Saving your dash blower and circuitry

john r. lebetski

New member
Dec 20, 2006
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I've been slowly getting all systems working on a 91 ZR1 I got for a song. 100% stock but maintanance deprived. Not PO hacked. Neglected. Yesterday
the dash blower quit on C68 touch climate stopped. 10 speed so I'm thinking head unit or solid state motor speed controller. Basclly same motor GM
used on the TZE but with newer weatherpak connector. Figured I'd work backwards from the motor. You have to loosen the inner fender liner for
clearance (sound familiar to TZE?). I was pretty sure it was an electronics issue as no tell tale squeeling before it quit. But no, could not even
turn squirrel cage by hand. Zoom Spout oiler and a couple drops on each bearing and some gentle persuasion and it began to free up. I also spray flush
the commutator and brushes with Caig F5. This used to be called MCL. Moving contact lubricant for carbon and plastic potentiometers and such. This
cleans and the liquid leaving takes used carbon material away. Leaves behind a very light lubrication film designed for wiper on carbon resistor. Not
unlike brushes on commutator. I was prepared to head to NAPA but this ran so smoothly and quietly I put it back together and saved the trip. Perhaps
lubricating all fan motors every 2 years would be a good habit in the TZEs. Sit out in zub zero and then heat soak above 200F when you shut down after
highway run. Lubricants off gas and gum. Then the cooling air diminishes to motor and resistor as the Amp draw rises. Usually melts at resistor
connector or Hi relay or if you are unlucky at dash. Total cost was about a penny's worth of zoom oil and about $1 of F5 spray but that was not
required to get it operational. It's also a good Idea to blow out road dirt and cottonwood etc as a first step before oiling but this one was pretty
clean.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
Hope that works for you John. I did the same thing after the new blower motor I ordered from Applied didn't fit, blew all the old dirt out, and
lubricated the bearings, anyway. It lasted about a year and then started making a bunch of noise again. I replaced the motor with a locally sourced
part for less than $40.00.

I agree it might be good maintenance practice to do just as you described regularly though. It would undoubtedly extend the lives of our various
electric motors.

--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
 
Carl, once they "squeal " the bearing tolerances seem excessive and the fix may not last as expected. This one never made noise but gummed up like
cement. But if you keep them lubed they never get to that point. Now if you could get a spec of Synpower in there with a needle injector somehow it
would outlast us all. I was ready to get a new one but wanted exact appearance as Corvette. We shall see.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
After a more than a few attempts at revitalizing electric motor bearings I
have determined that the best possible result of a bearing failure fix with
lube injection is temporary continuation of operation followed by a
repeated but more final failure. Your results may vary.

Sully
Coachless
Bellevue.

> Hope that works for you John. I did the same thing after the new blower
> motor I ordered from Applied didn't fit, blew all the old dirt out, and
> lubricated the bearings, anyway. It lasted about a year and then started
> making a bunch of noise again. I replaced the motor with a locally sourced
> part for less than $40.00.
>
> I agree it might be good maintenance practice to do just as you described
> regularly though. It would undoubtedly extend the lives of our various
> electric motors.
>
> --
> Carl Stouffer
> '75 ex Palm Beach
> Tucson, AZ.
> Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive,
> Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American
> Eagles,
> Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Sully
Coachless
Bellevue.

Sully - that's such a sad signature line... Is there another coach in your near future ?? C'mon.

Steve W
1973 23' Yellow
southern California
 
My daughter just completed her undergraduate work at Princeton(we r
currently @ a hotel at Newark airport toward bringing her home TEMPORARILY
while she finalizes short term work plans building toward her return to
graduate school)

The Boy starts at the UW in the fall and picked up a full bike sponsorship
a few months ago for off road racing this season( currently mid season).
His “ free” bike is exceptional aside from its ability to consistently hold
together. We spent the eve of our departure for graduation re installing
the motor we pulled a couple weeks earlier due to a trans failure which
plucked a podium out from under him so that he could train prior to his
joining us in Jersey for the commencement. Upon installation and heat
cycling the fresh motor for use we discovered a super wierd cylinder leak
which appears to be a casting flaw. The reason I drag all this in front of
your eyes is to underscore the fact that I do not have time or energy to
dedicate to maintaining a GMC right now and I cannot let it sit neglected
in front of my shop for another winter. MAYBE once The Boy has left for
college in a few months and I begin to settle in to the empty nest I might
feel the need to acquire a GMC to claim my free time. Right now there is
none to claim and Recherche wants to go camping.

Sully
She leaves tomorrow
Bellevue

On Wed, Jun 6, 2018 at 7:53 PM Steve Weinstock
wrote:

> Sully
> Coachless
> Bellevue.
>
> Sully - that's such a sad signature line... Is there another coach in
> your near future ?? C'mon.
>
>
> Steve W
> 1973 23' Yellow
> southern California
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
John, dpes it have the Mercury Marine (a;uminum 4 cam) engine?

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
Yes Johnny the LT5. Very docile, until you provoke it between 4500 and 7200 RPM. Below 4000 about the same as a L98 at best.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
Friend had one, it was a screamer when it got up on the pipes. He said the only concern was the chain wheels on the cam which were small to clear the
car's body. Any truth to that
?

--johnny

--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
I think the all steel cam chain drive system is pretty soilid. The hyd chain tensioners like clean 10W-30. I have heard that runs up to the red line
when shifting are ok, but don't stay above 6500 all day due to possible foaming and cavitation. If you want a car with cold piston slap this is it.
They are built loose in that respect.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
Mercury Marine has the technology for aluminum stuff that produced much power... especially in two stroke stuff, where they learned hpw much room to
leave for expansion when things get warm. That seems to have carried over. A GM guy was quoted someplace saying the folks in Stillwater can take a
CAD where three machined parts meet at angles, and build it and it fits and doesn't leak.
I wonder could you fit megaphones on like the old Merc 60H :) Surely Kiekhaefer(sp?) would approve.

--johnny

--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
Lot to be said for firing every cylinder every time it comes to the top.
With enough air fuel in the crankcase, it is possible to achieve greater
than 1 atmosphere of pressure in the upper cylinder before the reed valves
close. Beaucoup horsepower, lotsa' RPM's. Great when you have the whole
ocean to carry off the heat that it makes.
Jim Hupy

On Sat, Jun 9, 2018, 8:22 AM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> Mercury Marine has the technology for aluminum stuff that produced much
> power... especially in two stroke stuff, where they learned hpw much room to
> leave for expansion when things get warm. That seems to have carried
> over. A GM guy was quoted someplace saying the folks in Stillwater can
> take a
> CAD where three machined parts meet at angles, and build it and it fits
> and doesn't leak.
> I wonder could you fit megaphones on like the old Merc 60H :) Surely
> Kiekhaefer(sp?) would approve.
>
> --johnny
>
> --
> 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> "I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>