Help Finding Correct Blower Motor

[Papa_Lugnut]

Anyone know where to find a blower motor that will fit my 97 TJ? It's a 4 cyl, SE (pretty sure), made in July of 96. The OEM blower motor has a wire that runs off of it with a female connection, however none of the aftermarket wires have the same style. ALL of the aftermarket options are a plug directly off of the body that is a male connection, not sure where to find what I'm looking for, been searching and can't figure it out. Am I dumb and just need to pull that rubber gasket with the wires coming out of it off? Like, is that just a connection? Sorry for the dumb question but any help is appreciated.

 

[macleanflood]

The harness will pull off your original motor and you can kinda jam it in there. Mine wasn't perfect but it fit ok and is still running fine three years later.

-Mac

 

[Papa_Lugnut]

The harness will pull off your original motor and you can kinda jam it in there. Mine wasn't perfect but it fit ok and is still running fine three years later.

-Mac

Good to know, so that rubber plug will just pull out?

 

[Woodrow]

Anyone know where to find a blower motor that will fit my 97 TJ? It's a 4 cyl, SE (pretty sure), made in July of 96. The OEM blower motor has a wire that runs off of it with a female connection, however none of the aftermarket wires have the same style. ALL of the aftermarket options are a plug directly off of the body that is a male connection, not sure where to find what I'm looking for, been searching and can't figure it out. Am I dumb and just need to pull that rubber gasket with the wires coming out of it off? Like, is that just a connection? Sorry for the dumb question but any help is appreciated.

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I couldn’t find the correct one for my early ‘97 (5/96) even at the dealer. They sold me one they said was for a ‘97 that looked like the rock auto pic in your post. Same at O’Reilly’s. Other than the connection they seem the same however. So I went to a junkyard and cut the harness off another TJ, and spliced it onto my TJ’s wiring. Then the new style works and has continued to for the last 5 years.

 

[Papa_Lugnut]

I couldn’t find the correct one for my early ‘97 (5/96) even at the dealer. They sold me one they said was for a ‘97 that looked like the rock auto pic in your post. Same at O’Reilly’s. Other than the connection they seem the same however. So I went to a junkyard and cut the harness off another TJ, and spliced it onto my TJ’s wiring. Then the new style works and has continued to for the last 5 years.

Probabaly my best bet tbh. That way I'm also future proofed.

 

[Papa_Lugnut]

Just as an update in case someone else is reading this thread years later with the same issue, but like me also can't find a TJ at a junkyard, you can make your own adapter! Hopefully, at least as I have not yet tested this. But I just used the female end of a wire tap on one end of a wire to fit the new motor and an automotive pin terminal from an assorted kit to fit onto the blade from the harness in the Jeep. Since both connections are male, the wire I put together is just female on both ends, just varying size to fit the two different connections. I used a crimp as well as heat shrink to try to keep things in place (heat shrink also to help insulate in case a connection does come loose), on the pin terminal side I also soldered the connection since it was all metal and nothing would melt. Hopefully this helps you troubleshoot your problem as well!

 

[Papa_Lugnut]

Just as an update in case someone else is reading this thread years later with the same issue, but like me also can't find a TJ at a junkyard, you can make your own adapter! Hopefully, at least as I have not yet tested this. But I just used the female end of a wire tap on one end of a wire to fit the new motor and an automotive pin terminal from an assorted kit to fit onto the blade from the harness in the Jeep. Since both connections are male, the wire I put together is just female on both ends, just varying size to fit the two different connections. I used a crimp as well as heat shrink to try to keep things in place (heat shrink also to help insulate in case a connection does come loose), on the pin terminal side I also soldered the connection since it was all metal and nothing would melt. Hopefully this helps you troubleshoot your problem as well!

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If you do try this and it doesn't work it might be a polarity issue (still haven't tested it), try swapping where the wires are plugged into the motor and give it another try, easy peasy.

 

[pbeach]

A warning about RockAuto and blower motors:

Summary in advance: I'll never use RockAuto again, aside from reviewing the list of sources for a specific part, then doing my own due diligence to research and locate the manufacturer/distributor.

Case in point: I ordered a blower motor a year or so ago as many of us have.

It arrived with a rattle. Opened the box — it was shipped with no packing material — NONE. ZERO. — the motor was loose in the box. Yes. The little plastic tab that needs to be depressed to remove/install? — it had broken off and was rattling around the box.

RockAuto doesn't have a shipping department — or a warehouse they ship from; instead, they contract with tons of warehouses who stock the parts on the website and they drop-ship for RockAuto. Given the narrow margins they operate on, the warehouses use the cheapest packaging and fastest way possible to get something in a box and out the door.

Summary: Trust them at your peril. They're is hit-or-miss. Not worth taking a chance, especially on larger parts.

 

[Papa_Lugnut]

A warning about RockAuto and blower motors:

Summary in advance: I'll never use RockAuto again, aside from reviewing the list of sources for a specific part, then doing my own due diligence to research and locate the manufacturer/distributor.

Case in point: I ordered a blower motor a year or so ago as many of us have.

It arrived with a rattle. Opened the box — it was shipped with no packing material — NONE. ZERO. — the motor was loose in the box. Yes. The little plastic tab that needs to be depressed to remove/install? — it had broken off and was rattling around the box.

RockAuto doesn't have a shipping department — or a warehouse they ship from; instead, they contract with tons of warehouses who stock the parts on the website and they drop-ship for RockAuto. Given the narrow margins they operate on, the warehouses use the cheapest packaging and fastest way possible to get something in a box and out the door.

Summary: Trust them at your peril. They're is hit-or-miss. Not worth taking a chance, especially on larger parts.

I'd rather take my chances with them than go to AutoZone and install a Duralast part that I'll need to replace in 8 months. RockAuto parts are at least decent quality if they can survive shipping. But you are right, it was just packaged in a box with a cardboard insert to keep it from rattling around. Mine doesn't appear damaged though and I've never personally had issues with them before.