I have a 1999 U320 with a bad Dash Defroster fan motor. How difficult is it to remove the motor and can anyone provide information on how to go about doing the job?
Regards
Dave
Dave,
The hardest part of the job is convincing your self that you have to take the dash completely apart. You will need a #1 coffee can for all the screws. Label all the little pieces. Take pics. to help remember where to put all those little parts back in there proper place. There are several threads that deal with this that have pics. that explain the process just use the "Search" function and look for defrost fan & dash fan removal.
Pamela & Mike
This is what I did for the heater core replacement. Fan motor is in the same sheet metal enclosure, and your 99 should be the same.
Your heater box may have vacuum motors rather than the electric ones we have, but is similar.
Heater core replacement (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=10000.0)
This is the really GREAT thing about this Forum! One member asks a question - another member pulls up a "How To" thread from 5 years ago, complete with photos! You can't buy this type of custom tech support for ANY amount of money. We are SO lucky to have this group!
David
I sent you a PM.
JD
I did this project about a month ago. Took about 3 hours. I will attach some pictures. I have a 2001 U320 so if the dash is the same, not so hard. You should have 2 motors in the front area. One is controlled by the driver and one is controlled by the passenger. You have to remove 2 dash panels and 2 dash face panels. remove the wood cover and then the cabinet is right there. From the front face you should see a sheet metal panel with all your vacuum diodes attached. This panel is held on with 3 screws along the bottom. Once you take those out. You can move the panel a bit and remove the bottom 2 screws holding the motor cover in place along the bottom - the side and top are easy, pull up and there you go. I found the trick to removing the screws from behind the vacuum relay panel was to lay in the stairwell and reach in from the side along the bottom. I used a stubby screw driver with a socket. Not a very complicated job once you figure out where the screws are. Let me know if you have any questions. My fan was working great but had slipped on the shaft, hence a rattling sound. I put a new motor in and I have fixed my old one so now I have a spare. A simple alan key and it was noise free.