Two parts questions: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Oct. 15, 2009 1:16 p.m. alex Dork

(early) 2000 Focus, Zetec, auto

I know I've got a bad motor mount, cause the loose change rattles out of the cupholder, my latte turns into a cappuccino, and my molars are getting dull. My suspicion (and deep-seated hope) is that it's the passenger side mount, right next to the timing cover, since that's the only one that's easily accessible. But I don't know for sure, and I really don't want to order (and replace) the wrong mount. Thoughts, advice, words of wisdom?

Also, if you needed the switch that controls the HVAC fan speed, and you had a choice between the 'blower motor resistor switch' ($17.93) and the 'blower motor control switch' ($31.79), which would you put your money on being the right switch?
Oct. 15, 2009 1:17 p.m. alex Dork

Holy crap, I'm a dork! I thought I felt a little different...
Oct. 15, 2009 1:32 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Dork.

For the motor mounts, I've always fixed what I have with some castable urethane from McMaster.com.
Oct. 15, 2009 1:35 p.m. zoomx2 Reader

Most motor mounts I replace were already splitting apart so it was easy to tell they were bad, If it was me I would probably just replace both anyway. If one is bad then the other is probably on it's way out too.

For the blower switch I would place my money on the resistor switch. But what exactly is the fan doing (or not doing). Not working on high? Cuts out intermittently? Bad relay possibly?
Oct. 15, 2009 1:42 p.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

When I place my bets, my money always goes on the part that is either A) inaccessible B) more expensive or C) hard to source as being the part I need.
Oct. 15, 2009 1:56 p.m. ultraclyde New Reader

I'm with eastcoast. It will be the one that requires pulling the head, transmission and trunk lid. Just buy them all and do the psg one last so you can say "well, at least THAT one was easy."
Oct. 15, 2009 2:43 p.m. alex Dork

Blower switch was intermittent on most positions, but could be coerced to work on 3. For a while. Then it stopped. I'm 99% sure it's the switch itself. "Resistor switch" was my guess, too.

Doc, if I had my druthers, I'd repair mine. But I'm going for quick and easy with this one, so off-the-shelf it is.
Oct. 15, 2009 3:01 p.m. Toyman01 HalfDork

If your luck is anything like mine, it will be the one that is more expensive, or the one they don't have in stock.
Oct. 15, 2009 3:05 p.m. ClemSparks UberDork

alex wrote:

Doc, if I had my druthers, I'd repair mine. But I'm going for quick and easy with this one, so off-the-shelf it is.

I'm inferring that the "cast in place" method might be easier because you might be able to skip the steps labeled "remove" and "replace''.

I've not done it though...so you get what you pay for with my "help"

Clem
Oct. 15, 2009 3:31 p.m. f86sabjf New Reader

i can tell you on jeeps if its was stuck on high it would be the resisitor thats went bad. If it does it twice the blower motor is cooking the resistor. I vote for the fan switch.
Oct. 15, 2009 4:14 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

With the urethane, you can't really cast it in place. I've done two sets, AW11 and AE92. You have to take the old one out, rig it so that the middle piece is centered in the outer piece (if it wasn't broke, you probably wouldn't be here anyway), tape the bottom up, tape it again, wrap the bottom with some celophane, tape it again, put it in a bucket of sand so the sand supports the tape, wonder if you used enough tape, mix the urethane, pour it in, come back when it's dry, remove the screws or whatever you used to keep the middle centered. You can do 4 mounts with one set of urethane, but you need to do them all at once as it's a 2 part mix and it doesn't lend well to partial batches. But the whole thing will only cost you like $15, instead of mega prices for each mount.
Oct. 15, 2009 9:33 p.m. pigeon HalfDork

f86sabjf wrote:

i can tell you on jeeps if its was stuck on high it would be the resisitor thats went bad. If it does it twice the blower motor is cooking the resistor. I vote for the fan switch.

That's typical of BMWs as well - the blower resistor goes and the fan only blows on high. For intermittent fan control I'd vote fan switch.
Oct. 15, 2009 9:40 p.m. alex Dork

Oh, so do you guys think 'resistor switch' and 'blower motor control switch' are actually different things? Would you recommend against the resistor switch?
Oct. 16, 2009 10:52 a.m. iceracer HalfDork

The resistor is usually mounted on or near the blower. Of course the blower motor control switch is =======. Mounts on the engine/transaxle serve two different purposes. Two support the e/t. the other two are anti roll.