Maintaining Your A/C System
by:db-autotek
Over time, your once-cold A/C system might start to deteriorate until you suddenly realize it’s no longer blowing cold.
Regular maintenance is critical, including cleaning the evaporator fins, changing the charge every 2 years, and ensuring system is clean and debris-free.
Mine had ceased blowing cold air, and it turns out the culprit was the blower motor brushes, worn down too far to make proper contact.So I purchased a new motor for $99 from AutoZone. It was a special order, which takes a couple days to come in. In the meantime, I figured I would clean up the whole system and hopefully still have AC for the couple days until the new part comes in.
Removing the fan is easy, and opening the motor up and cleaning it is also easy. You can get some more life out of the old motor by simply cleaning and adjusting the brushes.
Here’s the pics:
(notice the NICO ECU
thanks again guys
Once you get the fan out of the car, it opens with a couple screws and then everything slides apart easilly.
Brushes worn so far that the wires are catching on the brush housings, causing them not to extend fully to reach the motor.
This is obviously something you want to clean… The fan blade assembly comes off the motor shaft with one small nut. I soaked it for about an hour in hot water, then scrubbed with a small brush under running water.
Re-assembly is easy, but while you’re at it, go ahead and open up as much of the system as you can and clean inside it. Your AC will smell better and feel fresher, not to mention function more efficiently.
Happy motoring!
