Heater Blower Motor

[Richard Dickinson]

There was an article in an old Healey Marque magazine about a permanent magnet motor foe the heater blower. It supposedly has 50% more volume than the original motor. Anyone know the source for this? While the shrouds and fenders are off would be a good time to change motors.

 

[AUSMHLY]

I've heard that a heater blower from a Datsun 240z can be used. Supposedly it is more powerful than the Smith model in the Healey's.

 

[RAC68]

Hi Richard,

Back in 1966, since I could breathe heavier than my defroster could blow, I decided to improve this part of my 2-year old Healey. Dismounting the Smiths blower, I split the case to install its squirrel cage onto a contemporary junkyard-scavenged Oldsmobile Star Fire heater motor. Closing up the case and installing, the much-increased volume of air has produced a slight defroster whistle but has provided good air volume to date.

Should you not be concerned about original appearance and since the heater blower is installed in a relatively obscure location, you may also want to consider replacing the Smiths unit with a 3" boat bilge blower that will provide considerably more air volume and fit nicely into your heater ducts. I have installed a 4” bilge blower, with variable control, into my fresh air duct behind the driver foot well in the engine compartment and found the resulting fresh air flow satisfying.

Also, as I had mentioned with my fresh air blower, consider installing a Pulse Width Modulation (PDM) motor speed control. This variable speed motor controller can be mounted in an accessible, but obscure, space under the dash between the original ON/OFF switch and blower to give you air flow choices. Installed in this way, the motor will be activated by the dash on/off switch and speed controlled by the PDM from under the dash.

One last suggestion while the fender is off, improve the blower’s ground connection by drilling the original screw hole and welding a nut to the frame to accept a grounding bolt.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[Richard Dickinson]

The suggestion to use an in-line bilge blower in the fresh air line is really good idea. West marine has them for 30 or 40 dollars.

 

[Keoke]

Also consider installing a Pulse Width Modulation (PDM) motor speed control.



This very simply varies the speed of DC motors.--Keoke

 

[Richard Dickinson]

I guess if you could bypass the Smith blower you could use one of these for your heater and maybe get more air through.

 

[RAC68]

Richard,

You would replace the Smiths blower with the bilge blower. Since the heater blower ducts are 3", you would use a 3" blower and install your original ducts onto its input and output. A simple mount will allow you to secure the bilge blower to the smiths mount and, painted black, the bilge blower will be hard to see.

By the way, I purchased a lightly used 4" bilge blower on e-bay for $15.

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[AUSMHLY]

Richard, don't listen to those guys. Here's what you need.
A Toro leaf blow, model 51609.
Air speeds up to 235 mph and air volume up to 390 cfm.
This is the most powerful one I could find. (I use it to blow the water out the spokes after I wash the wheels.)

Retrofit it in place of the Smith's blower! For the purists, paint the red plastic body black and do some creative wiring. Then hold on to your socks!

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Richard, don't listen to those guys. Here's what you need.
A Toro leaf blow, model 51609.
Air speeds up to 235 mph and air volume up to 390 cfm.
This is the most powerful one I could find. (I use it to blow the water out the spokes after I wash the wheels.)

Retrofit it in place of the Smith's blower! For the purists, paint the red plastic body black and do some creative wiring. Then hold on to your socks!

Roger,
The electric powered leaf blower has way too much current draw for the Healey generator. The gas powered one solves that problem! The driver OR passenger can strap on the turbo boost model with backpack option and eliminate permanent mounting. Painting the backpack the interior color helps camouflage it! With exhaust pointing towards the Boot should be good for better gas mileage. Ear plugs are strongly encouraged!

 

[Richard Dickinson]

Mystery solved. Now we know where all the hot air in a Healey comes from.