E36 Blower Motor Replacement

How to remove and replace the blower motor in a BMW E36.
Thanks for watching!
/ pamogriffiths
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[@ManSeeksCivic]

Courtesy of the M3 cutters forum here in the UK, I've just learned that the bonnet has a "service mode". You can remove a small screw in the hinge, this allows you to pull the bonnet up and forward making replacing the scuttle a whole load easier. Many thanks to the guys on that forum.

[@luckylegs8547]

these videos help so much i’ve completely reinstalled ac back into my daily/drift car in texas lord knows i’ll be needing it come this summer thanks again Pamo

[@dikkodikko6262]

i just moved to Tx and mine shit the bed today 😂

[@robertgrant008]

I done this job 10 yrs ago and I took it out exactly the same way because there is no other way to do it ,brute force ,it's a pain in the arse job that I hated ,great video brought back memories.

[@whitty132]

Excellent and very helpful video. Thanks for posting Pamo..

[@maxclahsen5046]

I just love the way you explain even the smallest detail in how to remove things. There where so many times i thought all i got to do is just pull or push it in a certain direction and than snap something broke. Wont happen this time.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks man. I try to give as much info as possible.

[@thomsonrymer4552]

Glad to see you back, Pamo. Stay healthy man

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thank you, You too 👍

[@epowellrob]

Can't thank you enough for this mate. Not something I thought I could do but I managed it. Took me the best part of a weekend though! No way I could have done it without this. Thanks again pal

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thank you 👍👍

[@IronRocker753]

really appreciate the content, everything step by step, keep up man :D

[@AgainstEmpyre]

Love this E36 content 👍👍👍

[@neilpike4358]

Excellent video very informative 👍

[@paulgallagher1376]

a blower motor.... i was expecting a turbo/supercharger at first! lol cool vid as usual!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Can't argue with that mate... Itd be nice to be spicy but not quite yet 👍😂

[@andrewmarriott4033]

Great to see you back that looks a nice tidy garage at the moment 🤔 I had the wipers of my focus recently to get to my egr valve easier Came off no problems that’s fords for you 👍

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks, the challenge is keeping it that way! As for wiper arms.... E36 = aluminium arm on unplated steel spigot.... Not a good combo 😕

[@cogida4]

Wicked video thank you

[@juanrazo6846]

What !! Years ago i had removed my dash to replace the evaporator just for the fan to fail a week later intermittently. Woow this looks easy

[@akusalminen8797]

Good vid bro i have to replace my blower motor from my e36 too so this rly helps a lot.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks man 👍

[@mikeyh2272]

Does it keep ur heater and ac from working?

[@akusalminen8797]

@@mikeyh2272 no it just wont push the heat or cold i just replaced it and now it works perfectly

[@oliverlotus]

Glad to see you back!!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thank you. Glad to be here

[@Monty16v]

Have a new wiper linkage and blower and scuttle to do on one of mine. Doesn't look fun at all lol

[@eddiesheeran5791]

Greetings from North America! Thanks for making this video, I've got a 97 328i that probably needs a blower motor too. No air blows at all, and the HVAC control unit hums constantly, even when the car is off, which drains the battery if you ignore it. Hopefully that issue will go away once I put a new blower motor in.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Sir, thank you and although I'm handy with the spanners I'll never be a qualified plumbus tech. Morty wouldn't be impressed 😎

[@pogolegs8587]

did it ever fix the no air issue? Got the same problem on the same exact year/model

[@eddiesheeran5791]

@@pogolegs8587 Somebody wanted to buy the car before I got a chance to fix it. The first thing I was going to do was see if the blower motor would power up outside the car or not. I was expecting it to be locked up or shorted out, but I never diagnosed it any further.

[@pogolegs8587]

@@eddiesheeran5791 replaced my resistor for the blower motor yesterday and nothing happened so I thought I was fucked, until today where the AC just randomly came on and works great! I can hear my blower motor struggling with higher fan speeds though

[@mekanor470]

Very good video, I went thru this work 2 years ago after my blower stopped working. I had the same issues...😶‍🌫️metal clips... Now I have an issue with a short on the windshield wipers motor, so, I have to pull the motor out ...I was expecting your video would cover this part... I am wondering if you made a video when you removed the wiper motor.? Did you manage to pull it out after putting the air blower+ cover back on the car or before? Do you have tips for me before I start working on this painfull operation. Thanks again, I love your videos,

[@becomematrix]

Ive got the crickets too intermittently. Putting it off for when it fails 😂

[@bassiclymike]

Nice job Pamo. Here's a hint on getting that cowl cover all tucked in around the hinges and wind screen. If you look at the bonnet hinge, you'll see the screws mounting it to the bonnet and to the body. Along the length of the hinge, notice there are two pivot points - the main pivot and a secondary one. There is a screw in between them Remove that screw and the bonnet will pivot on the secondary pivot and move away from the windscreen. The hinge does not need to be removed. I learned this by watching a glass technician replace my windshield. It will give you a couple extra and very needed inches to work around the edges of the windscreen. Only 2 screws to remove, super simple. NOTE: just noticed this was mentioned already by ManSeeksCivic. I'll leave it in case it helps anyone.

