Re: Blower Replacement

[Robert Dalton <rpdalton@netzero.net>]

Sorry for the double post, but another trick that worked for me was that I
didn't need to disconnect the heater hoses.  They were very flexible and
seemed to have enough slack.

Robert Dalton wrote:

> Hello Al,
>
> Thanks again for your great post on repairing the door locks.  Also
> thanks to you and Fletcher for the post on blower replacement.  I just
> replaced my 1990 Audi 100 blower.  You guys are speed demons though, it
> took me longer than 3.5 hours.  Of course, next time I could probably do
> it in a half hour.
>
> Some tricks I found follow.  I want to doubly emphasizre the caution
> that must be used when prying around the air conditioning freon hoses.
> I almost got carried away once, and would have bent one if I hadn't
> caught myself.  I didn't have to remove any air hoses inside under the
> dash.  They must have had enough slack.  I found that gradual and
> repeated prying at all accessable corners was enough to loosen the
> heater box on the paasenger side by 3 to 4 inches.  I then propped this
> side up with a block of wood.  The blower doesn't fit without carefully
> squeezing the outer edge of the plastic squirrel cage.  A couple days
> had gone by before I got the replacement blower, and I had forgotten how
> it fit so I took the old one and played with it until I saw the proper
> orientation.  This way I didn't risk breaking the new one.  It magically
> fits only one way due to the tight clearance.  When pushing the blower
> into the heater box note the orientation of the raised plastic edge
> before the vent hole in the motor.  As the motor is gradually pushed in,
> keep checking to see if the edge (which aligns with the hole) is
> centered correctly in the air hose hole.  If not, you can use the raised
> edge as a pry point to twist the fan around with a screwdriver.  I got
> my blower for under $100, so I figure I saved/earned maybe $40/hr
> compaired with Northern Va Audi dealers, and it went together pretty
> easily.
>
> Rob

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