Air Temp Fan Motor Deep Pockets Dumb Shit

[Brice Warnick]

Steve,
          Thanks so much for your post it was invaluable to me.
           I was living years ago in the 5000 world which was the last
aspirator motor I changed.
You DEFINITELY have to remove the dash to do this job.  It is jam packed
tight in under there.
           I removed the glove box, the drivers side footwell, the wood
trim, the speaker grills, the cluster and the top plastic piece over the
turn signals and the vinyl piece under the cluster.
           I would have been dead in the water without your post on the
hidden Allen screw 
under the defroster grate on the back of the dash. It is 4mm and
impossible to see. I finally laid on top of the hood to view it. The
defroster
grate has 3 blocked squares in the middle. The 4th square that isnt
blocked is where this screw is. I used a long 4mm Allen to get it out. I
took it all the way out there was nothing for it to slide as the
connecting hole threads were straight through.  After getting the dash
out I took the defroster grate out to clean it and saw the plastic rod
you referred to. The only purpose of this rod is to hold the Allen
screw. The rod has a triangle in the very center to catch the screw.
I still lost my screw down the defoster duct when I pulled the dash.
Luckily I had another screw. 
       The aspirator motor sucks in a lot of gunk over the years. I
pulled the black rubber tube that connects to the motor and the temp
sensor and cleaned it out. I also used electrical cleaner on the temp
senser. Putting the new $222.00 motor in was easy.
        Like a dumb shit I then put the dash back as well as the wooden
trim. Then I realized that I better test the new $222.00 motor. I used
matches and very thin tissue paper which was like using a divining rod
for water. Both of these tests were inconclusive as you really cant tell
for sure without actually seeing the motor. I couldnt see spending that
much money and always wondering. So I pulled the trim and dash again and
then tested it and the motor was spinning like crazy. It just doesnt
suck that hard. Its a very subtle suck. I named the motor Linda after an
old girlfriend. Always make sure the motor is working before putting the
dash back on.
      I now have a matching set of broken vinyl side panels that go on
each side of the dash. 
The left side one has been broke for a long time as I have had to pull
the footwell out numerous times. This is the first time for pulling the
right side and I broke that one too. By broke I mean the piece of
plastic right in the center that sticks out to insert ito the dash side. 
      I stuck a thermometer in front of the center vent and set the A/C
at 65 and got a 65 reading. I set it at LO temp and HIGH fan and got a
55 reading.
                        Brice