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Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 04:47 AM

Fresh Air Motor has never worked in the ~20yrs I've had the car. It's going in for fresh paint in the next week or so and I thought that rather than go another 20yrs w/o fresh air blowing correctly I'd get it sorted.

Had to first siphon nearly 10 gallons of fuel. The top end rebuild only has ~200 miles on it so I was hoping to get some more break-in time before paint but now that the tank is empty and removed drive time will have to wait til it is painted all purdy.

-pt

Posted by: type47 May 3 2011, 05:19 AM

I'd say the clips are balancing clips although that seems like overkill for just a fan motor.

Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 05:22 AM

Balancing clips. Hmm, hadn't thought of that. Maybe someone will know for sure.

Posted by: Bartlett 914 May 3 2011, 05:57 AM

Posted by: Rex-n-effect May 3 2011, 09:00 AM

Yes, balancing clips! Take one off and run it and you will see why!!!

Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 09:09 AM

Seems like overkill to me. One of them popped off during disassembly and I have no idea where on the fan it goes back.

Well, they don't do much anyway so I suppose I'll guess & hope for the best.

-pt

Posted by: McMark May 3 2011, 10:47 AM

That's one of the more satisfying projects on the 914. Bit of a PITA to get the thing out of the car, but the rebuild it easy and usually the results are significant. Nice work and thanks for all the pics!

Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 11:09 AM

Mark - your pics from a few years ago helped out quite a bit. I took a few hours in between the time I had accessed the fresh air box to remove the leaves and the time I pulled the box completely out for rebuild. In that couple hour time I read old posts and yours was one of the ones that pushed me over the edge to get it done right.

And famous last words "While I'm in there..." - I wasn't planning on painting the gas tank area but since I've had to remove the gas tank & remove half of the fresh air set up I figure what the hell, I'll pull it all out and have it sprayed to match the rest of the car. I've secretly wanted to do this for many years but just wasn't as practical. F practical.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Posted by: Rob-O May 3 2011, 12:47 PM

Balancing clips for sure. IIRC, the fan would move just enough vertically for it to hit the bottom of the fresh air box if out of balance. Also, make sure the fan is far enough onto the shaft that it doesn't contact the fresh air box. I've seen that happen and cause the fan not to run. Tough one to figure out.

Lastly, when you put it back into the car, op check it BEFORE you put the fuel tank in and put everything back together. Been there and done that. The only job that's more of a PITA than getting all of that stuff out of the way to get to the fresh air box? Pulling it out a second time because you didn't op check it!

Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 12:55 PM

Good tip.

Posted by: nathansnathan May 3 2011, 02:10 PM

There are numbers embossed radially around the fan, on the flat side of the impeller - it seems they must have been used in production along with the clips. It is crazy that they would be on the part to be balanced, and not just on the machine the part was mounted to, like how a tire balancing machine does it.

Posted by: ptravnic May 3 2011, 09:52 PM

I must have it balanced about right b/c there isn't any rattling, wobbling, or rubbing noises.

I'm super mad wicked happy that I was able to clean up the contacts & now the top lever activates all three speeds. I even ran out to NAPA & picked up a new bulb for the little blue light. I thought my eyes were lying to me when that light came to life.

Hot damn!

Posted by: Mikey914 May 3 2011, 10:59 PM

I'm redoing mine on the car I got out of paint.

How do you like the seals on the flapers? Nice and solid now.

Posted by: tradisrad May 4 2011, 07:48 AM

Yikes, that is a lot of leaves. When I went through my fan I added the later model leaf screen and then covered that with some screen door material. I did not want any more leaves getting in there. I used some neoprene for the flap seals.
I also added a light behind the red window and attached it to the heater lever (for ground, power jumpered from the blue light) to indicate when the heater fan is on.
I've posted a picture some where.

Posted by: ptravnic May 4 2011, 07:55 AM

PM Sent. I actually only placed the order 2 days ago. I ordered a number of items that I'd been putting off.



I bought an extra dash light with housing from NAPA yesterday that I intend to use as the red hot air indicator light but first I need to configure the housing to fit into the dash controls. Your old posts are what gave me the idea!

If I understand the wiring of the "red" light correctly - the pos comes off of the "blue" light and the negative/ground runs to the floor mounted heater lever and piggy backs off of that spade connection?

-pt