I drilled not one, but two holes, and still couldn't see where to lube. But then I found out I was looking down, and not up. However, ever since drilling the holes, the fan has been quiet. Jeff

Jeff Stewart

----- "Karl Mullendore" <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM> wrote:

The heater fan that I resurrected, still in the dash of the van, was the one
where I discovered this 'easy way' of lubing the end of the fan motor that
usually sees the most corrosion. This fan was stuck and had melted the
switch. New switch, nothing happened. So I drilled the [3/8"] hole based on
staring at and measuring an old heater assembly on the bench. I hung a small
LED headlamp over the upped edge to illuminate the bearing, and then I
delivered a dose of PB Blaster directly to the bearing via an extended tube.
After an hour or so, I turned on the switch and thumped the dash hard a few
time with my fist, and voila! - it started running. I then delivered a few
small doses of Triflow to the bearing and that quieted things down to a nice
purr.

This is the story of the 'Mullendore Port'. Since then I've done a few more
that weren't stuck, but this shows that some stuck motors can in fact be
freed. Almost every stuck motor I have pulled has had only the exposed
bearing stuck. Next time I remove one, I think I'll install a small tube
that can be more easily located to deliver lubricant as general maintenance.
It is rather odd that the manufacturer couldn't have just installed small,
sealed ball bearings.