What controls blower motor speed?

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Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:17 pm

I swapped out the blower motor for the interior A/C and re-soldered the VEM, it now works good in all VEM positions (for some reason the car's idle is now much better) but it only works in position 4. Leads me to think the VEM doesn't control the blower speed and there's something between the switch and the motor that isn't doing its job. Any help?
Last edited by Aram on Sun Mar 21, 2021 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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jamescarruthers
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Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:43 pm

There is a separate set of 3 resistors that control the speed. I have never changed one so can;t help with access.

They look like this, shown in this eBay listing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-480-He ... 4528699164
or for sale here in The Netherlands https://www.tomsclassics.nl/EN/heater-r ... 0-3458200- and https://www.volvo340onderdelen.nl/en/pr ... 27276.html

It can be see here, in the parts catalogue:
Image


You can see them here in the wiring manual for your 1991 car on page 84:
http://volvo480.myds.me/v480eu/downloads/91wiring.pdf

There is a Dutch version of the air conditioning system here which may or may not be of use:
http://volvo480.myds.me/v480eu/download ... 201988.pdf

I had a little search on here and Gloasgow Jm prreviously suggested this to start with and the resistors.... once you find them!
glasgowjim wrote:
Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:04 pm
The resistor unit in fact holds 3 coiled resistance wires . The first thing I would do after checking the switch unit is to remove the resistors and check the 3 coils of thick BARE wire have not bent and come in contact with each other . They may even have only sooted up and need cleaned.
Last edited by jamescarruthers on Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:56 pm

is this the thing you're talking about? behind the passenger side glovebox (not that there's one on the driver's side but hey)?
Image

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 3:03 pm

Looks like it! I've edited my fist post since you may have first read it with links and pics to possible sources.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 4:22 pm

Oh man, I'd bought one thinking perhaps it was. Just swapped it out, had to fiddle with the wires at the switch to get it to go 1-2-3-4 AND IT WERKS!!! I am overjoyed.

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 4:53 pm

Woohoo! Nice one.

Could you post a pic of where they are mounted in your LHD car?
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 5:35 pm

Sure!
Image
Made some half-assed arrows pointing at the screws. The metal part that holds the relays and fuses will drop, if you need to change it make sure you put the screw through the metal and the part where the resistors are so you can position them properly before you screw it all in.

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:11 pm

Great, thanks very much
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:20 pm

While I'm at it, you wouldn't know how to wire a radio in, right? I bought a Kenwood tape deck (with a BlueTooth tape, the stuff they make these days...) and it's not working properly. I've gone as far as figuring out:
WhiteBlack/White - Left side +/- speakers
YellowBlack/Yellow - Right Side +/- speakers
Grey-Red - Main Power (Red on stereo loom)
Blue - Memory? (Yellow)
Brown - Ground
Have two wires from the car loom, thin Red and Grey-Brown, that I haven't wired into anything. Have a Blue cable coming from the stereo that isn't wired either but I've heard that normally this has more to do with the car's lights than anything else.

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:24 pm

Have you got the 3x3 or the 2x7 connector?

I would recommend a conversion harness to standard ISO, which I presume you have on the new radio, to avoid chopping the loom up.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:31 pm

2x7 I think, I don't recall seeing 3 rows in the connector. It's a Kenwood KRC-255R (wanted something period correct) so I guess it's late 80s, early 90s, not sure if there's ISO connectors for it or how that works, I'll look into it, thanks.

Edit: Have a picture of the situation:
Image
You can see I've spliced a couple of wires, the unit only takes 1 negative back from the speakers, don't know if this might cause any issues.
Last edited by Aram on Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:42 pm

I’m not so sure of the later type (2x7) but according to https://www.tehnomagazin.com/Auto-radio ... nector.htm
(For the main connector, not the rear speakers)

Image

plus you will have a little separate connector for the rear speakers as the 480 is different to the 440 in the rear speaker connectors department.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:52 pm

Actually the wiring diagram I linked to earlier has the radio connectors on page 64.

Image[/url]


The colours are de-coded on page 2
Image

I am VERY surprised that the wiring is different between LHD and RHD!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Aram
480 Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:05 pm

Re: What controls blower motor speed?

Post by Aram » Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:10 pm

Thanks!

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