Can this fan motor be saved?

[Rod N]

This the fan motor for the bathroom at work and it squeals like a banshee. It's a 40 year old (guessing) unit that is hard wired and the box is built into the ceiling. It would be the easiest to buy a new fan with housing, but the install would be a pain and it's not like I have my tools at work. Be great to buy a new one, but where?
Would oiling it bring it back to life? I think it has bushings as opposed to bearings. The blade is pressed on so I can't get close to it.
What do you think?

 

[23ford]

Throw it out buy new one at home depot it will fail again

 

[wyliesdiesels]

you may be able to get a drop-in motor/fan replacement module so you dont have to change out the entire box

 

[engineer2]

I've oiled them before. Simple to try. If it doesn't work, off to the store.
I agree about not trying to remove the fan blade. It will probably crumble.
You can buy a new Broan "noise maker" 50 CFM fart fan for $25.

 

[Rod N]

The install of a new one is not plug and play.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The install of a new one is not plug and play.

some companies make a replacement motor/fan that plugs right in. ive installed them before many times

 

[Toxictom]

I had one that was totally seized up. I pulled it out and oiled it up. That was 4 or five years ago.

 

[Rod N]

some companies make a replacement motor/fan that plugs right in. ive installed them before many times

Yes, but not 40 years ago. This one doesn't even have a plug/outlet. It's hardwired.

 

[Rod N]

I had one that was totally seized up. I pulled it out and oiled it up. That was 4 or five years ago.

That's my plan before tearing up the ceiling. Did you use 3 in 1 oil?

 

[nadogail]

You might clean and oil your old motor and get a few more years of service out of it; or it could be a exercise in futility.

You put in our effort and take your chances.

 

[Bert_]

If you catch it early oiling it can make it last. It's just a generic c frame motor, I have replaced lots in bath fans and similar stuff

 

[dogdog]

those are called shaded pole motors I think. Size should be standard by the size of the shaft and the motor body even if it is 40 years ago... The area that usually failed are the front and back bearings when the grease are dried up or hardened due to age or dust. I have some success cleaning up the bearings and re-grease with a light weight oil. Usually there is a felt washer or wig to absorb/retail oil.. and most are bronze sleeve bearings... well it's good up to a point until the swell and or crude up and burns the coils ..

anyways yes you might get a few years out of it.

 

[Zeke]

eBay and appliance parts stores have those plug and play. Just the fan motor.

 

[The Cobbler]

knock the screws out of it,take it apart, clean it up, oil it up including any felt pads and put it back together.
if the bushings aren't too worn it will probably be good .

 

[mustangacman]

This would probably work.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4672JB9/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Toxictom]

That's my plan before tearing up the ceiling. Did you use 3 in 1 oil?

That is exactly what I used. I cleaned it up as best I could too.

 

[Chance]

I've cleaned the bearings/bushings on many an old bathroom fan and put them back in service. (The original fans move more air than the replacement ones). If I only use oil it lasts 2-4 years before the noise comes back. Then I started using grease and that lasts maybe 4-8 years.

For my 24" box fan and a 30" drum fan, oil was about 2 years and grease 4-6 years before the noise comes back. The latter are higher wattage and run hotter and tend to get attended to as soon as the noise starts since they are easier to get to.

My oldest box fan, from the 60's, is incredibly heavy. Its motor has a tiny metal capillary tube that leads to the bearing/bushing. So it gets one drop of oil each season when it gets put to use. A shame they stopped putting those on electric motors.

 

[American Locomotive]

Just take the screws for the bearing brackets off, and the whole motor will come apart. Drop some Zoom Spout (or 3-in-1) oil into the bearing cavity areas, and it should be good to go for another few years. Most of them have little felt pads in the bearing/bushing areas, and they'll hold a decent amount of oil for a while.

 

[Zeke]

I'm surprised the old on isn't more rusty. Rust has ruined more than one and I had to replace the motor, not re-oil it.

 

[Rod N]

Bushing. Shaft spins inside it, but maybe shaft is worn?
Not sure if oiling the felt pad will help?

 

[American Locomotive]

The felt pad runs out of oil after a while, and then the shaft will start skidding on the bushing. Oil the pad with 3-in-1 or Zoom Spout, and then liberally oil the shaft. If the shaft or bushing isn't too damaged, it should come good.

 

[Rod N]

I don't see a hole in the bushing for the oil to get to the shaft.

 

[American Locomotive]

The bushings are made out of sintered bronze - they're basically like a sponge. The oil slowly migrated through.

 

[Rod N]

The bushings are made out of sintered bronze - they're basically like a sponge. The oil slowly migrated through.

Learn something new everyday!

 

[Drill Sergeant Arc]

In our area there is a company that sells and repairs electric motors. I bought one for a fan swap and it’s been going for over a decade. You may pay more but you will get the right one if you take the old one when you go in. There’s a company like that in every industrialized city. I like to buy local and support the small businesses. I even bought a furnace inducer motor for my Lennox from them and it was $160 vs like 300+ from the dealers or online.

 

[Rod N]

Success!

 

[Chance]

Success!

Yours has a nice big felt, will be many years before you have to re-oil