Hello, all, an occasional poster with an '03 GTP. The final speed (4, not 5!) went on the fan the other day. Got a NAPA/Echlin BR77 to replace it- it has those 3 capacitors that I saw mentioned on another thread, so it does not look like what came out. The result of all my contortions was that I now have only high speed (5). Please somebody verify that 97-03 should only have one type of blower motor resistor. As it stands now I'm ready to drive to Detroit, find the idiot that put those two screws all the way in the back, and hit him so hard his grandkids will be born dizzy. If I find there are two different kind of resistors, and I got the wrong one, I'm liable to just give up and buy a horse.
Before I post helpful tips I don't see here, I want to thank Logan541 for telling us to only loosen the back two screws. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! Take it from me, you'll never get them back in with the new resistor in place. I'm not even sure you could get them back in with the resistor out. One of them is buried in the firewall padding behind the flat connector on the driver's side - you'll never see it, you have to feel it. Just a couple of turns is all you need.
Thanks also to Russosaur for illustrating the position (my wife laughed and laughed when she found this stodgy 60 year old in similar straits), and he and Jomamma for the flex extension tip. I have a 1/4" drive screwdriver handled spring-type flex that made this job possible. I seriously don't think I could have done it any other way, and even then getting the socket on the head of those two in back was tough.
Now for my 2 cents:
1. After you disconnect the resistor (two wires clipped to the blower), take the blower out. There are (3) T20 Torx screws on the blower flange. There's a bundle of wires running under the resistor that looks like it could power New York City; to move them, you'll have to squeeze the one-way clip on the ring holding them in place and yank it out, too. Be careful not to break your blower wheel, it's plastic.
2. The 3 resistor screws on my car took a 7/32" socket. No metric equivalent.
3. When putting it all back, there is a small hose on the side of the blower that connects to a port in the bottom of the blower housing near the resistor. BE SURE THIS GOES BACK ON AND ISN'T KINKED. That's how the blower motor is cooled, it's a little recirculation path.
So thanks again for the tips, and hope mine help someone else.
