Ok.

My regulator is dying. Fan would not start up after church or this morning. Fan did come on this evening but I smelled the semi conductor burning and it stopped working. As the fan speed reduced I thought I heard the fan rattling at low speeds.

I took a guess that the regulator has never been replaced and ordered a w140 one that I am planning to adapt to the original blower

But

Is the burn out of the regulator caused by the regulator getting old? The fan motor drawing too much current or both? Don't think brushes could cause it to draw too much current unless somehow the brushes are shorting against the housing.

Could it be the bearings or fan cage rubbing against something in the airbox.

Looking for ideas so I can get as much as possible before opening up the air box.

Thanks

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory