeaky bearings, but nevertheless want more power!

[Oliver Holler]

Thank you David. All factors and valid points. Enough air is good, I guess. I was just hoping to do to my air, what some have done to their engines! Really make it blast like a rocket! I thought about a motor rated for lower volts, which would make it spin faster.
I've got a '95 Chevy truck that blows like a hurricane. Of course, it's a different animal, but I sure wish I could fit that in the D.
I appreciate that you shared your thoughts and insight.
O.

[SS Spoiler]

I had a blower motor start making noise, hmm bad bearing? Took the fan out and oiled up the bearing closest to the cage but couldn't reach the end bearing. So I drilled a tiny hole in the end cap, oiled it and siliconed the hole. Going strong twelve years now.


Paul Cerny #2691
Kalispell, MT

[Bitsyncmaster]

I have thought about a better blower motor. You would need a motor that is more efficient or you will probably need to do some wiring changes. My stock blower motor draws about 22 amps on speed 4.

I think the only thing you would gain is a quicker cool down if your car has been sitting in the sun. IR window tint is probably the better option.

[David T]

I have thought about a better blower motor. You would need a motor that is more efficient or you will probably need to do some wiring changes. My stock blower motor draws about 22 amps on speed 4.

I think the only thing you would gain is a quicker cool down if your car has been sitting in the sun. IR window tint is probably the better option.


I don't think the problem is the volume of air. The problem I have is that you just can't point the vents directly onto you. Neither the center vents or the ones in the doors will aim directly at you. That's why you don't feel the air so much.

[DMCMW Dave]

I have thought about a better blower motor...

I think the only thing you would gain is a quicker cool down if your car has been sitting in the sun. .

Assuming there was enough extra capacity in the system. All things being equal, blowing a greater volume of air at a higher rate of speed through the same evaporator will just get you a higher volume of warmer air.

[Oliver Holler]

Everyone talks about the blower motor turning in the "correct" direction, but I can't find specifically what that direction is!
Looking at the shaft, (the part the blades attach to) my old one turns in a counter-clockwise direction. The new motor does too.
But I'm getting more air blowing out the intake vents outside beneath the windshield, than out the side hole in the door.
Seems like the wrong direction to me...
Can anyone verify the 'Right' or 'Correct' direction a blower motor should turn?
Thanks,
Oliver

[Elvis]

ever looked in to the doors how the air channles are made ?
the gaps ?
and under the dasboard ?
the long hoses ?

[Chris 16409]

Look up this part number on RockAuto. This has worked well for me.

23427

[sdg3205]

Oliver,

Have you plugged your door vents? A lot of air is wasted at that junction point. I've actually removed the ducting to the doors entirely and used soda can bottoms to fit over the points of exit on the evaporator box.

If you're interested, cut the bottom 1/4 off the soda can, fit it over the hole, and use black electrical tape to seal it.

[DMC5180]

I searched the archives but haven't found anything recent.
My blower motor is squealing more and more, and I figure if I'm going to replace it, I sure would like for it to move MORE air.
Any suggestions on a faster or bigger motor that would fit?
Thanks!
Oliver
10694

Oliver,

David T offered several good suggestions. The shotgun approach :biggrin:

Narrowing that list a bit.

Squealing motor (Bearing): Ultimately it's the sign it's time for new motor. However the culprit is usually the lower bearing, you can lubricate it for extended life if you pull the Rubber blast tube elbow from the motor housing. You should be able squirt lubricant using a nozzle tube down into the bearing area. My preference is 3-N-1 machine oil. The oil will run into the bearing and for the most part stay put.

Air Output volume: The doors vents are famous for being leaky. You can go though and seal up all the duct work with expandable foam or You can simply block off the airflow to the door vents using the "DMC" vent plugs sold by DMCMW. I did the latter on my car and this forces ALL A/C air through the center ducts. When I'm on 4 it's like a Tornado effect I point the vents more so to the middle of the cabin and air swirls around behind you and blows foreword along the doors.

Motor direction IIRC is CCW if looking at the wheel end. If your not sure drop the motor and look at the wheel hub you should see a directional arrow molded into the plastic.

[Oliver Holler]

CCW

Thank you!
Oliver

[Jimmycxc]

What I actually did, since the time circuits in my car are blocking the center vents in my car, is drilled new vent holes in the knee pads and re-routed the vent hoses from the door to the new vents. I picked up 2.5" round vents, used a hole saw to make my hole and put the vents in. Very easy and actually looks OEM. I posted a picture in modifications section.

[David T]

Oliver,

David T offered several good suggestions. The shotgun approach :biggrin:

Narrowing that list a bit.

Squealing motor (Bearing): Ultimately it's the sign it's time for new motor. However the culprit is usually the lower bearing, you can lubricate it for extended life if you pull the Rubber blast tube elbow from the motor housing. You should be able squirt lubricant using a nozzle tube down into the bearing area. My preference is 3-N-1 machine oil. The oil will run into the bearing and for the most part stay put.

Air Output volume: The doors vents are famous for being leaky. You can go though and seal up all the duct work with expandable foam or You can simply block off the airflow to the door vents using the "DMC" vent plugs sold by DMCMW. I did the latter on my car and this forces ALL A/C air through the center ducts. When I'm on 4 it's like a Tornado effect I point the vents more so to the middle of the cabin and air swirls around behind you and blows foreword along the doors.

Motor direction IIRC is CCW if looking at the wheel end. If your not sure drop the motor and look at the wheel hub you should see a directional arrow molded into the plastic.

I wouldn't characterize my suggestions as the "shotgun" approach. The point to my post is EVERYTHING has to work right to get the maximum effect. Throwing a little oil into the bearings is futile, once they start squealing they are worn out and at that point the fan motor should be replaced. The reason I question if the fan is rotating in the correct direction is that there are fan motor replacements that look the same and fit well but run in reverse to the direction we need. You will still move *some* air but nowhere near what you should. They can still be used but you must reverse the wires to get the motor to go the other way. If you look at the blades on the fan you can tell which way it should turn. If the mode switch is not working right some ducts may be open when they shouldn't and vice versa so you will not get all of the air you should out the ducts you want. If the switch is hissing or hard to turn that is a sign that it is not working right. As for the ducts in the doors, they were not made well and it is not easy to seal them well. On one car the driver's duct was so bad I had frost on the outside of the door when we ran the A/C! We were losing a LOT of cold air into the door! I prefer to use the ducts and fix them as opposed to using those caps. You can only force so much air out those center vents. One owner had made some clear plastic divertors placed over the vents on the doors to direct more air towards the occupants. Kludgy but it worked.As for the center vents, the radio doesn't need A/C. If the center boot is not on right you can lose a LOT of air inside the dash. The Delorean is subject to the "Greenhouse" effect because of the angle of the front windscreen. If the A/C is not working at or near optimum you do not have enough cooling when you need it the most. Another reason I also suggest staying with R-12. You lose some cooling capacity if you switch to -134. Air volume doesn't seem to be as big a problem when you run the heat.

[sdg3205]

If you keep the use of the door vents, another great trick i learned was to remove the lower door panels to access the door register box. With the back of it exposed, use Great Stuff expanding foam to seal between the plastic door panel and the register box, and also around the mouth where it meets the outside of the door.

I'll post a pic.

Edit - here ya go. Just trim what gets in the way:

2343923440