Thought I'd do my heater blower too...

[silverbullet]

Having removed dash etc. I found out that the heater box has already been unsuccessfully "got at" by someone before me who hadn't done their homework... (Vehicle featured is a "C" reg syncro caravelle, rhd)
The two halves were secured with clips, so the motor may well have been changed before the last attempt.
They couldn't get in it because of this screw which is less than obvious

syncro heater blower 2.jpg

All 3 (?) heater mounting screws on the bulkhead need removing (including the one on the crash beam - just right of screwdriver handle) in order to pull the unit forward to access this screw, along with the two clips at the back of the heater box, either side of the motor.

syncro heater blower 1.jpg

Having got it open, I find that the rheostat has got far too hot over the years and melted a hole in the casing (probably a good thing as it allows a bit of air to circulate over it) and a lot of dirt trapped behind it too.

syncro heater blower 3.jpg

Then I pulled out the motor...

[silverbullet]

The bright shiney stuff around the motor brush (square recess in the middle of the pic, with braided wire and wire clip right next to it) is melted plastic housing. So the brushes have over heated, fused to the housing (whereby they couldn't move and contact the motor commutator properly) then started to arc as they wore, got hotter still and the motor failed. You can see that the commutator segments (at 10 o'clock to the brush) are blackened due to arcing, it should be reasonably bright and coppery if brush contact is ok.
This one also has a big crack in the housing at 4 o'clock, so is now headed for the bin...

syncro heater blower 4.jpg

[jed the spread]

What did I tell You the other day when where working out van stuff lay on our backs on your drive in the rain, "once you have started on the Syncro the others are doomed"

Its started

jed

[silverbullet]

Wise words mate. I've still got to sort the heater blower on the 2.6 (dash out and worse than a regular T3) the central locking on the Bullet has gone up the wall after the tig brazing was done on the roof repair and as for Whitey getting ready for sale...
Then there's the tin-pop project (lots more carpentry and thinking time needed) the bergermeister powertrain I want to install in the Bullet...the pervy thing is that I really enjoy all this faffing about as much as I enjoy the driving them.

[ermie571]

s'not pervy mate...planning the fiddles fills those empty minutes at work, and the fiddling makes up (a bit) for not being at a camp site... hehe


Em
xx

[silverbullet]

Over-ambition will be my undoing...it all started out with a conversation about buying a camper, to get away as a family, parking up where and when we liked (sound familiar?) and look at where I've ended up
Not one of them is a proper camper and I've only ever taken the kids away for weekends
At least the mem'sahib is now (just about) keen to be driving one on a daily basis
She's after the syncro, I can feel it in my bones...
Anyone wanna buy a very low-mileage '99 VW Sharan?

[ermie571]

if u can't beat 'em, join 'em, then

[silverbullet]

She knows it makes sense... and knows where to find me - out front, attending to my mistresses

[silverbullet]

What did I tell You the other day when lay on our backs on your drive in the rain

jed

You swore you'd never tell anyone! You said we had something special, something beautiful...I hate you

[silverbullet]

Hurrah! Loveley new fan from Bricky arrived today. Got it in and checked all speeds re-clipped the casing and went to re-attach the air ducting hoses...funny, the driver's side duct is missing. Look all over the van, nope it's long gone. Thankyou previous meddlers
So now I need the 'S' bend that allows the big corrugated pipe to pass behind the servo and connect to the heater.
Really don't want to try and get this plugged on once the dash is back in. I've skinned half my knuckles getting this far...

[syncrosimon]

Mr Silverbullet,

are you re-sealing the control flaps with that foam backed sticky tape.

I have this job to do, as the heating on my syncro is luke warm, and howls like a banshee over 50mph, but I cant find a supplier for this stuff.

Did the clips to fix the heater box back together come with the fan motor from Baxter?

Cheers

Simon.

[silverbullet]

Simon - I did have a look at the flaps foam backing and they are still ok (amazingly) so left well alone. The clips on the enclosure came off ok so I re-used them, only 5 were still fitted and one tab was broken off, so placed them strategically for even clamping.
The fan motor doesn't come with clips or foam seal but is a good fit.
Hope it doesn't whistle too much but I do have some domestic boiler enclosure foam tape which should do the job if the glue hasn't dried up...
I'll test it at #3 before putting the dash back in, just in case.

[silverbullet]

Here's what's holding me up: the missing 'S' bend that goes between the heater and the driver's side heater duct pipe, behind the servo (probably impossible with dash in)

syncro missing heater duct.jpg

[Plasticman]

The fan is goosendon mine, but at least I get good heat when moving, I have a mint unit to fit but I just cant get motivated as its still working warm..., that bend behind the servo is fun int it,
mike