Citroen Dispatch blower resistor issue?

peterlatham · 2022-08-16 20:44:53

Hey guys basically I had problems with the blower and heating on my Citroen Dispatch van. After lots of my own fiddling and tinkering I changed the heater matrix and blower motor and fan and for a while it was fine again. But it stopped working again and taking out the blower I realised how much it was overheating around the power connector pins.

I put this down to me maybe using the wrong blower so I bought another one with three pins instead of four. It worked for a very brief time whilst I was testing it but then that went off again as well.

I'm starting to think that there is a resistor issue maybe so I've taken a picture of the disassembled unit below and what I want to ask guys is do the red and black points at the bottom of these two leads in the pic need to be connected to something or not? Thank you.

Last edited by peterlatham (2022-08-16 21:07:16)

OAT · 2022-08-16 21:45:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQPfU72Tjjw

Any help?

JohnDragonMan · 2022-08-20 01:29:41

if you dont mind having a dial over a slider, you can replace original speed controller for a PWM type. lets just say they are a little more efficient. quite simple, wire them up to the original power input and the output direct to the motor.

you may even be able to wire in the speed adjusting potentiometer to the original slider, as that works on resistance.. i just do not know the values as mines never broken.

you could also wire it into an ignition live so you can have the blowers on without the engine running.. juat watch your battery does not go flat.

kenbw2 · 2022-08-22 16:18:17

My white van used tp have just a spinny dial instead of the crappy slider, did the job just fine

OAT · 2022-08-23 22:02:40

Scuse my ignorance but does a PWM controler bypass or remove the requirement for a regulator?

Also, I noticed while reading the article linked below ... that a resistor is used with 4 or 5 fixed speed blowers. I was under the impression that ours was continuous incremental speed change from the slider control.

https://www.samarins.com/glossary/blowe … istor.html

It goes on to say "Cars with an automatic climate control system and vehicles where the blower speed can be adjusted gradually are equipped with an electronic blower motor control module". Presumably in place of the stepped control of a resistor?

Does ours contradict this or is ours perhaps a stepped speed control disguised by the apparently incremental slide control?

And as PWM's are cheap, and resistors expensive, why don't they use PWM's

AlvyLad · 2022-08-27 16:09:04

Very (too) technical for me this...
any "quick sensible" fixes about? with rain season coming soon, gonna have to fix it, but having too hands (both left) looking for something to get it fixed in accordance to my abilities?

OAT · 2022-08-27 22:30:56

Sounds like John's suggestion of a PWM controler would be good providing your issue is with the slider control not the resistor.

What happened with yours? Is it totaly packed up?

Mine was intermittent on different speeds till it stoped altogether. I was going to replace the resistor but ended up replacing whole blower unit with new resister included. Found a nos one on ebay for a little more than the price of a resister on it's own. I see some on there now between £30 - £40

Last edited by OAT (2022-08-27 22:31:32)

AlvyLad · 2022-08-28 00:36:31

OAT wrote:

Sounds like John's suggestion of a PWM controler would be good providing your issue is with the slider control not the resistor.
What happened with yours? Is it totaly packed up?
Mine was intermittent on different speeds till it stoped altogether. I was going to replace the resistor but ended up replacing whole blower unit with new resister included. Found a nos one on ebay for a little more than the price of a resister on it's own. I see some on there now between £30 - £40

It was intermittent at first on mine (slider was off when I bought the van), then last year or year before- packed up... got to the mechanic- over an hour of fiddling about and cleaned contacts all over solved it. His words- "with age, those motors wear out, become hard to turn, hence contacts burn off", so I just put slider on gentle blow setting and all was well until few weeks ago, (I think) I smelt something electrical going kaput and wouldn't hear fan no longer... checked fuses- none seemed burned, so it could be anything, but most likely, as you guys are saying the resistor issue. If that's the case, not so keen on eBaying and getting something, that'll pack up again soon (+ with my non skills= labour cost for a mechanic to sort it out) looking for a "magic wand", I am! wink

Last edited by AlvyLad (2022-08-28 02:05:12)

Ricko · 2022-08-29 05:19:20

To get my blower to work (and to make sure the battery is charging) I have to rev her up a bit until I hear something (a relay?) click.

