Thursday, April 10, 2014
How to Change the Resistor in the Blower Fan in a 2005 Silverado
Changing the resistor on the heater blower motor in your Silverado may be necessary if the blower will only run on one speed. When the resistor fails it allows full power to flow from the switch. This results in the fan running either on high speed or not at all, but none of the speeds in-between. Newer Chevy models do not use a traditional resistor; instead they use a controller, but the function is the same.
Instructions
- 1
Open the passengers side door of your truck and locate the sound insulator on the firewall just above the passenger floorboard. Pull the insulator back to expose the blower motor and HVAC duct under the dash.
2Locate the controller on the face of the blower motor housing; identifying it by the wiring harness connection running from it to the blower motor. Disconnect the wiring harness connector from the controller and lay it aside.
3Locate the two retaining bolts on the face of the controller and remove them with a socket and ratchet. Pull the controller off the blower and discard it.
4Position the new controller on the face of the blower motor, insert the retaining bolts and tighten them with a socket and ratchet. Do not over tighten them or damage may occur to the HVAC housing.
5Connect the wiring harness connector to the controller, snapping it into place. Push the sound insulator back in place and test the repair by running the fan through all the speeds, verifying it runs in all of them.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
How to Install a Fan Clutch in a 1985 Ford F 150
Ford uses a thermal-type fan clutch to regulate cooling fan speed in the 1985 F-150. At low temperature, the clutch slips to reduce fan speed. As the engine heats up, the clutch increases the fan speed to increase the amount of cooling air drawn through the radiator. Fan clutches eventually wear out and either slip or drag, causing overheating or overcooling, respectively. You can use common tools to replace the fan clutch.
Instructions
- 1
Remove the two radiator shroud retaining bolts one on each side -- on the top flange of the radiator, using a ratchet, socket and wrench. Pull upward slightly to disengage the bottom of the shroud from the radiator pads. Pull the shroud away from the radiator and rest it on the cooling fan.
2Remove the four clutch to water pump bolts on the fan clutch flange, using a ratchet and socket. Slide the fan clutch and fan around the shroud and out of the engine compartment.
3Remove the four cooling fan to clutch bolts in the center of the fan, using a ratchet and socket. Lift the fan off the fan clutch. Install the fan onto the new clutch. Put the clutch between two wood blocks and tighten in a vise until snug. Tighten the bolts to 12 to 18 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket.
4Slide the new fan clutch into position on the water pump pulley. Install the clutch to water pump bolts and tighten them to 12 to 18 foot-pounds.
5Move the radiator shroud into position on the radiator. Engage the bottom of the shroud in the radiator pads. Install the radiator shroud retaining bolts, using a ratchet, socket and wrench
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
How to Replace a 2002 Ford Focus Fan Belt
Replacing the belt on the 2002 Ford Focus will eliminate the chance of the belt failing when you are least expecting it, leaving you stranded. The serpentine belt on the Focus turns all of the accessories on the front of the 2-liter engine, and a failure can allow the car to overheat, warping the heads or damaging the engine block. Inspect the belt regularly for signs of wear and replace it as soon as damage is discovered.
Instructions
- 1
Open the hood of your Focus and locate the negative battery cable at the battery. Loosen the clamp bolt on the battery cable end with a wrench, then lift the battery cable off the battery terminal. Isolate the battery cable from the battery terminals by tucking it off to one side.
2Position a jack under the front of the car and raise it off the ground. Support the car with a set of jack stands, placing them under the front suspension. Lower the jack until the car is resting on the jack stands.
3Locate the splash shield in the passengers side wheel well and remove the two retaining bolts that secure it, using a socket and ratchet. Remove the splash shield from the wheel well and locate the serpentine belt tensioner through the access hole.
4Insert the square drive of a -inch drive breaker bar into the square hole on the tensioner and rotate the tensioner counterclockwise, releasing the tension on the belt. Remove the belt from the pulleys and rotate the tensioner back to the home position.
5Position a new belt in the engine compartment and run it around all of the pulleys except the tensioners idler pulley. Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise with the breaker bar and then slide the belt under the idler pulley.
6Slowly rotate the tensioner back to the home position, tightening the belt as you rotate it. Remove the breaker bar, then replace the splashguard in the wheel well. Install the two retaining bolts and tighten them with a socket and ratchet.
7Raise the front of the car off the jack stands with a jack, remove the stands from under the car, and lower the car to the ground. Install the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal and tighten the clamp bolt on the cable end with a wrench.