Club 80-90 Forums

Turn the knob but nothing happens any idea's?, checked the fuses all is well. 1984 1.9dg.

First stop would be switch, same part no as polo and golf iirc, if it isnt switch then prepare for a dash out job, and its a bugger!

Cheers Mocki, is there any way of checking the switch or is it a case of get one and try it?

On the subject of the heater, does anyone know the resistance and power spec's for the wirewound resistor that controls the heater speeds.

Dave

New switch £5 from GSF

you can "short" past the switch , or check the continuity with a meter or batt and bulb with the switch disconnected.......

if it is the resistor, or the motor its a dash out job.....

not sure of the resistance of the resistor, but its the same as the dim dip resistor on later vans on the headlights i'm told...

Thanks for the replies, as Horace says for £5 i'll take the risk and buy a new one.

just had this me self shep. Fortunately it turned out to be the switch - £6 as opposed to the cost of a new fan and 4 hours labour to remove and re-fit it. ...... Lets hope its the switch for you too

I'm about to do the 'dash out' thing due to smoke under the dash = heater now not blowing. I have sourced a replacement heater box and have read the wiki, but the wiki only takes you up to removing the box. I'm a bit concerned about what happens after I've reconnected the water hoses... how do I then bleed the system? I'm really determined to do it myself, but I am a learner!

Mocki wrote:First stop would be switch, same part no as polo and golf iirc, if it isnt switch then prepare for a dash out job, and its a bugger!

hence the reason why mine still don't work after 4 years!

Getting the dash out isn't that difficult once you get going. Takes 30 mins at most. What took me longer was getting the blasted screws out that hold the fan unit against the bulkhead. Mine gave a puff of smoke too and blew the fuse every time but once i got in there and gave the motor a spray of WD40, away it went - had heating ever since.

Basically they seize through drying out.

[quote="CovKid"]Mine gave a puff of smoke too and blew the fuse every time but once i got in there and gave the motor a spray of WD40, away it went - had heating ever since.quote]

So, you didn't replace the motor then? I haven't considered that the motor may still work. I haven't replaced the fuse, just thought that as there was a fair amount of smoke the motor would now be dead. So you recommend changing fuse and wd40 before I rip my van to bits??? lol

Well if you had CLOUDS of smoke maybe it IS toast now. Depends. I definately had smoke appear from under the dash yet it still runs and very well at that. Nine times out of ten with apparently dead blowers is that the motor fan assembly is seized solid - long periods of non-use. However, you still have to pull the entire heating unit away from the bulkhead to get to the motor itself. You can then access it from the rear (the bit screwed on to the bulkhead if you see what I mean).

I actually had a replacement unit to go in but guess what - THAT was seized too and WORSE than the one I was intending to remove. Trick I guess (in the longer term) is to switch the fan on periodically to make sure it operates as it should. Whether replacing the unit or lubricating it, you still have to remove dash and pull blower unit forward though

Just got my blower working had the dash out and the thing has just seized up...loads of wd40 contact cleaner and hey presto..... this is an easy job even for a muppet like me the hard thing is getting the screws out ( possibly mine were pi$$ easy) and getting the balls to do it.
I would do it again and would take half the time as I spent quite a while looking at it rubbing me chin and stressin!!!! Tell you what though it does scare you a bit when you look at the old girl with the dash out and all the wires and all. Just for ref I cleaned uop the earth spider(s) and cleaned up all the earths as is is easy to get to (mine lokkked cack)
Pm if you need any advice D0

True ain't it. They can seize up solid those things. As I say, 9 times out of ten a spray with WD and a quick turn by hand is all thats needed - providing you don't cook it before you get that far

Yes agree, looks a right state with the dash out but all the awkward jobs can be done whilst its out, like:

1) Relubing wiper mechanism, replacing knackered washer jets if they need doing (some great light-up twins around) and maybe replacing washer pipe. I found a pet shop that had silicon pipe rather than the solid stuff and that worked a treat.

2) Tidying up wires or fitting new items

3) I mounted my front speakers under the dash (lot easier with it out) and despite being blasted for this on another thread they sound excellent!

4) Check for leaks around the base of your windscreen seal

5) wire your stereo in properly

6) set your cold air/heater cables up properly

Also as an aside, pet shops also stock 'T' pieces that are great for renewing any old ones that feed the air cleaner in the engine bay.