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Date:         Sat, 2 Jan 2016 11:23:08 -0500
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Front Heater Motor: Lube Dries Out?
In-Reply-To:  <201511270338.tAR3cDmb026381@mail113c45.carrierzone.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

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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