A/C Fan Speed Controller

[Ray K.]

The A/C on my '82 (RQB 3420) died. I traced the problem down to a broken A/C fan speed controller rheostat switch - the one with "AIR" on the knob, located on the vertical console panel. The switch is of ceramic construction, about 1 3/4 inches diameter, and has spade lug connectors for 2 wires on the back. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement, or what will interchange with this switch?

Ray

[Gunslinger]

I don't know an interchange, but they do show up on Ebay fairly regularly. You might also contact Jon Myers or Nostalgic Motors and see if they have any...maybe a good used one if nothing else.

[MikeValent]

Nostalgic has the 3-speed off-low-medium-high switch, if you're talking about the fan speed switch (lower of the 2 in-console switches). My '83 when I bought it had an "infinite adjustment" switch (off-high-then progressively lower down to almost no fan speed).

But both of these switches have three lugs - power in, power out to fan, power out to thermostat (the upper console switch).

[adamderosa]

Take a look at this switch from Vintage Air; it looks like it would work. I just ordered one as mine crapped out last night.

It's part number 11458-VUS on page 33.

http://www.vintageair.com/cat2007/33.pdf

Edited June 21, 2008 by adamderosa

[adamderosa]

Disregard the brilliant idea I posted above. The switch from Vintage Air is just a 3-position switch and will not control the fan speed on our Avantis. What we need is a rheostat. I was able to take my old one apart, clean it, and get it working again.

[MikeValent]

The round single-rheostat "infinite speed adjustment" switch is a Four Seasons (div of Standard Motor Products) switch #35700. www.autopartswarehouse.com carries it as their item #W0133-1615744, listed as fitting 1968-73 Mercedes 280SEL with Thermo-King air conditioning. At $55.95 it's not dirt cheap, but considering that the original switch lasted almost 25 years and still functions fairly well, why not? I ordered the new one Tuesday, got it this afternoon.

for what it may be worth, I prefer this switch to Nostalgic's 3-speed one since it doesn't limit my fan speed choices.

[AD]

An update on this old topic~

The fan-speed rheostat in my Avanti quit working recently and is beyond repair. (it only lasted 50 years!). I searched for a bit and could not find the replacement P/N 35700 mentioned above. They seem to be no longer available. Luckily, I found the P/N 35701 switch for $22 at O'Reilly's Auto Parts. It's not a rheostat; it just has off-low-med-high but it gets the job done. I'll keep looking for a proper rheostat replacement and if I find one I'll post an update.