Heater: This is what pain really looks like

[Gadgetman]

   

That is the resistor pack for the fan speed on the M49. Or at least on MY M49...    
It's not the 'remove a screw and pull it out' little package used on cars with AC.

This thing can NOT be pulled out of the hole it's mounted in at all. 
I only got it out by removing the fan motor, yanking out the cable connector, then using a flex 'claw'(you know, the junk they sell that's supposed to be able to pick up nuts and bolts dropped into awkward areas) I pushed it towrds the front of the car and to the edge of the moving lid under it(I think its the one that switches between outside air and recirculating) and gingerly fishing with my  fingers in the gap when I tilted the lid...    

And of course, I had to do this while laying across the front seats and with my head and one shoulder in the passenger footwell. 

I expect getting a replacement into place will be an even greater adventure...    

Someone please shoot me now...

[bikerbaker]

Oo err. Totally different to the M59 aircon one then.

Having done mine for the second time this week it struck me how much I had forgotten about the first time. Probably the onset of dementia but it was very satisfying when it worked out.

Good luck!

[Gadgetman]

Yeah. Had I known how much of a pain it was, I would never have started this job, and just left it with the off and full blast settings...
But the moment the wires popped off it was a bit too late to back out.

I've also removed the panel with the knobs because the bulbs inside have died, and I'm switching them to LEDs, and I'm going to fit a combo 12V/dual USB outlet in the glove compartment.

[bikerbaker]

Mine adopted full blast (only as the fan runs permanently) when the car was still in warranty. Somewhere in SW France, with my kids. It was interesting to say the least, we all got sore throats from shouting at each other during the 10 days and 1300 miles home. Second time was less painful as my ex wife had the car at her house, this time the fan stopped completely so it was demisting that was the problem. I left it as long as I could.
All good fun, 16 years on I still reckon it the best vehicle purchase I've ever made.

[Sol]

Why did they make the B9 bolts, 5.5mm instead or 5 or 6....I had to have a specialist instrument socket set to take the bolts out to remove the resistor. And it touches the top of the accelerator pedal. Wtf.

[Gadgetman]

You mean you don't have a 5.5mm socket?
I have 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm all lined up in the socket set.

And I think I have smaller spanners somewhere in the hobby room.

[Sol]

I do already, instrumentation engineers kit always has half sizes. But who else does?

[notsofast]

My M49 has recently started doing this - only giving the options of no fan or full blast. I had thought it was something to do with my matrix problem, but now I see that this is the cause.  If I get the matrix fixed, it sounds like fixing this will be another bundle of fun, lol.

[oilyrag]

Sounds a pig of a job - I think I'd make up a short loom to extend the wiring and mount the resistor pack somewhere else. I seem to recall being able to fit new resistors to a similar unit in a ZX, which was a lot easier to get at.

[jj9]

That is the resistor pack for the fan speed on the M49. Or at least on MY M49...    
It's not the 'remove a screw and pull it out' little package used on cars with AC.

This thing can NOT be pulled out of the hole it's mounted in at all. 
I only got it out by removing the fan motor, yanking out the cable connector, then using a flex 'claw'(you know, the junk they sell that's supposed to be able to pick up nuts and bolts dropped into awkward areas) I pushed it towrds the front of the car and to the edge of the moving lid under it(I think its the one that switches between outside air and recirculating) and gingerly fishing with my  fingers in the gap when I tilted the lid...    

And of course, I had to do this while laying across the front seats and with my head and one shoulder in the passenger footwell. 

I expect getting a replacement into place will be an even greater adventure...    

Someone please shoot me now...

If the resistor pack does not fit through the hole inside the car it obviously wasn't fitted that way, I think you may find that it is fitted / removed from the other side . .  via the heater air intake in the engine bay, under the wiper panel.  

If you take a look down the heater air intake your nightmare job may just become a dream!


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