# Do blower motors get hot?



## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

A little over a year ago, the blower motor in my Ranger quit working. I replaced it with one from the parts store, non-OEM brand. The parts store blower motor recently failed, with what I believe is a failed bearing. So, I replaced it yesterday with one from RockAuto, also non-OEM brand. 

When testing it for the first time, I let it run for about 2-3 minutes and then shut it back off. I went back under the hood to double check everything before closing the hood, and noticed that the new blower motor was almost too hot to touch. I never paid attention to how hot or cold the other 2 ran, and am wondering if this one is going to be a problem too. So, is it normal for them to get hot when using them?


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Hi r0ck, I hate cars, but motors are basically motors. IMO, they can run warm, but hot as you describe is not good. Pros will be along to help answer why.

Bud


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

How many amps is it pulling? Most blower motors have a 'tube' that connects to it to cool itself. Others do not. They do generate heat. But to hot to touch might be to much. Remember, you get what you pay for.:vs_cool:


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

This one has a tube on the side as well. 

Either way, I'll be sending the new one back. It's making a ton of noise on fan speed 4 just like the previous one. 

I also took the cap off of the end of the old blower motor and think I figured out what it's problem is. I don't know the correct terminology for the parts, but the main part of the motor that spins is rubbing against the magnets that are on the sides of it. If I try to spin it by hand, it has a lot of resistance, and I can hear the dragging noise that it makes. I thought it had a bearing, but I don't see a bearing anywhere in there.

So, I assume that the heat I felt was friction.



Brainbucket said:


> Remember, you get what you pay for.:vs_cool:


That's the truth.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Most auto and light truck blower motors have bushings instead of bearings. I like NAPA cause I hardly ever do it twice with their parts.:vs_cool:


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## hotrod351 (Jun 15, 2012)

my blower motor had a tube that attached it to the blower housing, that way the fan would cool the motor itself.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

There are a lot of cheap made-in-china car parts out there, one thing I like about Rock Auto is that they classify the parts that will fit your app into terms like 'economy' and 'daily driver'. Kind of a warning.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

As an update, I have been running it. It doesn't get hot like that first time. The noises that it made in the beginning have gone away also. Could the brushes just needed breaking in?



hotrod351 said:


> my blower motor had a tube that attached it to the blower housing, that way the fan would cool the motor itself.


Mine has that tube also.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

r0ckstarr said:


> A little over a year ago, the blower motor in my Ranger quit working. I replaced it with one from the parts store, non-OEM brand. The parts store blower motor recently failed, with what I believe is a failed bearing. So, I replaced it yesterday with one from RockAuto, also non-OEM brand.
> 
> When testing it for the first time, I let it run for about 2-3 minutes and then shut it back off. I went back under the hood to double check everything before closing the hood, and noticed that the new blower motor was almost too hot to touch. I never paid attention to how hot or cold the other 2 ran, and am wondering if this one is going to be a problem too. So, is it normal for them to get hot when using them?


You should not be going through blower motors like that. Makes me wonder if something else is wrong, but the only thing I can think is improper voltage/amperage going to the motor. Of course, it could just be a couple cheap motors.

Also, as these other guys have said, there is a WIDE variation in the quality of auto parts available these days. That's one of the reasons they're priced so radically different.

Blower motors typically get very warm, but they should not be too hot too touch - or even close to too hot to touch.


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