How to replace condenser fan motors

Edresh

Edresh

Contributing Member
Joined
18 February 2008
Messages
212
Location
Lewisville TX
Discovered that tapping on the motor will get it going cant live with that, both fans need to be replaced, is there a way to replace them without having to remove the entire condenser.? Really don't want to get into having to evacuate the system an recharge
 
He is talking about the AC condensors in the front of the car, one on each side under the headlights.


Looks like you would have to remove the shroud to get the fan out. The shroud in the back bolts around the condensor and through the condensor duct. You would have to be able to take the bolts out i believe to remove the fan. That means you would have to be able to get to the nuts on the front of the condensor duct. Don't know if you can get to them, if you can't then maybe you could remove the bumper cover to access them?

Ask shawn, he should know.
 
I've replace one by going in through the wheel well. Now the other side has gone out. This time I will take off the bumper cover.

The motor brushes have worn out. For the cost/time hassel in replacing just the brushes I've concluded that its's easier to replace the whole motor. I also recommend doing both at the same time so you won't have to go back in again after a few seasons
 
I have done one myself without taking the bumper cover off but it was a bit of an ordeal as it's difficult to find where some of the screws are. But at the time, I was more freaked at the prospect of taking the bumper cover off.
 
Can anyone who has done this list the steps?
How hard is it to remove the front bumper?

I suppose the easiest would be to remove bumper and liners in order to get to the 4 screws keeping the motors in place.

I want to do this this saturday but I want to hear any heads up before diving into it...
 
This is tricky.

My AC condenser FAN motors are dead.

Step 1 - find aftermarket parts. Too bad all the "Four Season NSX Condenser fan motor" that you see around DO NOT fit the NSX.
Step 2 - order OEM, too bad they are out of stock with no ETA for part number 80151-SL0-A01
Step 3 - ask on NSX Prime!!! :) :)

Does anybody have spare motors around?
Do you know anyone who does these kind of repairs?

Thanks!
 
If you can't find new and nobody has salvage motors available, as a last resort try an automotive electrical specialist who does rebuilds. A good bet would be a firm that does work for the restoration / classic car crowd. This is the sort of firm I am thinking of (http://brae.ca/automotive/) ; however, I am sure that there would be someone much closer to you. Houston should be a big enough market that I think there would be a couple of these firms around. If they are any good, it won't be cheap, probably more than a new motor unless it is something really simple like a broken wire. Even worn brushes will probably be expensive since a good rebuild would involve restoration of the commmutator.

The downside, aside from cost, is that you will be without your AC while the repair is taking place.
 
Last edited:
1stwife said:
Is there a reason for wanting to go with stock bulky fans then switching to aftermarket slim fans?
Click to expand...

If you are thinking slim fans like the pancake motors used on aftermarket radiator fans, it may be difficult finding an aftermarket fan in a form factor that would fit in the limited space associated with the condenser fan. All of the aftermarket cooling fans I have seen have blades that are too large in diameter. A best case might be finding an aftermarket fan with the same shaft size as the NSX condenser fan motor which might facilitate swapping the existing fan onto the new motor. The other problem that might occur is that the aftermarket fans, being designed for a much larger fan diameter, may turn too slowly to generate the required airflow through the condenser which could impair the performance of the air conditioning. I expect that Houston probably requires that the air conditioning system operate at peak efficiency!
 
Old Guy said:
If you are thinking slim fans like the pancake motors used on aftermarket radiator fans, it may be difficult finding an aftermarket fan in a form factor that would fit in the limited space associated with the condenser fan. All of the aftermarket cooling fans I have seen have blades that are too large in diameter. A best case might be finding an aftermarket fan with the same shaft size as the NSX condenser fan motor which might facilitate swapping the existing fan onto the new motor. The other problem that might occur is that the aftermarket fans, being designed for a much larger fan diameter, may turn too slowly to generate the required airflow through the condenser which could impair the performance of the air conditioning. I expect that Houston probably requires that the air conditioning system operate at peak efficiency!
Click to expand...

You expect correctly: I had used the NSX for the whole summer with the AC working only when moving and it sucked. Big time.
I may just take the motors to an autozone and see what's the closest thing they have.

- - - Updated - - -

FYI the one to the left is the OEM, the one to the right is the four season replacement.

http://s14.postimg.org/ng2h2jdpd/nsx_motor_ac_fan.jpg
 
well the blade comes off so if you found a motor that has the same shaft size or a motor that can fit you can drill the fan blade out to the bigger diameter.

taking them off is easy

also guys....... these motors are getting old and if you motor is old it pulls more amps than the little fuse can take so a new motor or a bigger fuse LOL
 
Just replaced my left side motor. Wasn't too hard. All done from inside the fender well. Remove inner liner, drive to dealer and let them do it. I was going to do it myself but just too awkward for me to be lying on the floor and reaching up in there. The mechanic showed me what he did. He had to remove the bolts that support the condenser to give the room necessary to remove the bolts from the fan motor. They charged me an hours labour.
 
BlackbirdXX said:
Just replaced my left side motor. Wasn't too hard. All done from inside the fender well. Remove inner liner, drive to dealer and let them do it. I was going to do it myself but just too awkward for me to be lying on the floor and reaching up in there. The mechanic showed me what he did. He had to remove the bolts that support the condenser to give the room necessary to remove the bolts from the fan motor. They charged me an hours labour.
Click to expand...

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. My driver's side AC fan motor is going out. Is it the same part number for both the passenger and driver's side? 80151-SL0-A01?

Would you go ahead and replace both motors if you was me?

Thanks,
 
drew said:
Sure thing. If you can, use the OEM boxes and offer them up on the classifieds so somebody can get a headstart on rebuilding them.
Click to expand...

I do plan on offering my motors in the FS part. My passenger side was working fine, but I'm just going to replace both motors with new OEM ones. Got them on Ebay from a Japan seller. They had 5 in stock already!
 
bonhamsurf said:
Thank you for the reply and the link. Unfortunately, I'm in a bit of time constraint with moving away from Hawaii, so I'm probably just going to replace them with new ones.
Click to expand...

Got the new motors in. Been looking for a DIY on the process of replacing the motors.

Do you or anyone else know of a DIY or any other instructions on the process of replacing the motors? The comments above in this thread are pretty vague.

Thanks!
 

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