[@extremistindustries]

Great in depth video. I get 12 volts at the blower but it does not spin. I've come across a forum post the the convertible firewall area is slightly different and makes this job harder. Please chime in if you have any pointers

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It's either jammed with a foreign object or the motor is completely dead. As for the convertible access - I've not worked in a vert yet, but I can't see how it would be greatly different - sadly, this is a fiddly job no matter which shell you have.

[@extremistindustries]

I think the brushes are done for. I've created a temporary solution by stuffing a 120mm computer fan into the cabin filter area. Minimal airflow at idle and a liveable amount whilst driving lol.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Sadly at this age that's not uncommon Like your temp fix 👍👍

[@E36_shayne]

I did this went smooth but now my ac compressor clutch stopped spinning no blown fuses and the compressor is brand new my blower would randomly turn on and off but I put new 1 in and now my compressor clutch is not working what could be this?

[@SteveL-RSR]

Excellent video. Watch your noggin :)

[@ManSeeksCivic]

😂

[@macelius]

You had trouble getting the top spring out, mine went flying behind the blower box soon as I un-clipped the bottom end. Time to put a magnet on some coat-hanger wire i guess..

[@ManSeeksCivic]

A long magnet is a saviour! 😁

[@Dirt2travis]

is it the same location on a 1992 modell that dont have the ac?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I believe so, just 1 less fan

[@seanshepherd6767]

Hey man. Do you remember what size the four bolts were that hold the motor in place?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

The motor is held in place by a large c shaped clip if I remember correctly.

[@E36andE46vlog]

Didn't knew you could reach it from the outside! Is this the same by a E46?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I'm sorry, Ive not worked on the 46 enough to say. I believe it probably is.

[@chrisneil862]

@Pamo my 97 e36 has a buzzing noise near the binnacle/center vents. It starts when I'm at 40mph or faster and happens regardless whether the blower is on or off. Any thoughts? This one is puzzling me. Love your videos! Thanks

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Sadly, these noises are only sorted by much trial and error.. Usually solved by blind luck. I can offer little help apart from to support the - unscrew/unbolt stuff, inspect and reassemble. Hopefully you find the right join and silence it!

[@chrisneil862]

@Pamo I installed a new center vent yesterday as well as a cabin air filter which was.....well REALLY bad. I've got and extra binnacle laying around in my shop. Maybe that will solve it. Thanks for the response 👍

[@chrisneil862]

@Pamo hey man turns out that dash noise was a combination of wires from my stereo vibrating and a loose windscreen gasket. Took some digging and it turned out to be something simple!

[@davejohnson3474]

I undid those service mode screws when i fitted new scuttle panel only 45quid from bmw. Also went to change the blower motor before when it stopped working but gave it a tap and it started working as it looked like a right ass to remove. Does it feel more powerful now you'd had it working for a few months? I always feel the blower in mine is abit crap and does cricket every now and then.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

The service mode is great. I've used it since. As for the motor, it feels slightly stronger, but only a little. The bearings on mine weren't constantly making noise, but would get annoying after the fan had been on a while. Sadly the only way to sort it is to pull the motor.

[@davejohnson3474]

@@ManSeeksCivic i think i saw it on m3cutters aswell much easier. Spur of the moment bought a topran blower motor as mines got 175k and does squeel abit. Hope it comes out aswell as you made it look hehe

[@ManSeeksCivic]

@@davejohnson3474 nice one, good luck 🍀

[@davejohnson3474]

@@ManSeeksCivic i got round to fitting it but i forgot to take the ducting off on the right made it so much harder. Works good now though much more powerful i can feel the air on my feet. thanks

[@jamesloscar4477]

So this should be the same for a '92 325i E36?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I believe so.

[@Testadisceccu]

How much force is needed to remove the blower cover? The top of my cover seems to be stuck. I've removed all 3 metal clips and the centre 1/4 plastic bolt. I moved the cable for the recirculation vent under the cover, so the bottom of the cover can tilt up buts that's it. Is there any technique? Thanks

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It shouldn't be too difficult, ease each side and feel for where you're getting resistance, something must be jamming it down..

