Lubing a blower motor - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Idle · #1 10-01-2015, 04:34 PM

A friend removed the blower motor and fan assembly from his 107 for some reason. While it is out he was thinking about lubing up the motor.

I have heard of using transmission fluid on the 108/109 motors but does anyone know of a better product for this application?

97 SL320 · #2 10-01-2015, 05:03 PM

For small motors in general I use non detergent motor oil.

These days it is typically marked compressor oil or something like that so it isn't used in a modern engine. Power steering fluid that does not have leak stop, " 3 in 1 oil " or hydraulic oil would be fine. Be sure not use anything over SAE 20 as in cold climates the motor will run slow for a while.

I've used ATF and detergent motor oil before and it seems to bring a gummy residue to the surface of sintered bearings causing drag. Never use WD 40 , it isn't a lubricant for that type of application.

Shortsguy1 · #3 10-01-2015, 05:25 PM

CRC makes a product for this. It is called CRC 2-26. It cleans and leaves behind light mineral oil.
02005 -- 2-26® Multi-Purpose Precision Lubricant, 11 Wt Oz

A small can costs $3 at Home Depot.

CRC also sells silicone-based lubricants for motors, but I have not tried those. Only the 2-26, because it is locally available for me and costs very little. I unfortunately do not have long-term data on its success or lack thereof.

Before I knew of CRC 2-26, I used atf to lube a screeching air sampler motor in my w124. This is a small fan motor inside the passenger cabin. It has kept the motor quiet since I did it, about 2 years ago I think.

meltedpanda · #4 10-02-2015, 09:39 AM

you can use that with good results , or the 3M in the blue bottle
remember the age of these cars and what was available , fancy new stuff works, but the old stuff does too my 2 cents

Mimzer · #5 10-02-2015, 02:10 PM

Lowe's has 3-In-One Electric Motor Oil for $3.

"3-IN-ONE Motor Oil created a special blend of high-grade oils that’s equivalent to SAE 20. The motor oil formulation is ideal for lubricating the moving parts of electrical motors."

meltedpanda · #6 10-02-2015, 03:08 PM

yes the blue topped one. I use it for my Hunter fans, they run 24 -7 for years - seriously

97 SL320 · #7 10-02-2015, 04:48 PM

This thread leads into: There are a lot of items on a car that were lubed from the factory and haven't seen lube since. Grease drys out / melts off in hot climates, oil leaches out of sintered bearings.

At some point things like speedometers , cables, window regulators , wiper motors , shifters , steering columns need to be lubed prior to failure. Even some electrical switches have lube to prevent the contacts from wearing / corroding.

meltedpanda · #8 10-03-2015, 09:53 AM

Being the OC MB nut that I am - totally agree

Idle · #9 10-03-2015, 11:23 AM

I asked the guy to read all the replies and he is going with the 3-in-1 electric motor lube. And I also agree with keeping these cars as original as possible except for when there is a superior product to what was used in the old days.

And those Hunter fans running forever... I know of a church in central Texas that has some old two bladed Hunters from the 1930's. They get cleaned and looked after at least once a year and they are still running strong. Or at least they were three weeks ago when I was last there.

Tony H · #10 10-03-2015, 03:55 PM

I have a 1920's Emerson 52" ceiling fan in our living room-works great. The motor runs in an oil bath. I use 3 in 1 on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

yes the blue topped one. I use it for my Hunter fans, they run 24 -7 for years - seriously

Mike D · #11 10-03-2015, 04:20 PM

My personal preference is the "Zoom Spout Oiler" for electrical stuff.

It is a paraffin based, non-detergent oil. It has the nifty little extendable tube for those really awkward spots.

You can get it at any hardware store for about $2.00 for 4 ounces.

Idle · #12 10-15-2015, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

My personal preference is the "Zoom Spout Oiler" for electrical stuff.

It is a paraffin based, non-detergent oil. It has the nifty little extendable tube for those really awkward spots.

You can get it at any hardware store for about $2.00 for 4 ounces.

We looked for this but could not find it locally. But then we live in the middle of nowhere so there is a lot of stuff that is not available locally.

We did used the 3 in 1 oil with the blue top, the 20w.

We turned the blower assembly over and let the oil drip onto the shaft. Then we turned the blower cages by hand to work it into the bearings. Since the 107 fan has two blower cages we also turned it over and did the other side the same way.

The difference in fan speed was remarkable. The fan ran to begin with and ran well. After the oiling, and only a few drops were used, it ran at what we guessed to be about twice the speed. The difference in airflow was enough to be felt from four feet further away. This was the only way we could think of to measure the flow.

So thanks for the input. Hopefully this thread will help others in the future.

And if we could have used a long thin tube to be more precise it would have been even better.

97 SL320 · #13 10-15-2015, 05:47 PM

I use a small diameter , long screwdriver dipped in oil then touched to the shaft. Any sort of rod would work also.

Idle · #14 10-19-2015, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

I use a small diameter , long screwdriver dipped in oil then touched to the shaft. Any sort of rod would work also.

Now that you mention it a spray 'rod' off of any can of carb cleaner could be used to pick up some oil and deposit it in the right place.

The long screwdriver is also a great suggestion because it would go right where you want it without bending or flexing on the way to the bearings.