The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 1954 heater motor 6v to 12v

I just purchased a 12v heater motor from Carter (supose to be correct application) to replace my 1954 6v heater motor on the fresh air deluxe heater. To make this motor fit I will need to drill new holes in the heater housing because the studs on the 12v motor are narrower than the 6v and I will need to make a new rubber seal where the motor fit through the fire wall because the 12v motor is smaller. Carter tech says he has never heard of the need for modifications. Does anyone know if there is a better motor for this application or is this typical.

I used a 12v heater motor from a '60 Impala to replace the 6v motor in my '54 Fresh Air heater (not saying a '60 motor is an easy thing to find.) Yes, the mounting bolts on the 12v motor are closer together than the bolts on a 6v motor ... but only about 1/8". No need to drill new holes. Just take a rattail file and file 1/16" from the inside edge of the two holes to accept the new motor. Most of the other types of 12v motors that have been discussed on Stovebolt have the same spacing.

The outside diameter of the '60 heater motor was a little smaller than the original 6v motor. I bought a new rubber gasket and mounting ring for the firewall from Jim Carter. It fit around the 12v motor perfectly. None of the modifications will prevent the heater from being converted back to 6v someday by another owner.
> My 12v heater motor solution.
> Pics in my Photobucket "Heater" album

Do a search on Stovebolt for other motors that have been used.

> DADS50 12v heater motor.

> Text of a post by DADS50 that the new forum software ate:
Have you run your blower for any length of time?
Ive only had to use the a few times since I just recently started driving the Truck. Did not run it for very long.
Have not noticed if its running hot.

How come no one makes a direct replacement....?
That would be nice. Maybe someone might be able to post an answer to that. Later model trucks are 12v, Maybe a direct 12volt delco is out there.

Do they come with the firewall gasket or do you have to get gasket material and make a new one so you don't have any gaps ?
The motor I purchased from Truck Shop in Orange did not come with any gaskets.
My firewall ring gasket was still in good shape so I reused it.
I did make a gasket for where the motor bolts to the heater housing.
Gasket kits are available from the vendors.

I didn’t take any pics when I reassembled my heater. It’s a Harrison H-02-47

This was a few years ago. I believe I gutted the old toasted 6v motor to just the two pieces (housings)
Drilled for the new motor stud location.
Mounted to heater housing. Used a bushing for shaft diameter.
Cut the old motor studs and epoxied the button heads in place. You can see the back of motor from firewall.
The old housing is simply held together with electrical tape (you can see in the pic)

> There is a lot of info and pics on Stovebolt about converting a heater to 12v.

I used a JC motor on my suburban. The motor does not come through the hole enough for the seal to do any good. I cut a solid cover from a piece of sheet 'rubber' and mounted it with the ring from the original seal.

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like the only 2 mods are the motor mounting holes and the fire wall gasket, easy enough.

Some people have mentioned a smaller motor that actually mounts inside the original motor case but I personally have not seen it done.