Blower motor-radio interference. Weird one!
#1
Senior Member
Posts like a Camaro
Thread Starter
Blower motor-radio interference. Weird one!
I've been chasing a radio interference problem for six months. It got to the point where even a 50,000 watt station only 70 miles away was getting hard to hear for static.
Nothing worked. I cleaned the antenna lead ends and used dielectric grease, ran a different ground to the radio, checked the spark plug wires, and was a my wit'* end (admittedly, not a long trip)
It'* August in Northern California, with the typical triple-digit temps. And, my blower fan has slowed down considerably over the last 3-4 months. It started out OK but slowly lost RPM as I drove the car. It was sweltering in the cabin.
I checked out the resistor and the condenser for debris, and both were OK, so, I bopped over to the parts puppies last week and got a new blower motor and fan, and installed it, after wrestling for an hour or so with the bracket that holds the fuel lines.
So, the A/C is again effective, and there was a bonus-the radio problems went away! All I can figure is that the dying blower fan motor was putting out radio interference in the AM/FM band.
Is that a weird one, or what? :?
Nothing worked. I cleaned the antenna lead ends and used dielectric grease, ran a different ground to the radio, checked the spark plug wires, and was a my wit'* end (admittedly, not a long trip)
It'* August in Northern California, with the typical triple-digit temps. And, my blower fan has slowed down considerably over the last 3-4 months. It started out OK but slowly lost RPM as I drove the car. It was sweltering in the cabin.
I checked out the resistor and the condenser for debris, and both were OK, so, I bopped over to the parts puppies last week and got a new blower motor and fan, and installed it, after wrestling for an hour or so with the bracket that holds the fuel lines.
So, the A/C is again effective, and there was a bonus-the radio problems went away! All I can figure is that the dying blower fan motor was putting out radio interference in the AM/FM band.
Is that a weird one, or what? :?
#2
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
WB Bob...
Not really that odd. It appears you were getting feedback into the electrical system from the blower.
BTW a 13mm pivot head ratcheting wrench gets those two nuts super easy. I've fought them previously and know your pain with that bracket.
Not really that odd. It appears you were getting feedback into the electrical system from the blower.
BTW a 13mm pivot head ratcheting wrench gets those two nuts super easy. I've fought them previously and know your pain with that bracket.
#3
Senior Member
True Car Nut
And all that time you thought it was the fillings in your teeth receiving alien signals, huh?
I know that I would have been a bit frustrated by that also. Glad you got it solved, even if it was by chance
I know that I would have been a bit frustrated by that also. Glad you got it solved, even if it was by chance
#4
RIP
True Car Nut
The brushes start to arc which can send out a lot of radio frequency interference which is easily heard on AM, but can often interfere with reception of FM signals by overwhelming the intending signal.
#6
RIP
True Car Nut
JDB, head off to Radio Shack and pick up a .01 micro-farad capacitor and put it across the power connector right at the motor if you can and see if that helps.
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07-25-2011 04:00 PM