The motor is out of a dryer (240 VAC) so there is lint build-up in the motor's grease. The casing seems to be a cast iron that has been... connected... not welded, not screwed together. I see no way to get the case open to pull it apart. I can get it working properly for about 24 hours using generous amounts of WD-40, but the motor builds up some physical resistance after this time. I feel I need to clean the contacts, and relubricate the motor. I can see the contacts as the case only holds everything together, and does not fully enshroud the windings. What can I use to clean the motor without dissasembling it further, or how can I dissasemble the case (if you have come across this before you know what I mean). I am an apprentice electrician so I already understand the safty concerns of fixing an appliance.
Thinking way back, we used to spray the windings and electrical contacts with a chemical that used to come in fire extinguishers. I don't even think it's available any more as the fumes in a closed room have killed. (Couple of kids having a squirt fight). The chemical was Carbon Tetrachloride. The trouble is, it would dissolve lubricating grease too! I would seriously think of replacing the motor. Sounds as if you already have it out. I found a motor to match a burned out one by taking it to an old guy (must have been 80+) working out of his basement and he looked at it and said that one on the top shelf should do it. It had the same specs and was a half horsepower stronger. (It is still pulling the fumes out of a restaurant 10 years later). Good Luck !
the best way is to use an air hose of some kind and blow it out... dryer motors don't have any kind of lubricating procedures... when you spray wd40 to lubricate this motor you are creating a fire hazard by the flamable vapors from the spray... thats why there is no lubricating ports of any kind.. one thing i would concider is that you might have a bearing going bad on this motor, thats why it will run for awhile and then shut down...
I am not sure what you mean by contacts. (an electrican for over 30 yrs having rebuilt and repaired many motors ). I assume you mean the armature?or the coil or stator? Some motors like your standard electric drill uses brushes that are made of carbon, but in your case i dont believe thats what your talking about. Yes cleaning the windings and other parts of the electrical end willhelp but not really in your case. what i believe is happening is that your GREASE which is set usually inbearings or surround the actualy moving parts needs tobe replaced or repacked... and if you have bearings they toomay need replacement
ELECTRIC okorder This is what I use on all my electric motors that are hard to take apart
The motor is 115v. The 240v is for the element only. Most dryer motors halves are held together with epoxy. The only contacts are on the start switch. There is no way to split the case. The lint build up acted as a wick and pulled the lubricant out of the bushings. WD is never to be used as a lubricant for electric motors. Your motor was already shot so it didn't matter. Using WD on a good motor will dilute the oil or grease. Again, the motor shot. Go ahead and pop it apart as a learning tool and see what makes it tick. Buy a new motor. Appliance repair for 35 years. P.S. Getting the blower wheel off is the big trick.
