RE: HVAC motor replacement...Al Powell

[Jason A Whyte <Jason.Whyte@dreco.com>]

My father (also an Audi driver) has owned both an '84 and an '88 5000
which suffered from failing HVAC motors.  These motors get quite a
workout during the Canadian winters.  In both instances, the local Audi
dealer estimated something in the range of $700 to replace the failed
motor with a new one.  Both times, however, we were able to remedy the
problem for less than a dollar.

By gaining access to the motor and without removing it, we sprayed
electrical contact cleaner into the squirrel cage motor, concentrating
on the carbon brushes.  A few repeated sprays with the cleaner followed
be running the motor for a minute, fixed the problem in no time.  The
cause of the failure on both cars was that the brushes were not in
contact with the rotor.  Although the brushes are spring mounted within
a retaining sleeve, the motor does tend to get quite dirty over time.
These brushes can get stuck in the sleeve which does not allow the
spring to push them out to contact the rotor.  In both instances though,
a little cleaner to free everything up did the trick.

$700 is a lot to pay for a couple of small worn-out brushes...

Jason

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Scruggs, Gross [SMTP:GScruggs@monterey.nps.navy.mil]
> Sent:	Friday, November 20, 1998 3:57 PM
> To:	'quattro-digest@coimbra.ans.net'
> Subject:	HVAC motor replacement...Al Powell
> 
> I understand that Al Powell's account of replacing the HVAC motor in
> the 5k
> cars is very good.  Does anyone have a copy of same?  Alternately,
> does
> anyone have Al's new Colorado address?  I'm ready to tackle that and
> the
> heater core over T'giving weekend and would appreciate the benefit of
> other's experience.
> 
> Thanks, Gross Scruggs
> scruggs@mbay.net