PNWYukon
Full Access Member
If you have the squeaking/squealing/chirping type sound coming from the Blower fan that also changes with speed settings, then it can be a simple repair. You most likely do not need a new blower fan.
These are very simple to remove and check out. Depending on your model you need to remove the kick guard or HVAC shroud that has 3-4 screws. The one in the center is a pain. Then you look up there and pull the tab on the motor and twist the whole unit and it comes right off. You may have to push on the carpet to get it to come out. Then unplug it.
Once out, the easiest thing to do is clean the fan blades and blow high pressure air in any openings in the motor housing. Do this multiple times, rotating the fan and such. At this point you can plug it back in and test to see if the noise is still there. If it is then proceed to disassembly.
I went all the way with the 2005 Tahoe and disassembled the whole thing, thinking there were bearings in the motor that needed grease. This was not the case! However there are brushes that could be replaced if you wanted to do that. The motor rides in bushings at each end which I did force grease into just for fun.
The fan is pressed onto splines on the motor shaft, so getting it off is a challenge. It has what looks like a plug covering a screw or nut in the center of the fan, but that is not the case. It is pressed on.
Once the fan blade is off then remove the back panel that is held in with tabs, that frees up the motor from the plastic housing and you can remove the motor.
The bottom of the motor has the access panel that is locked in with 8 bent over tabs. Bend those back and that will release the motor from the housing. That will give you access to the bushings and you can blow out all the motor and check your brushes. After 16 years the brushes were in good shape.
Reassembly is a challenge as the magnets suck the motor back in and can cause the brushes to pop in before they are seated. It took me 4 tries to get it back together!
I was pleased that after all that monkeying around the motor worked great and the noise was gone!
A new Delco/GM motor was $100 on RockAuto, so this was a success.
Good luck!
These are very simple to remove and check out. Depending on your model you need to remove the kick guard or HVAC shroud that has 3-4 screws. The one in the center is a pain. Then you look up there and pull the tab on the motor and twist the whole unit and it comes right off. You may have to push on the carpet to get it to come out. Then unplug it.
Once out, the easiest thing to do is clean the fan blades and blow high pressure air in any openings in the motor housing. Do this multiple times, rotating the fan and such. At this point you can plug it back in and test to see if the noise is still there. If it is then proceed to disassembly.
I went all the way with the 2005 Tahoe and disassembled the whole thing, thinking there were bearings in the motor that needed grease. This was not the case! However there are brushes that could be replaced if you wanted to do that. The motor rides in bushings at each end which I did force grease into just for fun.
The fan is pressed onto splines on the motor shaft, so getting it off is a challenge. It has what looks like a plug covering a screw or nut in the center of the fan, but that is not the case. It is pressed on.
Once the fan blade is off then remove the back panel that is held in with tabs, that frees up the motor from the plastic housing and you can remove the motor.
The bottom of the motor has the access panel that is locked in with 8 bent over tabs. Bend those back and that will release the motor from the housing. That will give you access to the bushings and you can blow out all the motor and check your brushes. After 16 years the brushes were in good shape.
Reassembly is a challenge as the magnets suck the motor back in and can cause the brushes to pop in before they are seated. It took me 4 tries to get it back together!
I was pleased that after all that monkeying around the motor worked great and the noise was gone!
A new Delco/GM motor was $100 on RockAuto, so this was a success.
Good luck!
