Blower Motor Squealing Noise - Bearing Replacement?

[bmwman91]

I sometimes get a hefty squeal from the blower when I first switch it on, and it makes a lot of smaller intermittent noises when running. I assume that this is bad bearings? Before I go digging it out, can anyone tell me from past experience what sort of bearings the impeller shaft runs on and if they are replaceable? If they are just bronze sleeve bearings, I have access to a lathe and could probably just turn new ones.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[TobyB]

Yup, oillite sleeve bearings.

As such, oiling them often brings years of quietude and joy...

t

[roguetoaster]

There was a thread on here from perhaps three years ago where a user retrofitted sealed RS something or other bearings. However, I can also echo the success of the just lube it mentality.

[bmwman91]

Thanks. I looked around a bit just now and found the thread. Basically, the consensus was to just go with a new $50 eBay blower motor. It looks basically identical to the $100 URO ones ECS sells (not that URO is a very good brand IMO), but it sounds like a lot of people have used the cheap eBay ones with great success and had no issues for many years. So, that's what I am going to do, and replace the resistor while I am at it since Behr ones are $35.

I'll keep the dying OEM one I have around in my parts box just in case the cheap one dies, and at that point I will look into either lubing the bearings, or pressing in some ball bearings.

[roguetoaster]

I think you have a reasonable solution and can also say I had good luck with a Uro branded cheapie.

[URO Parts Support]

I think you have a reasonable solution and can also say I had good luck with a Uro branded cheapie.

Thanks guys, our blower motor assemblies are also quite popular with Mercedes and Porsche enthusiasts. For guys who track their cars, URO Parts' blower for the 914 is much lighter than OEM (plastic frame instead of cast metal).

[roguetoaster]

Thanks guys, our blower motor assemblies are also quite popular with Mercedes and Porsche enthusiasts. For guys who track their cars, URO Parts' blower for the 914 is much lighter than OEM (plastic frame instead of cast metal).

If you really represent URO I'd just like to convey that we appreciate that someone fills the void of hard to source/expensive OE new parts the way you folks do, but we seriously wish your parts weren't generally a total crapshoot when it comes to quality/reliability over time.

[bmwman91]

Ha, interesting to see URO support in here. I have to say, it is nice that URO continues to make parts for these cars since a number of items are no longer produced by OEM suppliers. I've had mixed results in terms of quality over the years, but it's also hard to beat URO's prices in many cases. For this car, I am much more interested in paying a little more ONCE than paying less multiple times (despite me just now buying an eBay "special" blower motor lol). I feel like if URO could increase the consistency of quality, I'd be fine with a corresponding bump in prices.

Now, as far as really unfortunate parts that are NLA, there are some M42 timing bits that are becoming a real problem. I'm not sure if URO is so much in the business of making high strength fiber reinforced plastic parts, but if they are, some of the timing chain guides and tensioner rails are still very much in demand and no longer available. Obviously, if QC slips at all with one of those, it'll be a much bigger problem than a cracked trim panel or stuck blower motor lol.

[ADEN]

Mine started squealingthen stopping after 20 mins and after it cooled down it works fine for another 20 mins then worked for 10 mins then stopped finally just works for 2 mins then i tried to retrofit a bushing with no success (bushings were too tight).
My mechanic told me that he put a blower motor from e36 with my e30 fins.