How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

[Bill W.]

Is there a way to lube the bearings on the heater blower motor on a C1 & C2 . What is the best oil to use on them if it is possible .

[Keith B.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

I have found the blowers to have a weep hole of some sorts on the top of the case and I have put a little lube in there to help

[Edward J.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Bill, What you can do is remove the blower motor assy. and then the cage and you can use some 3n1 oil for the front bearing under the cage, and then the black metal housing has a enclosed bushing and if you drill a small 1/16 hole in the casing you can get a few drops of oil through that hole. Be sure to drill the hole in a area that faces the inner fender that way it cannot be seen. when done put a dab of RTV sealer over hole.

[Bill W.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Keith & Edward . I cleaned about 45 years of the 50 years of crud off my motor There is no hole . Edward do you drill the hole in the nipple area or on the side . my motor spins free and is quite but has not been used at all sense 1973.

[Ray G.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Bill;
The bushings in the Heater motors are held in place by spring steel finger plates. (don't know the technical name.)
If you have an extra donor motor from the era disassemble same to observe the design.
The bushings seize onto the scored motor shaft making the noise.
Occasionally the shaft and bushings are good enough condition to free up, but most of the time not repairable.
Ray

[Richard M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

I have never found a oiling hole on the commutator ends of either C1's or C2's blower motor cases. If there is one, it's likely from a previous attempt to oil it. It probably was never drilled to be oiled originally. In the case of the C1 motors, which rest high above the carpet, could weep the oil onto the floor or onto passengers feet.

In my experiences, the only way to properly lubricate the rear shaft area it its to take it apart. Here is a 1959 heater assembly needing restoration. The assembly sat in storage for over 40 years.
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After releasing the motor from the mount plate by removing the 2 nuts and the motor screws, place a witness mark on both case halves lining up where they join. This motor was not seized and running, however it was a bit squeaky from the dry bushings. I completely disassembled it for restoration.
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You can put a piece of tape on each and mark with a pencil. Remove the 2 long screws and gently twist and separate the case halves. If you don't want to go all-in and do a 100% cleanup and repaint, hold the armature to prevent it from coming out of the rear bushing. You can oil the felt surrounding the bronze bushing which is held in with flat finger springs. The wires for the field coils and brush plate are just long enough to release the case halves to access the areas to lubricate.

Side-note: If the armature shaft is seized to the bushing......STOP. Do not try to pull on the armature to release the shaft from the bushing. If the shaft and bushing pull OUT from the flat finger spring retainers, your work is done. It is not easily repaired. There is a way to repair it but I won't get into that here. You could try days of penetrating fluid but I have found it never to work. Locate another motor or acquire a reproduction if just needing functionality.

Here you can see the commutator end bushing held in by the flat spring fingers. The drive end also has the same bushing arrangement. The bushings are designed to "float" in their housings and self center the armature when the motor is assembled.
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Here is a closeup of a wiper motor with a similar arrangement showing a closeup of the busing.
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The armature commutator can be cleaned inserting the shaft it in a drill press on low speed and holding high grit sand paper(I use 1000 or greater) lightly as it spins. Note the fiber washers on each end for replacement. Don't loose them. They are important for shaft end-play tolerances.
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Photos below are of a different commutator(wiper motor) but the same principle. Very rough commutators can be lightly shaved on a lathe if needed but not always a requirement. This one just needed a light sanding to clean it up. Then clean out the spaces between each commutator contact with the backside of a flat blade (X-Acto knife or similar).
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To reassemble the blower motor after cleaning and oiling of the bushings(I use lightweight 3-in-1), you must spread the brushes using a spring tool. Again, wiper motor shown here but the same basic method for most motors. Insert the armature into the bushing end and release the brushes by removing your spring tool. Don't let the armature fall out or you get to practice some more.
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While holding the armature into the case slip the other case half over the drive end of the shaft, align the 2 cases halves and button up the 2 long screws.

Done. This blower motor also got a new brown wire, but I re-used the original terminal end for posterity.
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Everything all re-done.....
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[Edward J.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Keith & Edward . I cleaned about 45 years of the 50 years of crud off my motor There is no hole . Edward do you drill the hole in the nipple area or on the side . my motor spins free and is quite but has not been used at all sense 1973.

Bill yes the nipple on the end of housing that's the only bushing that cannot be serviced so a very small hole will let you squeeze some oil into it.

[Edward J.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Rich, I believe the A/C and non A/C motors are different. Non A/C motors will not come apart like this.

[Richard M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Rich, I believe the A/C and non A/C motors are different. Non A/C motors will not come apart like this.

Edward, My example was strictly for the C1 version as shown using the '59 motor as shown.

Yes the midyears non-AC motors don't have a split case bolted together like the C1 motors but after removing the squirrel cage you can gain access to the assembly. IIRC the mount plate and rear section of the motor case are attached together. I think there are rivets holding the front case to the integrated rear case into the mount plate. If so, one could remove the rivets, service the motor and reassemble. I'd go for it if I had one. I wish I had a old one so I could experiment and do a procedure. I like taking this stuff apart.
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Of course it'd be easier to just buy a reproduction or good used motor, but really?......that's no fun.

Rich

[Gene M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

The head light motors have a similar spherical oil lite bearing retained by steel prongs in the rear case. The unit I was dealing with had a bad bearing and stuck to the motor shaft when disassembled. My solution was to replace the bushing with a low profile ball bearing. Epoxy retains the outer bearing race to the housing. The solution has been in my 65 for over 30 years now.

[Richard M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

The head light motors have a similar spherical oil lite bearing retained by steel prongs in the rear case. The unit I was dealing with had a bad bearing and stuck to the motor shaft when disassembled. My solution was to replace the bushing with a low profile ball bearing. Epoxy retains the outer bearing race to the housing. The solution has been in my 65 for over 30 years now.

Gene, I have a 56/57 heater motor with the seized bearing that a friend gave me. That may be good way to salvage it. If you have any info saved away with that bearing specification I'd be interested to try it on the one I have here.

I've thought of Dremel'ing the 5 spot welds and pulling it apart. I'll take some photos of the seized motor in the morning. Maybe it's time for a new experiment.

Thanks,
Rich

[Gene M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Gene, I have a 56/57 heater motor with the seized bearing that a friend gave me. That may be good way to salvage it. If you have any info saved away with that bearing specification I'd be interested to try it on the one I have here.

I've thought of Dremel'ing the 5 spot welds and pulling it apart. I'll take some photos of the seized motor in the morning. Maybe it's time for a new experiment.

Thanks,
Rich

Rich.
The bearing was an NSK low profile. Sorry I do not any part numbers. Suggest looking at catalog on line.

[Richard M.]

Re: How to lube heater blower motors in C1s & C2s

Experiment quite successful. I just need a little more time to reassemble and it should be fine.

http://s684.photobucket.com/user/richmz/library/Misc/1956%20Corvette%20Heater%20Blower%20Motor%20Repair

No time to write up the process right now but follow the photos in the link to see what I did. I cut the 6 (not 5) spot welds and repaired it.

Rich
p.s. Bill, you'll be able to see why it's very difficult to lubricate that rear bearing unless you at least take the motor partially apart. You can leave the armature in place at the brushes and still be able to oil that rear bushing.