Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2016 11:21:56 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Subject: Re: Front Heater Motor: Lube Dries Out?
In-Reply-To: <CABToOY+Tre6st9rGBx+zYpK=A9Jju1shgiyE10Wj8G5u0z-SwA@mail.gmail.com>
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That stuff is sold "everywhere" here in Phoenix for swamp cooler maintenance. I always have a couple bottles around. Know nothing about its pedigree, though.
Karl Wolz
Sent from my electronic umbilicus
> On Jan 2, 2016, at 9:23 AM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> A bit late on the reply here but I have recently discovered a lubrication
> product that I am pretty impressed with. It is
> http://www.laco.com/lubricants/zoom-spout-oiler/ I got a tip from a
> Facebook group "vintage electric fans" which as you probably guessed deals
> with working on a lot of old and very old electric motors. I bought a
> container of it at my local ace hardware, which is an olde timey place with
> lots of varied product. It was less than $5. This lube is advertised as
> "turbine oil" which makes it sound very impressive. I have a few old and
> not so old fans laying around. One is a typical cheap 3 speed stand fan,
> probably 10-15 years old that was given to me because it stopped working.
> I've taken it apart and cleaned and re-lubed the bearings several times. I
> use it in my basement/shop and have been running it with the case off the
> motor so I can monitor how hot it gets. I've lubed it with tri-flow or
> sewing machine oil a couple times and it will run fine for about 10 hours
> before the bearings start getting so hot it slows down on the high speed
> and won't even start turning on the low speed. I have far surpassed that
> performance using zoom spout. Another totally worn out blower for a
> woodstove has showed the same results. that extendable spout may even
> reach the vanagon front blower motor bearings through a Mullendore port.
> Edward
>
> On Thu, Nov 26, 2015 at 10:38 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
>> At 10:24 PM 11/26/2015, Neil N wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Stuart.
>>> I'd read of that fix but haven't had courage to
>>> try it out.
>>>
>>> I guess the bottom line is that if the fan motor is "chirping", "groaning"
>>> or "tweeting" (the latter would be a true analogue to digital miracle. ha
>>> ha)
>>> it needs attention. Even if the noise is intermittent.
>>>
>>> Neil.
>>
>> The real fix of course is to pull the dash, split the heater box,
>> rejuvenate or replace the blower, and take care of the flap seals and
>> cleaning crud out of the core fins. But drilling a hole in the sheet
>> metal (and maybe another one to look through) per Mullendore will
>> allow you to squirt some Triflow onto the exposed rear bearing which
>> is the one that really needs it. It's not a lasting fix but you can
>> repeat as needed and put off the reckoning indefinitely by keeping
>> your ear tuned for little squeaks or failure to start on speed
>> one. It's an awful kluge, but a useful one.
>>
>> Yrs,
>> d
>>
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