AC blower motor

[jmiles2]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and am hoping you can help. My QX4 AC blower motor works perfectly, as long as I remove the screws and invert it so that the squirrel cage axle is oriented at least at a 45 degree angle downward. This is true regardless of which direction (N,S,E,W) it is pointed, as long as it is below the "x" axis. I thought it must be the pigtail wiring, but maneuvering the wires manually without changing the motor orientation does not cause it to engage. Just to make sure, I removed all the insulating tape from the wires, and they are pristine. What causes the motor only to work in that position, and how can I avoid spending $250 to replace it?

Thanks,
John