[krhodes1]

This is actually for my 128i, but the parts are the same and the 1-series forum is a dead zone comparatively.

Got my 1-series out of storage yesterday. I was away most of the summer so I parked it in the garage and took the insurance off to save a few bucks. Got it out, no HVAC blower. Took the blower motor out today (why can't all cars be so easy), and the fan was really stiff - lubed it up with some good Wurth penetrating lubricant and got it spinning freely again. Plugged it back in, success! Put it all back together and have ice cold air again for the moment.

BUT, I figure the thing is on borrowed time. Valeo is the OEM, but seems to be out of stock everywhere. What does everyone think of Mahle as a substitute? Uro is the cheapest, but well, it's Uro so a crapshoot. Genuine is massively more expensive, of course. I'll probably replace the resistor module while I have it apart again - Mahle for that as well? I suppose with the thing being so easy to get in and out I could go for the cheapest, but my time still has value plus the annoyance factor.

Seems to be one of those car weeks. Last weekend while I was at my place in Maine I changed the transmission fluid in my Mercedes. And discovered that the radiator is slightly leaking. Not enough to make it past the undershields, but there was a puddle in them. Of course, nobody had one for reasonable money that I could get in time before driving back to FL, so I just sent it and drove home over the weekend. Didn't leak enough over 1700 miles to change the level in the reservoir - go figure. But I worried about it the whole way down. Shockingly, an OEM Denso radiator for it is only $140. But of course, from eEuro so probably 2 weeks to get it here.

[lordnikon]

There's one for sale on Rock Auto right now, Valeo for $126.79. One left

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...wer+motor,6916

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by lordnikon

There's one for sale on Rock Auto right now, Valeo for $126.79. One left

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...wer+motor,6916

Malhle is notably cheaper than that, plus free shipping along with the rest of my order from eEuro.

Plus I am generally not a big fan of RockAuto due to some bad prior experiences with them. So unless consensus is that Valeo is MUCH better, I don't think I will order from them.

[Wolf 335]

Mine is still original from 2007. It didn’t seize like yours, but it was squeaking. I used few drops of turbine oil and it’s still going strong and squeak free. Turbine oil is scent free so so issues with smell.

I used Supco Turbine Oil. The bottle also comes with an integrated looong straw that can be used to reach the blower from the air filter side.

Run it until it dies.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

Mine is still original from 2007. It didn’t seize like yours, but it was squeaking. I used few drops of turbine oil and it’s still going strong and squeak free. Turbine oil is scent free so so issues with smell.

I used Supco Turbine Oil. The bottle also comes with an integrated looong straw that can be used to reach the blower from the air filter side.

Run it until it dies.

For the $150 of a blower and resistor unit, I can't see running it until it dies - it will die at the least convenient time and place possible, like halfway between Maine and Florida when it is 90F out.

It's 14 years old - it owes me nothing. But I would like to replace it with a reasonable compromise between cost and quality. Genuine is more than 2X the price. If it was difficult to get to I would just pay the BMW tax for genuine and be done with it for another 14 years.

[lordnikon]

I had no issues with Rock Auto. Difference between Mahle and Valeo is like $36 bucks. No big deal. I doubt quality would be substantially different but nevertheless I replaced mine with a Valeo.