It sure is cold this winter in Anchorage. The heater fan in my 88 GL is really slow, I remember that it was the same way on my 90 Loyale, but that was in north carolina, now Im in alaska and it just takes so damn long to defrost my window. Has anyone out there came across a way to help with this, maybe I just need a new fan motor?

 

~Russ

Is the fan slow, or are you not getting hot enough air? These cars often loose some of the fan speeds when the switch or the resistor pack dies...speed #4 usually works though, as that bypasses the resistor.

 

I just got back to Anchorage, and I'd be happy to look at it for you sometime. PM me with contact info if you're interested.

the high speed has no resistor in the circuit, so if high speed is still not high enough, then the resistor block is not your fundamental problem. If the fan is blowing too slow it is possible that there is a blockage somewhere in the plumbing associated, and from what I hear it isnt too difficult to pull it apart and inspect. check the similar threads feature at the bottom of this page once I post and see if there are any threads pop up there about people finding mouse nests, all sorts of other critters, and just plain leaf/tree debris in their heater boxes..

Yeah I started a thread something like GL-10 Blower switch #1 not working and right now it just popped back up with people trying to fix the slow air problem... but so far all we have comeup with is retrofitting another cars blowermotor... so yeah...

When I lived in Fairbanks, I supplemented my heater / defroster in my saab 99 with one of those portable electrical ones that plug into the cigarette lighter.

It's also possible for a lot of pine needles, leaves, gunk, and pocket lint to corrupt your heater core - that only applies to vehicles without AC, but it can happen. Also a partially clogged core can not get enough coolant flow to heat the air up.

 

If you are enterprising, the core can be replaced in about a day. Or as tom mentioned - those little electric jobbies are pretty cheap. I had thought about that myself.

 

There's other options - I thought about running heater core hose into the cabin to a spare heater core, and blowing air over it with a radiator fan. Maybe mounting the whole thing to a wooden crate and setting it in the passenger area....... or you can light your passenger seat on fire..... yeah

 

GD

Another possibility if flow is low (rather than plenty of flow but air is cool) is that I have seen one heater motor where the brushes wore the commutator so badly (1/4" groove!) that the motor would not function properly.

When I lived in Fairbanks, I supplemented my heater / defroster in my saab 99 with one of those portable electrical ones that plug into the cigarette lighter.

 

I did the same thing when I lived in Soldotna. One thing I will always remember is how important it is to put cardboard in front of the radiator.

I did the same thing when I lived in Soldotna. One thing I will always remember is how important it is to put cardboard in front of the radiator.

 

never heard that one.

check the motor. the cage is likely stuffed with trash or the motor needs replaced. clean out any and all lines/ducts you can access while the motor is out. the motor on XT's is really really easy to remove. takes not time at all.

...the motor on XT's is really really easy to remove. takes not time at all.

Same for the L-series sedan/wagon. The only difficulty that I experienced is removing the screws that mount the resistor pack and restrain the motor... pain in the rear if someone has already munged the screw heads.

Same for the L-series sedan/wagon. The only difficulty that I experienced is removing the screws that mount the resistor pack and restrain the motor... pain in the rear if someone has already munged the screw heads.

I HATE SCREWED SCREWS!!!no pun intended... ok so mabey it was.... but doesnt everyone agree that the Dl-Gl's ect have poor fans... they are so slow!!! but it is better than nothing!!!

...but doesnt everyone agree that the Dl-Gl's ect have poor fans... they are so slow!!! but it is better than nothing!!!

Actually most of the people that I have heard talk about them think that they work quite well. If your fan isn't noisy/loud on its highest setting, then you may have an issue with your resistor/motor. Or, didn't you just post about sticky/stuck ventilation buttons? Same car? The ventilation flaps may not be moving properly.

never heard that one.

 

Lots of things we do "up here" are completely unknown to those in warmer climates.

Actually most of the people that I have heard talk about them think that they work quite well. If your fan isn't noisy/loud on its highest setting, then you may have an issue with your resistor/motor. Or, didn't you just post about sticky/stuck ventilation buttons? Same car? The ventilation flaps may not be moving properly.

No different car.... Mine works thank goodness... I just dont like how little air it blows... Ive cleaned the vents and everything... its just not big enough to do the job i like... for example... you get in your car and its 112 out side... you burn youself with anything you touch... you want A/C to be pumping out the wazoo like suffocating!!! Well... my dads 04 tacoma has the most powerfull fan ive ever felt so... I guess I was spoiled before hand...

I had no idea this thread existed. It seems I am having same prob in my wagon- vents clean, motor lubed and high powered. The sedan heat cranked on same motor and blower blades. (I have had both apart to clean before winter). There is indeed something too passive about the wagon blower motor, an atmospheric pressure different than the sedans (note: sedan had a/c).

I resorted to a beanie hat propellor type fan blade, home made out of aluminum and it is mounted on top of the heater blower with nut holding it. I am experimineting right now with thin metal , will take apart again and see if the blades are bent upward to neutral to verify there is indeed a pressure problem- with ductwork verified open and clean (simply bizarre). I really can't call it bizarre after this thread and even my other 87 did this... and that one never even had a mouse nest. Will post again with what I did to trick the passive blower into getting a good flow quietly on oem hookup of resistor block, etc. I am counting on making another blade out of stronger metal (painted!) as even the flimsy aluminum expirement is working it better- with the blades I bent up hardly digging at the air flow.

 

I am glad there is someone in cold climate to verify similar probs...