86RX-T cab fan only works in flat out mode ?

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:20 am

Hi all , for some strange reason the cab/heater fan now only works in position 4 . Does this mean the motor is shot or is there a resistor block that lemons out and does strange things ?

Cheers A .

foxx510 · Post by **foxx510** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:42 am

The low speed resistors will have crapped out or have a bad connection. Often they are coils of resistance wire placed in the fan airflow to cool them.

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:23 am

hah i doubt that would worry you too much as even the highest setting is piss weak as we all know.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:27 am

Fan speed resistor is most likely cause.

Gremlins · Post by **Gremlins** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:48 pm

Yeah, fan speed resistor is probably the culprit. Generally it's repairable if you're handy with a soldering iron as there will be a solder join that has melted due to overheating, just need to re-solder. Also check your fan motor spins smoothly and isn't gunked up otherwise the join may melt again when you put it all back together.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:37 pm

My brothers L wagon did that - sent me nuts chasing it. You'd think it was the resistors OR the switch - each checked out OK on its own ??. Finally fixed it with two words - FOR SALE

Suby Wan Kenobi · Post by **Suby Wan Kenobi** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:59 pm

POP as mentioned take the resistor block out of the ducting and you will see the main in join will have separated really heat and it should sweat back together again and its all good

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:24 am

I tend to agree and it sounds like the low speed resistors may have “crapped out” however its also worth noting that if you have water getting into the fan system itself (as a result of the L series windscreen leak or age or something) it will also cause the fan to slowly corrode and die (well my first 1 did anyway).

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:30 pm

I agree, my Dad's commodore did this too, needed some resistors replaced.
Regarding the slow speed of the L series blower fan I'm going to be looking into the feasibility of fitting a Liberty blower soon. I happen to have one spare and I have to partially dismantle my L series dashboard already, I will keep you guys posted on this, seems like a very worthy upgrade if it can be done!

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:20 am

Gremlins wrote:Yeah, fan speed resistor is probably the culprit. Generally it's repairable if you're handy with a soldering iron as there will be a solder join that has melted due to overheating, just need to re-solder. Also check your fan motor spins smoothly and isn't gunked up otherwise the join may melt again when you put it all back together.

Yep... I have had to solder many of these up over the years but like Gremlims said "Check the fan" as this is the most likely reason the tag has melted off. As they get older and the airbox fills up with dust,dirt and leaves, they tend to draw too much current and then the solder just melts. No big problem, just a pain in the arse

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 10:16 pm

RSR 555 wrote:No big problem, just a pain in the arse

As most subi problems are when they go wrong

Bennie

PS Never heard of this problem - yet another useful piece of subi knowledge. Love this site eh?!

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:20 am

Still I must say... according to this website about cars, "Subarus are the most least likely to breakdown"

twilightprotege · Post by **twilightprotege** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:15 pm

i have just came across this problem on my rx - i can only assume the damn heavy rain i drove through last night got in to the fan and shorted something. i've got no problem soldering, and is probably a good chance to clean out the fan.

any tips? i hope you can get the fan out without having to take the dash board out? are the resistors in the fan assembly itself?

sublime · Post by **sublime** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:36 pm

The fan or blower is really easy to get to in an L series. It's on the passenger side, just remove the plastic trim under the glove box and you will see it. No need to remove the dash. Undo the three screws and disconnect the wiring and the blower drops down, makes it easy to remove all the leaf matter that collects there!

phillatdarwin · Post by **phillatdarwin** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:25 pm

that is good info now i can fix my FAN as it only works on 4 setting .

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:10 am

AAaargh. Your word is fan. Fan, p-h-a-n fan. I am gonna be scarred for some time like our dude in the ANZ morgage ad ! The interior blower fan, its relay and switch has something to do with fuses 1, 2, and 15?, and a relay of the four above fuse panel. My electrical diagram for the 86L also claims fuse 12 ! With probems with fuse12 not operational my fan F-A-N, works at all speeds. Pull both 1 & 2 will stop fan, or 15 or the relay. Just a bit of therapeutic therapy

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:28 pm

My heater/blower fan died again a few months ago , if I try to turn it on the lights dim and the engine idle speed drops so suspect fan motor being 23 years old .

I'll try to get out to the wreckers next week and grab another fan motor assembly maybe out of a later build car - they interchange do they 86-92 ?

I also have to remove the now redundant (over the shoulder) AC systems fan end cooling core - more resistance for the fan to have to blow through .

I don't want to change any plastic bits unless they are black like RX L interior bits are .
I mainly need the fan for half hearted demisting duties (drive at all hours of the day) and a bit more air in the summer time .

Just on that resistor block . 90% of the time one or both of the mounting screws corrodes into the ducting making them hard to remove without taking part of the duct (broken out) to get them . It took me a good hour to get my dead resistor block out and 50 minutes of that was removing one screw .
ALWAYS lubricate the screws when you refit them , I use silicon grease . That way when there's a next time its a 10 minute job to change it .

I really hope the fan motor is a quick changeover because I hate working under dashes and heaters/ducting are a pet hate .

Cheers A .

twilightprotege · Post by **twilightprotege** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:29 pm

yep - had to brake one of the screws away, but i got the resistor block out and soldered the bit back together. took me no time to get the fan motor out, a bit longer to get the resistor block out, but everything went back in in seconds.

everything works great now. looks like there was hardly any solder holding the leaf-like-spring bit together at it's tip there in the first place, but i've fixed that now. fingers crossed it'll last. mind you, i'd really like to upgrade the car to have it aircond'd. no heater and no air cond and windows up along wtih cold weather or rain doesnt equal safe driving with the windscreen fogging up in seconds...