Heater, A/C blower ring inoperative

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:25 pm

The ring around the clock became very difficult to turn. Lame attempts at squirting lubricant(s) around it, some success. Hit and miss connection between rotating the dial ring, blower fan speeds, now none at all.

Is there a relay, ground wire, fuse to check ? A magic lubricant (Name) to use behind the ring ?

Because I have a parts dash, heater dials, clock unit out of a '78 635 on the bench. It looks like major brain surgery to fix, replace the cylinder, including fooling with removing little flat push clips on plastic pegs.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:13 am

There's an FAQ on this. The grease has turned to more of a glue-like substance and you really need to disassemble it and clean it up and re-lube it.

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:13 am

Thank you, found it, will print and save together with other instructions saved from years past without the photos.

The answer to my question is no, there is no magic spray, fuse, ground, relay. From the first photo in Peter's FAQ, the back of the board by itself,...if I knew how to post a simple photo you'd see the bundles of wires, boxes, connectors, tie wraps, over, under around, on the assembly to be removed to get to the board in his photo. The answer is yes, it will be major brain surgery.

RonDwyer · Post by **RonDwyer** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:16 pm

Word of advice, get a tray or something with raised edges and put a cloth on it. This way the tiny detent balls won't bounce or roll away quite as easily. Lots of little parts in there. I used mineral spirits, essentially the same as kerosene. Doesn't hurt the plastic. Old toothbrushes at my house go into my garage donation box.

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:28 pm

I undertook this project last year. The resistor plate behind the dial finally fried. I had all fan speeds, only high, then none.

Job is a complete PITA. It took me 2 years to get up the courage to do it.

Take your time, and use the FAQ; it is invaluable. If you have a spare to look at while you disassemble and reassemble, that helps.

If you could reassemble a spare into a spare panel, and replace the entire panel, that would be the easiest. Otherwise, you need remove the old blower control and clock while it is still attached to the car; challenging to say the least, since the blower control and clock isn't fastened on its own - the pressure that holds it together is from the assembly in the panel.

Good luck. It isn't impossible.

Dale

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Sun Oct 18, 2015 2:52 pm

I think it's a gift from above, when procrastination, fearing the worst,...

Thanks to all, Mike W., for the MIT Doctorate tutorial in E12, E24 electrics. No offense, obviously posted having no idea the depth of my stupidity. Acronyms when I think the two slots in a wall plug in are AC left, DC right. Or do I have that backwards ?

Recalling the heater (AC) blower dial quit, rotated nicely but refused to work. I printed the FAC, fully anticipating the weeks of *%$! checking all the grounds, then the ridiculous clown procedure involved in unsticking the little pin doodad's encased behind the dial.

Just now, what the heck, start somewhere, I replaced the fuse. Even though the one in place looked good,...etc.

Whoosh. Blower works great.