Blower motor - rubber tube - 1991 - what is it?

[Fairlaniac]

My '91 Ranger in it's past had the blower motor replaced with a non-OEM unit. This motor stopped working so I picked up a OEM motor yesterday in the u-pull-it yard. Installed it and noticed a rubber elbow shaped rubber tube from the back of the motor to the heater hosing. Th OEM unit has an oval hole on the motor but the past installed unit has a round hole so the rubber tube in my Ranger doesn't fit in the oval hole? I would have grabbed it from the u-pull-it yard had I known the difference? What is this tube for? Until I get one that fits I'm thinking of blocking the hole if it pulls engine bay air in through the cab.

Thanks,

 

[saskbill]

I suggest DON't plug the hole in the motor! (Plug the hole in the heater housing for now if you like). Snag the correctly fitting hose from the junkyard ASAP.

The hose is meant to bring cooling air (from the high pressure air on the fan side if the heater housing) back to the motor.

 

[RonD]

+1 ^^^

Hose allows the blower motor some air to keep it cool while its running.

If it was open to engine compartment air, and you had an exhaust leak or valve cover leak(burnt oil smell), you would then smell that in the cab via the blower air.
So they pull air from IN the cab for the back side of blower motor.

If you fart alot then you may prefer the engine compartment air, so leave hose off