Tip: A/C not blowing good? Debris!

[Benzadmiral]

Took the great gray Buick in to have the cabin filters replaced. I'm sensitive about my A/C, and I'd noticed the system wasn't cooling quite as well as it used to, so I said, "Filters, and see if the system needs to be charged up a bit."

Well, the R-134 was fine. But they noticed the air wasn't coming out the way it should. Turns out at least four years' worth (and maybe eight) of leaves and other debris were choking the fan motor! They dropped the unit out, cleaned it up, and popped it back in. Result: I drove half an hour home in humid 90-degree temps, and the auto climate control blew hard enough so that I was comfortable at 67 instead of 60.

So if your A/C doesn't seem to be cooling as well as it used to, see if the fan motor housing needs cleaning out.

 

[Towncivilian]

I checked my blower motor squirrel cage a couple of weeks ago and there was nothing in it, even after 10 years (though this car was garaged for 9 of those). The fins had some nasty black dust which I cleaned off with a quick rinse under the sink and then Q-tips to get most of the remaining crud off. Here are some dirty/clean pics:

 

[cmf]

Yeah not sure how you got leaves in there, mine is protected by the cabin air filter.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I suspect that bits of the leaves that get trapped in the grille at the base of the windshield, the grille through which outside air is drawn, made their way down over the years. Other cars may be better protected, I guess, and should be.

 

[UNC017]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
I checked my blower motor squirrel cage a couple of weeks ago and there was nothing in it, even after 10 years (though this car was garaged for 9 of those). The fins had some nasty black dust which I cleaned off with a quick rinse under the sink and then Q-tips to get most of the remaining crud off. Here are some dirty/clean pics:




That's about how the blower in my '66 Polara looked when I pulled it out in about 2005. Seems like older cars were better protected from big debris (leaves, etc.) even without cabin air filters at all. But it almost sounds like BenzAdmiral's cabin air filter is *downstream* of the blower. Sure hope its upstream of the evaporator- IMO that's the biggest reason to even have a cabin air filter. To keep the evaporator from clogging or growing a few pounds of mold.

 

[Towncivilian]

Well, here's how it is in all 96-04 Pathfinders:

Some Pathfinders don't have in-cabin air filters from the factory, but one can use a utility knife to cut the slot and install a filter. Instructions are here if somebody needs them.

It looks like my cabin filter is downstream of the blower motor, so you'd think debris would be able to get stuck more easily. There were a few leaves in my cabin filter, seems they can find their way out of the squirrel cage with ease.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Towncivilian, the Buick's setup must be like your Pathfinder's, with the outside air path connecting to the blower motor -- so stuff that gets in can collect there. My car is parked outside, as I have no garage, so leaves and pollen and all sorts of garbage can sift down into that grille at the base of the windshield.

There's been no mold issue in the four years I've owned the car. I make sure to switch the A/C to fan only during the last few minutes of a drive, and change the filters every year or so.

Anyway, the air is blowing steadily and seems properly chilled again.