Alfa Pages

[bron]

the title kinda says it all really... I have an '85 33 and when you switch the heater fan onto the first setting it does nothing, when you put it on the second setting it makes a horrible screaming noise like a drill.

Yesterday I took off the dash and had a bit of a look, it seems like the cylindrical fan is squashed to one side and is rubbing against the plastic casing. I couldn't look any further cos the casing was riveted together and I didn't have a rivet gun at the time. I've replaced the dash, but am going to have another go at it next week (when I can get a rivet gun to put it back together!)

Any suggestions or advice?

also, I said I took the dash off, but this is only part of the story. I got the dash completely unscrewed, and partly pulled aside, but couldn't get it over the steering wheel. I took off the instrument panel, but don't have a gear puller to take off the wheel, does anyone know if I take apart the differnt sections of the dash if I will be able to put them back together, or am I better taking the wheel off?

ps, I'm a girl, and don't know much about cars so please explain lots!

[Admin]

Hi

Not sure, but I though the easiest way to get the heater out of an earlier car was through the engine bay. Certainly is for the late model series 3 cars (which have a totally different heater).

I suspect you will have to take the heater unit out and look in a bit more detail.

All the best

Keith

[Allan (DK)]

That noise is a common problem on Alfasuds and at least the series 1 33. It is probably coming from the center of the fan. A drop of oil might help for a while. However, I tried to disassemble the entire system on an 86 33 1.5QV and it is VERY difficult. You have to take off the center console inside the cabin (can't remember how) and then you have to take it out through the engine bay. There isn't really room for that, because it is made of two pieces assembled on the centerline of the cars length (hope that is understandable...).

You can't take these two pieces apart, until you have it completely out of the car. Then you still have a lot to disassemble. I can't remember the details anymore, just that it was very difficult and I didn't get much improvement out of it...! But good luck, if you try

Allan (DK)
1990 33 16V QV
1994 164 Q4 (now with number plates )

[alexj]

I remember from my Alfasud Sprint, that a carefully aimed squirt of lubricant aimed at the heater fan bearing kept it quiet... for a while at least.

[Scott Sander]

On my current 33, the fan started making a heap of noise, it turned out to be some of the padding on the air flow direction flaps had come off and got stuck in the fan.

I removed the cover on the unit from under the bonnet and was able to replace the padding. Cheap to fix, but a pain to do.
_________________
Scott Sander
'91 Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Monza - Awesome
http://www.sanderfamily.com

[bron]

Hi everyone,
thanks for you suggestions. turns out that i had to take off the entire dash to undo some bolts which holds the part of the heater with fan in it. Then i would have to disconnect the air-con hoses and heater hoses from the top part of the heater, to get this out to make way for the bottom part to come out thru the engine bay (even though most of it is actaully located in the car!)

I baulked at disconnecting the hoses, so it's still not fixed, which is very frustrating. I drilled out all the rivets from the fan casing, but it seemed to still be connected to a larger section which is the other side of the firewall.

thanks for your help anyway

[Scott Sander]

When I took off the cover to access the fan, apart from unscrewing the four screws I also had to break a seal made by glue betwen the two peices. Not sure if that helps you but try sliding a knife between the two parts.

I reglued it after I had finished.
_________________
Scott Sander
'91 Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Monza - Awesome
http://www.sanderfamily.com

[Guest]

aha, that's interesting. We did run a stanley knife around the edges cos they were siliconed together. Did you manage to get the lower part of the casing free from the car side? In mine it is a round box hanging down through the firewall.. after the troubles we had yesterday i figured it must be attatched somehow to the flat bit under the main heater part in the engine bay (ie, won't fit thru the firewall cos of the flat bit on the other side) If they do actaully come apart that would be handy, although it's a heartbreaking thought to take everything apart a third time !