Hi - the brushes on my XM heater fan seem to have worn down so much that the fan only works if you kick it (the passanger kicks it actually). I guess the XM is not the only Cit/Pug with this type of fan motor - has anyone succeded in extracting the motor from the fan casing (the plastic bit that is relatively easy to unscrew from the fan housing - 3 screws)? I hate to think that I must change the whole unit just because the brushes are gone . . .
//NiSk
Anyone changed brushes on heater fan (XM)?
Moderator: RichardW
Hi NiSk,
Had a look in XM manual, not much info here, except on how to remove the heater matrix.
I suspect the heater fan is similar to the BX setup, where you have the motor pressed into a cup in the plastic housing, and retained with 2 small screws. Removing screws and pressing thru these holes shoots out the motor. Motor will stick because of any minor motor housing surface corrosion.
On the BX, the bruhes are retained in nice small spring loaded retainers, each brush having flexible CU braided wire soldered on to the spade connectors. The brushes are sintered copper (NOT graphite), dont remember the size. But any suitable larger brushes can be rubbed down to fit exactly, and any too heavy braided brush wirings can be cutted down to higher flexibility, and easily soldered on.
I used a couple of trashed starter motor brushes (yes - they are HUGE !), filed down to shape & fit, then gave the braided wires a hair-cut, to make them more flexible.
Have done this to 3 (different) BX blowers now, and they work perfect.
Hope some of these ideas applies to your XM fan motor.
Had a look in XM manual, not much info here, except on how to remove the heater matrix.
I suspect the heater fan is similar to the BX setup, where you have the motor pressed into a cup in the plastic housing, and retained with 2 small screws. Removing screws and pressing thru these holes shoots out the motor. Motor will stick because of any minor motor housing surface corrosion.
On the BX, the bruhes are retained in nice small spring loaded retainers, each brush having flexible CU braided wire soldered on to the spade connectors. The brushes are sintered copper (NOT graphite), dont remember the size. But any suitable larger brushes can be rubbed down to fit exactly, and any too heavy braided brush wirings can be cutted down to higher flexibility, and easily soldered on.
I used a couple of trashed starter motor brushes (yes - they are HUGE !), filed down to shape & fit, then gave the braided wires a hair-cut, to make them more flexible.
Have done this to 3 (different) BX blowers now, and they work perfect.
Hope some of these ideas applies to your XM fan motor.
Thanks Anders!
You where right on the button! After further investigation, I discovered that on the XM, the motor is held in place exclusively by three rubber "feet" on a motor shroud, that slide into cut-outs in the plastic housing. You get the motor out by compressing these feet through small apertures in the side of the housing so that they release (all three at the same time!!) and the motor then just pulls out.
Can't complain really, 520,000 km on a set of brushes . . .
//NiSk
You where right on the button! After further investigation, I discovered that on the XM, the motor is held in place exclusively by three rubber "feet" on a motor shroud, that slide into cut-outs in the plastic housing. You get the motor out by compressing these feet through small apertures in the side of the housing so that they release (all three at the same time!!) and the motor then just pulls out.
Can't complain really, 520,000 km on a set of brushes . . .
//NiSk