Bad flow from heater in 245 -80

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anders
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Anders

First, sorry about the test thread I added earlier. It was meant to be sent
to alt.test...

However, in my volvo 245 -80, I experience that the air flow from the heater
is bad. Hot air comes from the outlets, alright, but not many liters per
minute. Is this just the old Volvos having a bad flow from through the
heater or could it be anything else, such as obstructed air intakes (how to
clean btw)?

Any tips are appreciated!

Anders
 
Strange, no replys on my thread here. I'm still interested in getting your
personal experiences on the matter...

Anders
 
I would rather take a beating thn change a 240 heater motor :)

I love 240's but this is one thing that was seriously stupid.

I have changed a couple , and there are a couple of tricks like
cutting a hole in the shroud to get the clip off the fan on the right
side and you pull the heater out from the left.
later the hole can be replaced with a plug.

I haven't tried this but I will if mine goes.

It is seriously surrounded in plastic, clips , screws wires, etc.

older 240's have bushings on the motor and they do tend to seize up.
Newer ones have ball bearings. I don't know if they will last longer.
( the must have changed around 1985? give or take a few years.)


one trick that makes sense, but I haven't tried is to drill some 1/2
inch or so strategicaly placed holes in the thing , and shine a
flashlight inside and oil them. you need to also drill a hole to look
inside.

there is a selector switch for the speeds, the newer it is the more
speeds they added, and a resistor down underneath so taps are taken
off, to the motor for various speeds. if you are very lucky you have
a bad switch.

I would definitely make that your plan for a long weekend if you do
this yourself., in my opinion.

if you are good at standing on your head it helps. take the seats out
of the car, get a pillow and a foamie

oh, another trick I haven't tried is to put a 12V fan somewhere like
in the ducts to suck the air through , and leave the fan alone, just
thought..

Good luck,
Phil
 
Thank you for the answer. Some day I will dig into the heater system and see
what could be causing the problem.

/Anders
 
if you are good at standing on your head it helps. take the seats out
of the car, get a pillow and a foamie
Click to expand...

Have you tried to take the dash out and having a go from above instead of
standing on your head?

I sure haven't had the joy of doing a blower motor on a 240, but there
were a few posts and pictures on the brickboard, along with a claim of
being in and out in 4 hours that got my attention.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
 
I am "in the process" on my Swedish 245 Turbo (1984). Its fan has
generated unpleasant noises on and off, but now it's contant noise and
very poor air flow.

Mine is a non-AC version (standard version in Sweden). I think its fan
is very diffent design from the fan in cars with AC, beware of this if
you read descriptions for the wrong kind. I am going for the "remove
glove compartment trick". Don't know if it will work yet, but so far it
seems promising. You remove the glove compartment. Then disconnect the
water hoses and all screws, bolts and gadgets and pull the big box out
by moving it sideways.

I did remove both front seats first (2 nuts and 2 bolts per seat, plus
some wires, disconnected without cutting).

After one hour the heater box is loose in there, but I don't know yet if
the strategy will work.


--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
Sounds promising. I'm very interested in seeing if your approach works!
Lycka till!

/Anders
 
I went through with the "remove glove compartment trick", although it
still was a considerable job.

It took me two hours to get the box out. It turned out the box was
pretty much full of dry leaves and various junk, collected during 19
years. In addition, one of the fan motor bushings was very worn (big play).

I had bought a used heater from a junk yard, since strange sounds made
me suspect the motor was gone. I used the fan motor from the scrap unit
(nice looking with no detectable play in bushings). Cleaned away the
leaves and cleaned the heater core thoroughly. Installed the healthy
motor, put the box together, and reinstalled it into car. The
installation took more than three hours. In total, it was about a one
day job. Next time, I'll make it in 5 hrs!

Now I'll enjoy the silent fan and probably much better flow.

--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
I think dash removal is also very much a "stand on head job" in a Volvo
240. I don't think that it would save time.

With practice, I think the procedure I used can be made in four hours.
Of course it is a strain crawling on the floor, working upward and
sideways. I am 50 years old by the way and not very athletic, but in
reasonable shape. I hope the fan now holds together, but if it does not
I guess I'll repeat the exercise, perhaps not in four hours, but five
hours should be within reach!



Have you tried to take the dash out and having a go from above instead of
standing on your head?
Click to expand...



--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
Did you notice any improvements in airflow? Since my car is 23 years old, I
expect that leaves and dirt have been collected over the years in my heater
as well. I will definately give the glove compartment trick a chance!

/Anders
 
My airflow was poor due to the fan motor being broken. One of the
bushings was worn out. In addition I think some of the leaves in there
contributed to the friction my old motor had to struggle with.

Flow is now much better!

Check the leaves on the picture (accumulated in 19 years probably):

http://w1.470.telia.com/~u47024807/cloggedfan.jpg


Note also the design of the heater. If your heater looks different, any
methods used by me may not work. I don't know how many heater designs
were used on Volvo 240. There are obviously the two with and without A/C.

--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
Well done!

That gave me inspiration for undertaking that project myself! Nice picture,
btw.

/Anders
 
Yesterday I took a longer trip in the 240 and the heater works
perfectly. I think there is one small difference. Before there was a
faint but noticeable smell to the heater. When the heat came on there
was a nice "good old car" smell. It must have come from the leaves!

If you do take your heater apart, check the fan motor bearings/bushings.
They have a tendency to wear out "early" (~ after 20 years) in the life
of your Volvo.


--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
20 good years of service....i amways liked the heaters in the
volvos...nice in cold / harsh climates....

richard / colorado

ps" my volvos always warm up quick and even on -0 days here...combined
w/a set of "bun warmers"....it is very bearable....
 
Congrats!

One last question, though: Is it possible to open the heater (without
removing it) such that a vacuum cleaner hose can reach the inside? Just to
save work time.

/Anders
 
I guess it would be possible to drill a hole above the heater core e.g.
on the right hand side and be able to get some garbage out though it.
After the operation you could seal it with suct tape. If you damage the
heater core you will have a leak, and then you MUST go through the "big
procedure" (and get hold of a used unit).

However, the clearance between the bottom of the fan motor and the
heater core is no more than ~20 mm. Around the fan motor there is plenty
of space however.

While i had mine apart I cleaned the heater core with a garden hose and
compressed air. Such an operation requires taking the thing fully apart,
but getting the leaves out probably improves the air flow considerably.


Congrats!

One last question, though: Is it possible to open the heater (without
removing it) such that a vacuum cleaner hose can reach the inside? Just to
save work time.

/Anders
Click to expand...






--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
 
Gunnar Eikman said:
I guess it would be possible to drill a hole above the heater core e.g.
on the right hand side and be able to get some garbage out though it.
After the operation you could seal it with suct tape. If you damage the
heater core you will have a leak, and then you MUST go through the "big
procedure" (and get hold of a used unit).

However, the clearance between the bottom of the fan motor and the
heater core is no more than ~20 mm. Around the fan motor there is plenty
of space however.

While i had mine apart I cleaned the heater core with a garden hose and
compressed air. Such an operation requires taking the thing fully apart,
but getting the leaves out probably improves the air flow considerably.









--
Gunnar

240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
Click to expand...
 
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