OAT · 2022-08-29 20:28:32

I think the resistors were coming from Poland and they seemed to be selling them and getting good feedback. But they are about £30 I think anyway.

When mine went I went for the full unit. Motor contacts and bearings do inevitably wear and it could be that the extra friction would not be good for the resistor.

The blower I got from ebay was indistinguishable from the original. Still no problem after over 3 years. Obviously I can't vouch for them all.

I did spend a winter, including the beast, on the road without it. Trying not to breath and pushing road speed to get some warm air flow through vents was not nice.

Last edited by OAT (2022-08-29 20:29:13)

JohnDragonMan · 2022-08-31 19:43:23

if you do go down the PWM route just get a cheap one from ebay. just make sure its above say 20 amps..

this one works well:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313935876217 … R4zx7tPeYA

i like this one because its built into a nice box so you have no chance of arcing it out on anything metal. just ziptie it up under the dash behind the glove box out of the way. it also has the little display that reads 0 to 100 depending on where you turn the dial haha.

it will have 4 connections and a turny dial thing on 3 wire ribbon cable, some have a switch to make the motor spin backwards but you can leave that set and never touch it again . just snip the wires going into your original blower (i think they were yellow and blue? or white and blue.. i dont know just check for an earth and thats the negative.. the other is the positive when the engine is running)
so connect those wires to the "input" and the red and black wires of the motor (after the original speed controller) to the "output" on the PWM.

as for the turny dial potentiometer, you could make it real neat by taking out your original dead slider and drilling a hole in the middle of the slider grove and putting the potentiometer in that. you make have to extend the ribbon cable but thats easy.. just cut and match the colours. with some longer cables.

weve just done this in our £200 lorry... motorhome.. eyesore thing. it will have an MOT one day..
it works well!

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2022-08-31 19:53:51)

AlvyLad · 2022-09-02 18:11:23

JohnDragonMan wrote:

if you do go down the PWM route just get a cheap one from ebay. just make sure its above say 20 amps..
this one works well:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313935876217
it works well!

Thank you very much!

I'll get it, then I'll take it to the mechanic to fit it, even with your instructions it shouldn't be that difficult... but never underestimate one being a wolly... just to be on a safe side wink

JohnDragonMan · 2022-09-03 02:10:42

my blower slider switch came from a taxi so its well worn. when it fails i plan on doing this because it works so much better.

only with mine i have to make it work 2x blower motors with it having aircon.

i should be able to use 1 potentiometer to control 2x PWMs controlling each blower motor.. for redundancy. not that they should ever fail. sure its loads of electronics in a PWM but they dont get hot because they are more efficient causing the electricity to switch on and off very quickly to reduce a motors speed over than wasting unwanted electricity through heat to reduce a motors speed in a resistor.

old headlights on my Fiat Panda has a thing called a "dim dip" mode which makes the low beam bulb light up dimly when the sidelights are on. its not something that we need legally in the UK but agg i love things to work and i cant help improving on a old inefficent design.. ahh. it uses a resistor to dim down the bulbs.. that a good 50 watts worth of heat generated and just wasted to to dim a bulb down. well on a fixed PWM it only uses 3.5 watts to dim the same bulb big_smile
and when you only have a 40 amp alternator every watt counts on a cold winter morning!
always made me laugh though how the frost would melt on the bonnet just above the resistor.

AlvyLad · 2022-10-03 22:03:42

Just to clarify and/ or to ask your expertise gents, mine is 2004 Dispatch "Enterprise 75" 1.9D non turbo

Managed to find a mechanic to start digging in to what's what on my van! lol

(already had the resistor (with turning knob, switch and digital something https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313935876217 ) to show)

Findings aren't good! not just the blower motor is dead (presume actual "Febi Interior Blower Resistor 37121" like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204074770798 or others at ~£70+ ) the motor AND wiring connectors etc-
NO POWER supply to it either mad

Don't want to buy a second had "kit" for about £70 to find it (the fan with resistor) packing up very soon either.

evil'Bay... damn just evil saying Resistor 1267E3 "would fit" my vehicle like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185553307805 ... I mean neutral surely it isn't it?

so the plan "I've" come up with : to have new blower fan as it's cheap like
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272846878551

OR???

