Heater fan motor problems

[mickl]

I have just pulled the whole heater fan, radiator and housing out from under the dash of my 2l berlina as there was no fan action. It was a bit of a job getting it out with 4 quite small nuts way up high holding it all on under the dash.
I discovered the electric motor would not turn freely as the bottom bushing had seized onto the shaft. The bottom of the motor sits in the bottom of a plastic housing and any stray moisture which finds its way in from the heater radiator or hoses stays in the bottom of the housing, along with dust and the odd leaf and corrodes the bushing/shaft. I drilled a few holes in the plastic housing so it doesn`t happen again, and then turned my attention to the motor.
Lots of oil, wd40, gentle tapping, freezing and lots ofm other heads on the problem over the space of a week did little to free the shaft. In the end the winning trick was to drill a 1.5 mm hole through the metal motor housing and into the bushing. Reversal of the same drill into the hole created in the bush then a pair of vyce grips onto the shaft and hey presto a click and the shaft and bush were seperated. I then applied more oil and fitted the motor shaft to my elec drill and ran it until the motor shaft was spinning freely in the bush.
Now I have to get hold of a new heater valve or diaphragm to stop that leaking and then maybe shove it all back up under the dash.
Mickl

[cjheath]

The first time I did that, in my GTV, it was almost exactly the same story. It was only after that I found it's much easier if you just pull the dash out first. It's really not that hard; speedo & tach cables, a nut each side and two bolts through the heater vents, unplug the electrics and the dash comes out. Saves heaps of time if you have to pull the heater.

[Gary Pearce]

Hi Mick,
The plastic heater taps are readily available at a reasonable price from all the overseas parts houses or I think even Turin Imports have them on the shelf. They aren't repairable.

[mickl]

Thanks Gary, I put in an order to Chris Sweetapple in UK for the valve and a few other bits as well. Tony Mckone tells me he used to be able to get replacement diaphragms but no longer.
Regards
Mickl