snailracer Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 My blower motor is starting to struggle. It barely pushes air out of the dash vents. What are the options for replacing or upgrading the blower motor? Is there a motor and fan from something else that will just fit in the snail with minimal fabricating etc? I'm hoping to get an eberspacher fitted over xmas so I'm only really using it for clearing the screen, it just needs a bit more oomph. Cheers Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I fitted a 4" bilge blower (about £15 from ebay) when my series fan packed up, with tumble drier hosing from the intake and onto the heater core. It shifted a lot more air but was hardly original looking... I also had to wire up an appropriate resistor to get the two speed operation too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I My blower motor is starting to struggle. It barely pushes air out of the dash vents. What are the options for replacing or upgrading the blower motor? Is there a motor and fan from something else that will just fit in the snail with minimal fabricating etc? I'm hoping to get an eberspacher fitted over xmas so I'm only really using it for clearing the screen, it just needs a bit more oomph. Cheers Matt I've been wondering about this myself, not got around to doing any reserch yet though, there must be something that fits and gives a bit more umph. Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I had fitted one from a 110, moved a bit more air, but still was a bit poor. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snailracer Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 I dont really want to go down the defender route as it involves cutting the passenger steering box bracket (I did look at your build, very informative). I just think its inconsiderate that sellers on ebay don't list information for using non LR parts in landrovers Been looking at polo blower motors etc Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Err no, no cutting involved....... just the blower motor.......kept the same matrix box from the series. It is only now that i have a complete 110 unit due to the bulkhead change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snailracer Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 I missed that bit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I fitted a Defender heat to my 88". No need to chop the bulkhead mount about, I chopped a bit out of the lower support bracket for the heater itself instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Given the service the old unit has done, could be worth a check of the wiring, ducting, etc. before assuming it's the blower, but if it is, a shiny new one might be perfectly OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Seeing as it's nearly on topic, a while ago, the resistor gave up on my series blower leaving me with just the fast fan speed. Has anybody had any success repacing the resistor? I've never seen them for sale seperately but i'm pretty certain you could knock something up, does anybody know of a source of a suitable resistor? Cheers Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 I replaced mine when I put the bilge blower on. I used either a 1Ohm or 2Ohm 50w wire wound resistor - I remember buying one of each to try, can't remember which one I used... Maplins sell them, or somewhere like ebay I screwed it down to the outside of the heater box to act as a heat sink... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Just checked - it was a 2 Ohm I used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Hancock Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 A problem that can give rise to poor blow from the fan unit is dry bearings in the fan motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Cheers Jon, that's great, i guessed there would be something out there suitable but had no idea what sort of resistance was required. I'll get one ordered and give it a try. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I'd order one either side - I think I worked out the resistance based on the current draw from the bilge blower, not the resistance of the existing pack... But either way, it'll certainly drop the speed of the fan down for you, depends how bothered you are about it being similar to the 'old' low speed fan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snailracer Posted December 14, 2012 Author Share Posted December 14, 2012 Hmmm http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/150926969179?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y bit pricey Holden do replacement motors and fans http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproducts.asp?sg=1&pgCode=083&sgName=Electrical&pgName=Heaters+%26+Electrical+Fans&agCode=0210&agName=Heater+Accessories Or a bilge blower that is a pretty good straight in replacement http://www.jabscoshop.com/marine/blowers/35770-0092-continuous-duty-100mm-4-blower-flexmount-12-volt-dc.htm bit pricey tho Does anyone have the original specs for the smiths blower? (amount of air moved, motor rating etc) It would be interesting to see how the bilge blowers compare, and whether there are any other options for replacing the motor. Would it be worth fitting a variable speed controller/knob if the replacement was capable of shifting lots more air rather than just the two speed resistor option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Try this place... http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/Squirrel_Cage_Heater_Fan_SCFAN G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I used one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bilge-Blower-12v-Marine-4-In-Line-Exhaust-RULE-240-/330724874375?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item4d00bd1887 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Poor heater performance (both temperature issues and airflow rate) are usually down to their poor condition rather than inadequate design, though such a small unit can never give the same comfort levels as the bigger units in modern vehicles, and the shape of the cabin hinders it further. Splits and holes in the flexible trunking, fan and matrix housings, lower fascia (which acts as the main duct) and perished seals at the bulkhead apperture and demister/fascia ducts cause enormous loss of airflow, and of course many blower fans and matrices are clogged with dirt or mud (I found a snooker ball, several nails and a few biros in my matrix!). You can fit more powerful motors and fans if yours are worn out or inadequate, but watch the polarity on Defender blowers - their purple wire is the positive feed and the striped green wires (same coding as on the SIII motors) must be connected to the control switch, but that must be connected to earth, not a live feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerboa Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Just out of interest, what's the score with fitting a Series II "Smiths" round blower as an auxiliary heater on a Series III? Is there enough room below the dash? I figure there must be plenty of thermal energy left in the coolant after it has left the normal heater, could the smiths be added in the circuit (provided it would fit) to give a bit more warmth in the cabin? I'm not suggesting piping it up to the dash though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 It should fit. You'd get better results by using tee pieces to run the heaters in parallel, not series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Various people have at various times suggested using a heater blower that draws air from insdie the vehicle, like using a lhd defender blower motor on a rhd vehicle for instance, and there's always been someone come along to say it won't work becuase it will just fog up. I have to wonder though, seeing as I've never seen a Series 2 with an internal smiths heater doing that, and that draws its air from the inside.... My 109 is having a 'low profile' cubby box....it'll match the seat height so the dog has somewhere to sleep when we're out. I'm going to fit a middle seat tool tray dubbery, and in that a low profile heater blower setup to blow warm air around the feet of the second row passengers. Saw a freelander heater unit on ebay the other day that looked like it was long and thin, might have a play with one of those. Also have a discovery blower assembly which might do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Rehaeaters which heat recirculated cabin air are much quicker to warm the cabin up, assuming they have a similar matrix capacity and area, but they do lead to greater fogging than heaters with external sources. The fogging comes from the occupants' breath and can only be avoided by opening windows or vents, defeating the point of using these "fug stirrers" in place of a external source heater. I can make direct comparisons of this on my RRC, which has a button to select external or recirculated air for the heater; with recirc on, the windows initially clear more quickly but start fogging after a couple of minutes. At that point, the engine is half way to warm, so external air is becoming effective. Of course, if you are using a fug stirrer in addition to the standard SIII heater, then you will have the best of both worlds, but you do need to refresh the internal air as well as reciculate it to avoid moisture building up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blatherskite Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I don't know about opening windows with the old fug-stirrers, thee are plenty of informal sources of fresh air in a S3... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Well, my 109 is draught free, but that's because it has Defender doors and seals and I worked hard to seal all the gaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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