91 320i Cabrio, Euro spec.
Need a bit of help, please.
I've tried two blower units and both blow air, but it isn't hot at all. Looking into either unit at their heating coils, neither are heating up or glowing, indicated it ain't getting any current.
Does the orange relay on the wiring harness control the current running through the heating coil? If so, that will be a pretty easy fix.
I just find it hard to believe that I purchased a good condition blower that happens to have the same problem as the one my car came with.
Thanks!
I don't believe they actually have a heating element. My e36 does not.
"Howdy, Folks!"
1986 Delphin 528e - Roof rack equipped lumber hauler.
1989 Zinnoberrot 325iX Sedan - I miss this car. (Deceased)
1998 Avus Blau 328iC - Someone else's project now
2008 Platinum-Beige X3 3.0si - Current project
2012 Alpine White X3 xDrive35i - My new snowmobile.
2020 Estoril Blue 440i xDrive cabrio - This car is a blast to drive.
I took the one in my former 1990 vert apart and it did have a heating element. I could even smell it when it heated up. Less so once I cleaned all the dust out of it.
"Life is too Short to drive boring cars"
1986 325E
1989 325iX (Long term 5-speed/refresh project)
1993 MB 300E
1995 MB E320
2000 Audi TT (Winter AWD snow beast)
2007 Porsche Cayman S (Summer car)
2009 VW Touareg
I believe what you smelled was the motor under strain as the motor heated up from the accumulation of dust; Dust is not a motor's friend or for any ellectronics.
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I don't believe any of these units were designed to create heat. How it works is through the cabin temperature. As the cabin heats up it circulates the air and this defogs the rear plastic window.
the hard tops had a rear window defrost element in it which was connected to the body of the car. Once the roof was put on the rear window defogger was no longer operational.
I live in Canada and a good number of cabrios I had never had this.
I have since sold the car but I am almost certain that the "coil" riveted to the metal piece heated up. If the fan was to only circulate ambient air then this "assembly" would not even need to be inside the plastic housing.
"Life is too Short to drive boring cars"
1986 325E
1989 325iX (Long term 5-speed/refresh project)
1993 MB 300E
1995 MB E320
2000 Audi TT (Winter AWD snow beast)
2007 Porsche Cayman S (Summer car)
2009 VW Touareg
pretty sure mine heats up.
1991 325i vert, white/tan, power black top, I bottlecaps. PDX
I did a little DD on this and apparently the rear blower fan does have heater coils in them. The picture shows two plugs. one for the relay and I would imagine the other is power to the heating coils.
Something I had never known.
Question: wonder if it can be repaired DIY?
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