Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all,

Our '87 1.9 petrol's heater blower hasn't worked since purshasing him a month ago. So today I removed it - oiled it up and then tested it and it seems to work fine. But i'm in a pickle.

I'm not getting any juice going to the switch. I've bypassed the live via another random live under the dash, and the switch works.

I've traced the live back to the fuse box and all looks fine. So I'm a little confused...

My worst case scenario/explanation would be that the motor has increased its resistance over time, blown the fuse whilst frying the wire inside the loom. The previous owner then checking the fuse, changing it but the motor never working again (until today).

So...

Do I replace the live wire, get the thing working and ignore any thoughts that the old motor could melt the new wire and destroy my loom/cause a fire?

Or do I disconnect the thing and save my pennies for a new motor?

Hope that makes sense!

Oh - the Wiki covering the dash removal was really helpful by the way, so thank you

If it is solely the lack of live to the switch from the fuse box that is preventing the blower from working I would replace it making sure that you use the same rating cable as the original. The wire is protected by the fuse so the old one shouldn't have been fried - but who knows what has happened to it in the past.
Just checking - you say that with a live to the switch the switch works - do you mean that the switch then operates the blower also?

Thanks Oldiebut Goodie,

Yep - The switch operates the blower. It's just the original live to the switch that's dead

The trouble with these vans is that they have been through several owners prior to us so goodness only knows what has been hacked about especially the wiring.
If you have an unused fuse position in the fuse box I would use that if were you, then you will have it completely separate from any other items.

That's my plan then (wire in a new live using a spare 25 amp fuse).

There are plenty of spaces on the back of my fuse box - just need to find the one I need!

All sorted now

As suggested I went and got myself some cable and wired it up separately (also bunged an in line fuse just in case). This is the 1st old VW I've owned with working heating (and blower!) - proper happy is I

Congrats.