Heater Blower Ticking

[97ranger4x4]

Hey everyone,

I noticed a ticking sound comming from my heater this morning. I only heard it when it first turned on in a low setting. I turned it up and couldnt hear it. The sound might have been drowned out though. The heater blows like normal and hot as heck. I havent tried my AC as it was way to cold to even think about turning the knob left.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[MAKG]

It might be a good idea to post your question.

Noises in the blower are often foreign objects, especially leaves and twigs. Pull the blower out and look.

 

[vupilot]

My 1997 2.3 Ranger is doing the same.

It sounds like a playing card in bicycle spokes but a little quieter like maybe a leaf is stuck in the blower. If the radio is on Its not as bad and at full blower speed it drowns itself out. Over the past weeks it has changed in sound and is not as loud as it was before, perhaps the debris wore out a little or maybe I'm getting used to it but in the past 2 weeks it has been the same pitch and volume. Heat works great, its just damn annoying.

I don't know where to start to get access to the affected area. Its just as loud in the passenger footwell as the passenger side of the firewall under the hood. Im going to go open my Haynes manual and see what is easiest to take apart first. Will let you know if I fix it.

There has to be someone who has dealt with this before.

Chris

 

[vupilot]

Fixed heater noise in 3 easy steps.

The fix was very easy using the Haynes manual. After studying the manuals diagrams of the heater system I found that the noise had to be originating at the heater blower motor as its nearly the only moving part in the system.

1. Detach battery neg AND pos to disable airbags. 2. Removed the screws around the blower motor housing 3. Remove the debris (actually, I didnt even see any debris, I just reassembled and the noise was gone!)

If your not sure... The heater blower motor is located under the hood on the passenger side at the firewall. basically, the left rear corner as you stand at the front bumper looking at the engine. Its about the radius of a 1 gal cofee can, it has a motor and vent tube sticking out the middle and 4 screws along the circumference. Those screws are the ones to remove, you may need to remove the vent tube but you should not have to remove the electrical clip but it may make it easier.

Chris

 

[Mutant Pony]

Yah. You shouldn't let it go. If it is a large enough object it could permanantly damage the squirrel cage. If you don't find anything when you pull it apart, you need to feel around in there. Maybe get a light and a mirror, You don't want foriegn objects blocking the air from going through your heater core or evaporator. If it is a stick/twig in there it may end up right back in the squirrel cage and possibly damaging it.The smallest damage to the 'cage will ultimately lead to it's distruction.
The same goes for replacing a bad blower motor. Make absolutly sure there are no loose objects in there before you put the new one in.

 

[Natedog]

It might be a good idea to post your question.

Noises in the blower are often foreign objects, especially leaves and twigs. Pull the blower out and look.

Yes, usually and they usually blow out if you turn it to high for a minute. Good to pull the blower motor and clean it all out every four or five years especially with an AC truck as it likes to build up nex to the motor speed resistor and mine almost burned up my whole truck when it caught the heater box on fire last fall.

Non AC trucks are alot less likely to accumulate like this.

 

[MAKG]

It has nothing to do with A/C. The evaporator is downstream from the blower. It's just more places to get leaves caught. The clearance behind the resistor pack is a bit smaller, but that affects the fire issue, not the noise issue.

Virtually all Ford systems collect debris in the blower box if they are kept outside for any significant length of time. If your non-AC truck hasn't made any noises, it just hasn't gotten debris in just the right place.