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383732365085

and using "the thing"

extend the connector wires to get the switch and knob to reach the dashboard (else it's too tricky) should solve everything
OR to get a resistor (either 37121 or 1267E3 depending what's needed- I'm asking you to clarify please) for the "redundancy" or even to restore it to original configuration... BUT - I have NO POWER in wiring to the fan either... roll

Any sensible suggestions (or a pi55take) at my skills, (I'll need to book the job with mechanic) need idiot-proof plan, parts, solution are warmly welcomed gents?
Thank you!

JohnDragonMan · 2022-10-03 23:25:45

did you test it with the engine running? as the fans only work when the engine is running. they are controlled by a relay in the outside fuse box under the bonnet may even be a fuse on it.. should be.. not sure which one even though i have had it all apart... i just cant remember.

if you do go down the "external speed controller" route and find you have no original blower motor power, you could wire in another relay driven from say the radio ignition live, switching a live directly from the battery with a 20 amp fuse in line (well its how i would do it, it would still turn off with the ignition key then).
the top one is the blower thats original. to bypass the resistor, just go directly into the 2 thickish wires. the red and black stripe and thick brown. they go directly to the brushes.

for a second then i though you actually managed to find the rare 2nd blower motor for the models with air conditioning. ive been after a new one since i retrofitted aircon to my van! the blower motor i am using has over 400k miles on it! the commutator is badly worn.. its as thick as a match stick. looks like the brushes have been replaced more than once!

you are not near derby are you? would not take me long to wire it in as i know where everything is devil

AlvyLad · 2022-10-04 14:46:19

JohnDragonMan wrote:

did you test it with the engine running? as the fans only work when the engine is running. they are controlled by a relay in the outside fuse box under the bonnet may even be a fuse on it.. should be.. not sure which one even though i have had it all apart... i just cant remember.
if you do go down the "external speed controller" route and find you have no original blower motor power, you could wire in another relay driven from say the radio ignition live, switching a live directly from the battery with a 20 amp fuse in line (well its how i would do it, it would still turn off with the ignition key then).
the top one is the blower thats original. to bypass the resistor, just go directly into the 2 thickish wires. the red and black stripe and thick brown. they go directly to the brushes.

for a second then i though you actually managed to find the rare 2nd blower motor for the models with air conditioning. ive been after a new one since i retrofitted aircon to my van! the blower motor i am using has over 400k miles on it! the commutator is badly worn.. its as thick as a match stick. looks like the brushes have been replaced more than once!
you are not near derby are you? would not take me long to wire it in as i know where everything is

wow man ops thanks!

Nope! engine wasn't running... :duh:

Indeed the plan "is" to get direct wires from battery (with a fuse) and as I'll have both (next to hazard light) speed knob on a dash board and a on-off switch leave the rest of the wire-loom alone...

Considering the "torture" with local monkeys and mechanics to be dealing with I'm thinking if to not to make a trip over to Derby, as I'm Guildford- Farnham (Surrey).

Cheers mate!

Ricko wrote:

To get my blower to work (and to make sure the battery is charging) I have to rev her up a bit until I hear something (a relay?) click.

Duh again :facepalm:

Can we confirm, that these are wrong parts?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204075916403
Heater Blower Fan Resistor part 1267E3

and/ or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383732365085
Blower motor part 6441R5

.....................................................
fan, blower motor part 6441N4
like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183709082426

and Resistor part 6441F6
like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153151941136

is needed to try to get it working in original configuration?
........................................................................................
Whilst I'm avoiding getting original resistor for now, will be trying to have fitted:

Just the new blower motor and the whole resistor/switches thingy, perhaps it'll leave wiring loom "unmollested" for in case the new one would fail in some or the other way to come back to
Thanks!

