I have a Comfortmaker furnace with General 90 controller. My blower motor stopped working and when I try to turn it on it gets hot, smells like something burning and no air.

Capicator was tested and it is OK. Motor is driving excessive current and just heats up. HVAC technician quoted $700 to replace the motor so I decided to try it myself.

Can someone share a step by step replacement process. I would like to replace the blower/motor assembly.

Thanks :)

I think your best bet will be to first call around for the best price on the motor, then call around for best price to install.

Typically I pay $60-$125 for a motor - and if I'm in a rush and have to have it installed, I'll pay $125-$200 to have it installed. So a quote of $700 either means that you're getting gouged or that the way yours is set up makes it a very tough job.

Sometimes they can be very tricky. There are hundreds of different motors mounted dozens of different ways. But since yours has to come out anyway, it can't hurt to take a closer look.

** Be sure the motor is an exact match with yours. You probably won't find that exact model, so all the other details (amps, spin direction, shaft size [both length and diameter, mount holes, etc.) have to match. Write down everything from the metal tag on the motor (you may need to squeeze in there to see it). You won't find the motor at Lowe's or Home depot; you'll be calling HVAC suppliers that you've probably never visited.

** Scour your paperwork, and Comfortmaker's site for anything that will help diagram-wise.
Can't hurt, too, to call where you got it to see if they've got instructions. It will be your best - and probably only - source for a step-by-step.

Generally, look for these issues:

** Shut off the breaker.

** Can you see where and how the motor's "feet" are mounted? Sometimes it's mounted to the "floor" of the furnace, but other times it's mounted to a "rack" that slides out. You'll hope yours is that way. If it is, then locate the couple of screws or bolts that you can remove to slide it - with the motor - out.

** Can you see how to remove the fan from the driveshaft? Or if you have a "squirrel cage" (a round turbine looking type of fan), can you see how it's mounted?

Yes, sounds simple - but sometimes it's not. Study where and how it's all mounted very carefully.

If you can easily see these things - and are sure you can get to it all, and have the right tools - disconnect the wires and start removing screws and/or bolts one at a time.

Once the motor's out, remove the fan or squirrel cage.

Now it's a matter of all in reverse to get the new motor in.

I hope this at least helps a bit.

Rick:

Thanks for you detailed and helpful reply.

Comfortmaker site is not very helpful. They probably don’t want to cater to end-users.

Motor is mounted directly on blower casings with three 180-degree apart lugs. The blower motor assembly is screwed to two rails and those rails are fastened with regular screws. It would be easy to remove these screws and just slide it out after all connections are removed.

The fan is a round turbine type of fan. I can easily rotate it with my fingers and it spins freely.

The only thing that needs to be removed is vent tube, which is in front of the blower. I will try to remove it first, it should not be difficult. I am unable to see the motor spec plate without taking the assembly out. I will probably have to mark everything before I remove the motor to make sure I do not disturb the blower balance when I remount the new motor.

Thanks.

You're thinking it right.

If you keep good notes so that you're able to get the new one in exactly as the old one was, it's really nothing except a puzzle that you're trying to take apart - as opposed to put together.

You really can't ruin anything by removing stuff.

You're in the perfect month to be doing this without a dire need for heat or A/C, so take your time with it.