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blower motor - dealer only?

3K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  hamada128 
#1 ·
My local FLAPS tells me the blower motor for my 88 300TE is a dealer only item. Rockauto only shows 1 available - made by URO.

Has anyone had any luck sourcing them from somewhere else? (canadian source would be great)

I suspect I can fix mine but want to be ready just in case. It seems to be blowing good and strong, but making a brrrrrrrr noise, almost as if something has gotten caught in the squirrel cage. Hopefully that is the case and I just have to remove that something, but I guess it could be bearings. I have successfully salvaged many parts before by replacing what often turns out to be generic bearings in alternators, blower motors, etc.
 
#2 · (Edited)
There are many aftermarket parts suppliers for Behr blower motors (which use Bosch motors). 2 of my 3 88s have had the blower motors replaced with new Behr/Bosch parts that were identical to the ones removed. Cost was about US $300 each IIRC.
You won't be rebuilding one of these blower motors. The dual squirrel cage impellers are very difficult to remove without destroying them. The impellers are plastic and the spokes betwen the hub and vanes are spindly. The motors use oil-impregnated bushings, not bearings. It's very likely that the bushings in your blower motor are dry, dry, dry.
This happened to my sedan last summer and one of the bushings seized to the shaft and the whole bushing spun in the motor housing. I was able to use Kroil and some light hammer taps on the ends of the shaft to free the impellers up again and tha tmotor is now held in reserve for possible future use.
If you do pull your motor look for a bushing that is seized to the shaft. Lube the bushings with ATF and you'll go at least a couple more years.
PM your email addrsss to me.
 

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#4 ·
I had read this blower motor replacement write up

PeachPartsWiki: Blower Motor Removal

and it does emphasize the difficulty of removing the squirrel cages. I am willing to try it, but I have a back up plan.

I'm checking out a 90 300e parts car this weekend that reportedly is complete, so I will be taking the blower motor. If that doesn't pan out, i have found that I can get the motor only (no squirrel cages) at my FLAPS by ordering Bosch #0130111012. price is $170 cdn at the FLAPS, much cheaper at autohausaz but with shipping, tax, duty....who knows what it will end up being.
 
#7 ·
When i ordered my last blower motor assembly my supplier sent me the "w/dust filter" version by mistake. It's narrower than the other version and won't fit a "no dust filter" HVAC housing. I'm surprised to hear it is more expensive since it is essentially the same part with slightly different squirrel cage spacing.
 
#8 ·
I just replaced the blower motor on my W201, it is the same procedures as W124.
I followed the link above and rented the tool from Autozone and it was so easy to get the original cages out after 265,000 miles of air blowing and I am not very skilled as all the members here on the W124 forum.
 
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