Last edited by AlvyLad (2022-10-05 11:26:08)

OAT · 2022-10-05 00:17:22

I may have missunderstood but are you saying that you need both a fan unit AND a resistor?

If so, I was under the impression that the new units came with a resistor fitted. Mine did and it looks like those you listed do.

I have tried to look up the new one I bought from ebay but it was so long ago it is not showing in my purchased items list. But neither of those you linked to look like mine. The shape of the rotor and rear cover moulding are different. But the resistor block is also totaly different. May be irrelevant variations?

This is the one that looks visualy the same as mine:-

https://tinyurl.com/25j2tyee

I didn't pay that much for it though. It was £30 - £40.

There is some strange marketing going on with these. A least three different sellers using identical adds

Last edited by OAT (2022-10-05 00:18:52)

kenbw2 · 2022-10-05 01:20:20

Ricko wrote:

To get my blower to work (and to make sure the battery is charging) I have to rev her up a bit until I hear something (a relay?) click.

I had something similar. Turned out to be a loose connection on the 3rd wire on the alternator

Although my blower motor worked with the engine _off_ when I had that problem. I had to rev to charge the battery like you say

AlvyLad · 2022-10-05 11:10:31

OAT wrote:

I may have missunderstood but are you saying that you need both a fan unit AND a resistor?
There is some strange marketing going on with these. A least three different sellers using identical adds

facepalm, I'm a wolly in thinking they were separate items...

OAT wrote:

If so, I was under the impression that the new units came with a resistor fitted. Mine did and it looks like those you listed do.

Waiting for a delivery of https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183709082426 part numberS 6441N4, 6441K5 and it seems with own resistor on it £34.50 all in- can't go wrong with that

OAT wrote:

I have tried to look up the new one I bought from ebay but it was so long ago it is not showing in my purchased items list. But neither of those you linked to look like mine. The shape of the rotor and rear cover moulding are different. But the resistor block is also totaly different. May be irrelevant variations?

For my sanity, please confirm, yours was a "bus" variant or MK1 please? I've checked on evilbay, given the reg to seller to double confirm fitment, as he does indeed has at least two variants what evilbay say- "fits", but clearly one of them doesn't

OAT wrote:

This is the one that looks visualy the same as mine:-
I didn't pay that much for it though. It was £30 - £40.
There is some strange marketing going on with these. A least three different sellers using identical adds

Not just evilbay, in general with Citroen parts it's very much a lottery, without a proper online fiche to check anything...
AND yes, them part numbers, often irrelevant, but sometimes crucial just a one number up or down and simply doesn't fit or malfuncion, I'll find out soon enough, will post back what's what.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183709082426 part number 6441J5 6441K5

This item fits 1 version(s) of the Citroën Dispatch 2004 Diesel Van 1.9 D 70 FWD -- BS_,BT_,BY_,BZ_ 1868cc 51KW 69HP WJY (DW8B);WJZ (DW8):

as it comes to the blower fan motor (WITH resistor), as what evilBay says "fits"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185469006563 part numbers 6441.E0, 6441E0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185469006563 part number 6441E0 (looks different, more than double the price of the one I've purchased)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185378675603 part number 6441E1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185345700117 part number 6441E2

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175209570553 Part number 6441E3

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383732365085 PN 6441R5 says it'll fit, but clearly it is different shape from the one's that are likely to fit

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154153282254 PN's 6441K5, 6441N4, 95668814, 6441J0, 6441.K5 but suddenly- does't fit ... but it refferes to the same part numbers, as what I've bought 6441J5,6441K5

and as it comes to resistor on it's own, from what had started around £130 mark and some are available for £18, again numbers, numbers, numbers, but no sense in to what really is going on or to be sure what one has, what will fit or not. monkey

Last edited by AlvyLad (2022-10-05 11:24:02)

OAT · 2022-10-05 17:01:47

Mine is a mk1.