[@Testadisceccu]

@@ManSeeksCivic thanks. Does it need to be tilted upwards much? Or just slightly up, then out ?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Just slightly from memory. Good luck 👍

[@Testadisceccu]

@@ManSeeksCivic ok I'll try again. At 11.45 it shows you putting it in, which does look like a slight angle. 30 years and never removed may be why. I'll probably spray in a little silicone spray. Thanks

[@Testadisceccu]

Got the cover off and the side vent. Thanks. Your video helped a lot. Detailed explanation. Now to buy a new unit.

[@hiddenundaflesh]

my ac was rattling like something was stuck in the blower, couple hours later I heard something blow and flung around, ac still works and when you crank the ac on high you get a slight humming noise and vibration from the blower, I bought a new blower just to be safe, but don’t look forward to changing it just yet lol

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Don't be shy, it's not as hard as it looks, just go easy and bend as little as possible 👍

[@hiddenundaflesh]

@@ManSeeksCivic I found some debris in my cabin air filter, a bunch of brown plastic pieces lol

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Ooh, more investigation required 🤔

[@hiddenundaflesh]

@@ManSeeksCivic good news, my original blower still works, took everything apart and blew out any debris, looked in my cabin air filter and found plastic pieces inside, one mysteriously ending in part #26.067, curious to know what it is. Didn’t even have to replace the blower it was still in great shape. And once cleaned up the noise went away and any debris that was left

[@ilanrozenstein2073]

What brand is the strut brace?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It is an eBay special It was a gift from a mate, so don't know which one her went for.

[@Zac_LDN]

My blower resister keeps blowing every few months. I don’t hear any noises from the blower fan motor. It’s quiet and blows good. Any idea why the resister keeps blowing? I use it on max heat and max speed quite a lot.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Hi Zac, that's an odd fault. The blower should be more than capable of running flat out all day long. The only suggestion I can offer is that the blower motor is drawing too much current - it's at least 23 years old if its not been changed since factory and could be putting extra load on the system.

[@Zac_LDN]

@@ManSeeksCivic It’s working again today. Very strange.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

😅

[@Zac_LDN]

@@ManSeeksCivic I wonder what it could be 🤔

[@jayc4721]

Pamo, this job is on my to do list. 😒

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Good luck sir.

[@jayc4721]

Turned out to be the fsr mr PAMO. happy days !!!!!!!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Oh yeah! Glad you've got it sorted 👍

[@diogoalmeida5244]

Hi, my climate control is only working at 1 speed, a soon i put the key on the 2nd position the blower motor comes on, even if the climate control is off, what can it be? Thanks

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Either the resistor pack that controls the blower speed or a faulty climate control panel. Unplug the resistor and test, if the issue is solved change the resistor - if not try another climate control panel 👍

[@diogoalmeida5244]

@@ManSeeksCivic how should i test it? With a multimeter? Thank you

[@ManSeeksCivic]

@@diogoalmeida5244 pull the resistor and if my memory is right you should be able to get continuity between all of the pins. If there's a break, there is no resistance on those pins and thus the fan won't work at that speed. If all of them have a connection then it's OK and you'll have to look at the unit.

[@diogoalmeida5244]

@@ManSeeksCivic ok, thank you

[@Magicstockton]

🔧 🏆

[@ManSeeksCivic]

😉

[@longbeard1434]

Miss the fto vids

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I am sorry... There are a few more videos filmed but not edited. We have just built a new computer so should finally get round to editing but I hear you. 👍

[@oopssee]

We still have it and have done tonnes to it, just not filmed a whole lot.

[@europeantechnique572]

Took me about 5 hrs. I really wished I watched your video first. Unfortunately i did screw up by scrapping the fan blade a bit jamming the damn thing back in. It makes a bit of a vibration noise at high speed. Do you think its from the scrapping of the fan cage. really bare min but still effected it I believe. Do you think its possible to get the passenger flap off as well with out removing the dash?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

The scrape could cause a vibration depending on how much came off, but they could also be imbalanced from the factory. I'm sorry but I don't understand what you mean about "passenger flap"?

[@dude28405]

Well I'm going to try to tackle it tomorrow I'm see what happens. I don't have enough time to wait for a book of German swear words so I'll just have to wing it

[@E36_shayne]

I did this went smooth but now my ac compressor clutch stopped spinning no blown fuses and the compressor is brand new my blower would randomly turn on and off but I put new 1 in and now my compressor clutch is not working what could be this?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Very hard to tell, could be coincidence - this happens all the time. Could be wiring which has been damaged during the process. Unforunatley diagnosing electrical issues is very difficult.

[@E36_shayne]

@@ManSeeksCivic 2 months later I realized that it was purely coincidence had some guys rebuild the compressor and they said the magnet on the clutch broke and showed me it and replaced it but thanks for this video made changing my blower a cake walk thanks again

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Nice one. 😊