How an Average RV Owner Can Replace a Noisy Atwood Furnace Motor in Their RV

Cool nights will soon be returning as the end of the RV summer season nears. One item you should make sure is working well is the furnace on your RV; you want to stay warm during the cool autumn nights. If you turn the furnace on and hear the motor rattling, this is a sign that the motor is getting ready to fail and needs to be replaced. Swapping out a bad motor for a good one is a job many RV owners can do themselves to save money on their RV maintenance costs. If you are an RV owner with a bad Atwood furnace motor, here is how you can remove it and put in a new one.

Remove Furnace Panel

There will be a panel on the side of the van where you can access the furnace's motor. Remove the panel and set it aside.

Remove Control Panel

Turn the power switch on the top of the motor to the "off" position. Unplug the electrical harness from the circuit board used to control the furnace. A butterfly nut attaches the circuit board to the RV. Unscrew the butterfly nut and remove the circuit board to protect it while you are removing the motor. You also need to disconnect the ignitor wire from the bottom of the motor.

Remove Exhaust Duct

The exhaust duct is on the right side of the motor next to the exhaust fan. Loosen the one bolt holding the duct in place and pull the duct out of the RV.

Remove Motor

You need to remove four screws so you can lift up the motor cover to access the blower fan and motor. There is a relay switch on top of the cover with a series of wires running to and from it; leave the relay switch and wires alone for now. Lift up the cover and twist the blower fan around until you see the hole for an Allen wrench. Slide an Allen wrench into the hole and remove the set screw for the fan. Pull the fan out and set it aside.

There is another little hole for an Allen wrench on the side of the exhaust fan. Slide the Allen wrench into the hole and loosen the set screw for the exhaust fan. You do not have to remove the set screw all the way.

Remove the red and black wire going to the motor from the relay switch. You can pull the wires off of the relay switch with a pair of pliers. Remove the "S" bracket holding the motor in place. You can now wiggle the motor out of the furnace compartment.

Install New Motor

Make sure you have a proper motor for the furnace. Atwood furnace motors have a label on the front of them. The label will have the model number you will need to get an exact replacement. Put the new motor into the RV and complete the tasks in the reverse order of how you took the previous motor out in order to put everything back together.

For more information or a professional's help, consult an RV repair service.