Hoping all goes well. It really shouldn't be this difficult. At least with sellers confirmation of fitment ebay will force refund if not correct.

AlvyLad · 2022-10-06 21:15:04

OAT wrote:

It really shouldn't be this difficult.

Ooh boy, it is difficult! ?
The one, that I had delivered today, what eBay AND seller "confirmed" to fit- NOPE!

Bought another one... NOPE! cancelled order, as even though it says it'll fit- clearly won't!

I'll keep you guys posted ?

AlvyLad · 2022-10-14 13:52:35

Just to say it is fixed...'ish
my particular model had a 4 pin connector with 3 wires and part number 6441E3 evilBay "matchmaking" is a joke (2 fans bought and returned). Got one from EuroCarParts, that wasn't available on their site....

even with a new fan, mechanic couldn't get no power supply on- seemed terminal, just put the most bits back together and driving off (lost radio code) suddenly I've heard humming- (new) fan worked!... only the next morning to try to demystify windows- not again.

He reckons worth getting even a second hand panel with switches to see if it'll cure it, as the slider was broken when I bought the van.

the resistor/switch/and everything else is bit of a joke we've tried to have it "rig" to work- nope! fiddling with it got few wires loose, reconnected- still none

Resistor by itself to replace might be an option, although it would makes sense to replace whole motor (with resistor), in case one or the other failing.

OAT · 2022-10-14 19:34:23

AlvyLad wrote:

Just to say it is fixed...'ish

even with a new fan, mechanic couldn't get no power supply on- seemed terminal, just put the most bits back together and driving off (lost radio code) suddenly I've heard humming- (new) fan worked!... only the next morning to try to demystify windows- not again.

Strange you should say that.

I did mine a few years back and still have occasional times when it doesn't start up. It can always be persuaded by simply wiggleing the sleeved bunch of wires leading to the blower. I have checked all the connections and they are tight and bright. Only needs the slightest touch on the loom though and will work for days/weeks till it happens again.

Not got around to investigating further or fixing as I soon get very dizzy when laying backwards in the footwell.

Last edited by OAT (2022-10-14 19:36:06)

AlvyLad · 2022-10-19 14:15:11

OAT wrote:

AlvyLad wrote:
Just to say it is fixed...'ish

even with a new fan, mechanic couldn't get no power supply on- seemed terminal, just put the most bits back together and driving off (lost radio code) suddenly I've heard humming- (new) fan worked!... only the next morning to try to demystify windows- not again.
Strange you should say that.
I did mine a few years back and still have occasional times when it doesn't start up. It can always be persuaded by simply wiggleing the sleeved bunch of wires leading to the blower. I have checked all the connections and they are tight and bright. Only needs the slightest touch on the loom though and will work for days/weeks till it happens again.
Not got around to investigating further or fixing as I soon get very dizzy when laying backwards in the footwell.

Just to keep ideas flowing...?
Stopped working again, wriggling wires, sliders etc- didn't help and steaming up windows is big deal in the mornings, but what is it that remains wrong with it?

kenbw2 · 2022-10-20 14:08:39

Have you taken a multimeter to the various wires? Maybe that'll tell you where in the chain the problem is?

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#1 2022-08-16 20:44:53

Citroen Dispatch blower resistor issue?

#2 2022-08-16 21:45:15

Re: Citroen Dispatch blower resistor issue?

#3 2022-08-20 01:29:41

Re: Citroen Dispatch blower resistor issue?

#4 2022-08-22 16:18:17

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#5 2022-08-23 22:02:40

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#6 2022-08-27 16:09:04

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#7 2022-08-27 22:30:56

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#8 2022-08-28 00:36:31

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#9 2022-08-29 05:19:20

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#10 2022-08-29 20:28:32

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#11 2022-08-31 19:43:23

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#12 2022-09-02 18:11:23

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#20 2022-10-05 17:01:47

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#21 2022-10-06 21:15:04

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#22 2022-10-14 13:52:35

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#23 2022-10-14 19:34:23

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#24 2022-10-19 14:15:11

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#25 2022-10-20 14:08:39

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