Capacitor on Heater Blower config

[Keith M.]

So I have the heater box apart, initiated by wanting to pro-actively replace the heater core since I have the radiator out. Old core was not leaking...last I ran the car 22 years ago, but not worth chancing a leak and good time to replace heater box seals amongst other things. Soooo..while I got it out might as well replace the heater blower motor with the new correct (part and date) one I bought. Attached are pics of what I had on there and the AIM config. Both the AIM and what I had on there show a capacitor "in line" with a wire going in one end and a wire coming out the other end. However, capacitor # 1947452 just has one wire coming out one end with a clip on it. Can anyone tell me the correct way to get this rewired with a new capacitor?? Or should I just reuse what I have and wire the new blower the same way as the one I took out? What would be best and correct?
Thanks

[Lawrence M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Keith,
Attached is a picture of the blower on my late 69 L46 (Q15). The car was restored in the early 90's by PO.


DSCN4822.jpg

[Richard M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Keith what you have there is the correct configuration capacitor. The other capacitor(1947452) is a Ignition coil capacitor.

e.g. 1967 correct configuration capacitor. Your 1969 AIM appears similar. IIRC the 68+ capacitor was slightly different from earlier years as to the length of the wires on it.
P3250007.jpg

[Keith M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Ok. Starting to clear some of this up. I misread the AIM when I mentioned the capacitor 1947452...as stated that is indeed for the coil...which is on that same page.

Correct capacitor for blower motor is 3886965. Seems unobtanium and possibly superseded by 3906187? Should I just re-use what I have and not worry about it? Or can a capacitor be restored? Or anyone know a source for 6965? Car is not yet running again...and did sit for 20 years. But maybe I am trying to solve a problem I don't have? Do want it to look nice like your pics though.

Regarding the pics...Rich...looks like the hot connector is a right angle connector as it goes into the capacitor? Lawrence...hard for me to tell but looks like the capacitor in your pic is not inline with the hot feed??

PS. Blower in my pic is what came off the car...to be replaced by a correct one ..part and date code.

[Richard M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Keith yes it's a right angle where it plugs into the harness.

You could clean it with a wire brush and either silver paint,

Or
Rub-N-Buff it. Only a little bit works fine.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Stencils-Craft-Paints/Leafing/Silver-Leaf-Rub'n-Buff/p/1416

EDIT- Here's a example. I restored a C1 dimmer switch last week and used it on the plunger cap.

Before
1209221259_resized.jpg1209221300a_resized.jpg

After
1209221402_resized.jpg 1209221403a_resized.jpg

Rich

[Lawrence M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Keith, Sorry it took so long to answer your question, had to service the snow blower before I could get to the car. You are correct the wiring is wrong. First I tested the radio with the blower wires connected the wrong way and didn't get any static on either radio band. Corrected the connections and radio is happily still static free at all blower speeds. I attached a new photo of the correct connections.
Richard, thanks for the tip on Rub-N-Buff. Cleaning up the capacitor is now on this Winters work list.

20221221_163013.jpg

[Keith M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Can capacitors go bad? How would one test a capacitor?

[Richard M.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

Keith, Yes they fail, typically open circuit. Because of the internal materials degrading, time is primarily the killer. Most caps in these cars failed years ago.

To test for functionality, a capacitance meter is needed. Just ensure its specifications match values you need tested.

Some examples HERE

Rich

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Capacitor on Heater Blower config

I'm not sure if this helps, but here a photo of my Oct. 68 car (A/C if that matters.