HELP, my AC is melting!

[eeeks]

Temps in high 80s.

AC on blowing nice and cold....then...

NOTHING

Fan just stopped....Pulled over to look at fuse...BURNT (not just popped).

I looked at the fuse and noticed it was the wrong ampere rating. Replaced with the proper 30amp fuse.


System worked fine for about 5 minutes...when the fan blew again...it was followed by wisps of smoke and a VERRRRY strong odor of melted/burning plastic.

Fan continued to run though....I shut off the AC and the fan.

What could this be?

Once I get home I'll start taking things apart to inspect, but...can anyone give me a heads up as to where to start looking for burnt melty bits?


FOLLOWUP:


Removed the HVAC controls. The connector that attaches to the circuit board for the vent controls has somehow MELTED. This in turn has left scorch marks on the circuit board for the vent sliders.

The connector itself has turned into a molten piece of plastic, and has partially fused to the frame for the vent sliders.

Looking at RealOEM, I can't seem to find the correct connector. Where does this lead to?

Can anyone please help in pointing me into a solution. I want to correct everything on this car before sale.

Thanks in advance.

btw. fan runs fine. AC is blowing cold, just this new problem.

[eeeks]

Removed blower motor....the flaps that control air flow into the housing had shut somehow...Pulled them open.

Pulled blower motor out...Man, that clip was a B*TCH to remove.

I used compressed air to blow out the motor as well as the housing. There was 20 years of accumulated gunk in there. Used some motor commutator cleaner on the motor and brushes ...lubed the bearings on the fans...reinstalled (or rather cursed and ranted for 30 minutes trying to get the thing back in...THEN re-installed)

Blower motor is running strong and smooth. I first ran the blower motor with NO covers on....then with the blower housing....then the blower cover....No excessive draw amp-wise on the circuit (spikes on turn off/on with AC at around 28amps). Connector isn't turning into molten slag anymore. Nothing burning....

Could it just be that the accumulated schmutz of 20 years of NYC-area pollution and pollen and dust put enough load on the wires and fuses to melt?

Did I just dodge a bullet here?

[emi325i]

yes you did.. my fuse box melted, about a year ago, took out an area about an inch in diameter.. i had to re-wire my blower motor circuit to an external fuse block ( i used a the large size 30A fuse)... took me 8 hours to figure it out and hook that up.