This Blows(DIY)

"Agrajag" (Agrajag)
11/23/2015 at 09:20 • Filed to: w123, 240d, diy

The blower motor in my 240D started giving me trouble just in time for winter. Who needs heat anyway?

Just this week it started acting up. Occasionally it would work fine, but more often than not you got this death rattle instead of a reassuring “whoosh” noise. I didn’t do it for the video, but there was no change if you tried the higher speeds.

Step 1.

To access the blower motor you need to remove the passenger side kick panel. There are 3 screws along the top edge and two twist tab type things at each bottom corner. The screws are hidden by these little covers. Pry them off to reveal a philips head sheet metal screw. Or, like in my case, you don’t need to bother because those covers are long since gone. Exposed fasteners FTW!

(forgot to photograph this part so image is stolen)

I have no idea where that rag came from. Might have something to do with why the A/C doesn’t work. I’m just gonna leave that in there for now.

I also have no idea what this goes to.

Step 2.

Using a flat head screw driver, release these tabs.

Step 2.2.

Put those tabs back. You don’t actually need to take them off.

Step 3.

Disconnect the power cord by pulling straight down on it.

Step 4.

Remove the philips screw on housing nearest the firewall.

Then there are 3 sheet metal screws with an 8mm head.

With those removed, give it a little shimmy and the blower motor will drop right down.

My next step was to test the motor hooked directly to 12v.

Hmmmm.... Not the asthmatic with tuberculosis like symptoms I was expecting.

Next I tested for voltage at the cord and that was fine. Hmmm.....

Hooked the blower back up and cycled through the speed settings. Hmmmmm...

I ended up putting it all back together and it worked fine. Until about an hour later. There was absolutely no sign of life. Then I gave it a love tap, and kicked right on. Guess I’ll be replacing it after all.

To counter the argument that all MB’s are expensive to repair, I always like to check prices for similar parts against my brothers car. The w123 at least has reasonably priced parts due to a huge aftermarket(thank you taxi services of the world). Huge downside is you have to order everything.

$90.99 for his 2005 Civic.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

notbad.jpg

DISCUSSION (12)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Agrajag
11/23/2015 at 09:38

At least your W123 doesn’t have the climate control system. That head unit is a royal pain in the rear when it acts up.

Agrajag > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
11/23/2015 at 09:45

Yeah, the hell with that nonsense. This one is bad enough. Close inspection would reveal that the cover/plate is only held in place by hopes and dreams. Almost every piece of plastic shattered when I had to replace the fan control switch.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Agrajag
11/23/2015 at 09:45

I went through the same thing with my Mazda truck. The blower is located under the hood next to the box containing the evaporator coil. Everything seemed fine once I put it all back together with a new blower, but the replacement makes an annoying moaning sound at any speed other than either full blast or off.