Down-draft radiator fan failure

[mrkane]

When reassembling the squirrel cage today, I compared the radial and axial play in the shafts and the 'feel' of the rotational resistance. There was similar and noticeable axial (end) play in both the new and old motors. Rotational resistance was also similar. (Spinning the shaft by hand gave similar number of rotations.) However, the old motor had considerable radial play in the shaft, while the new one had none.

I also found marks on the housing suggesting the motor was previously mounted with three legs rather than the current four. This ties in with the 'slice' in the housing apparently caused by the blower contacting the fan shroud.


--M.R.Kane
1987 PT40 'Sleipnir'
currently Iron River, MI