Well, it was serviceable. Held together with long through-bolts (actually about #8 machine screws). I cleaned the rust off the outdoor (condenser fan) shaft and motor came apart easily. Actually, it never showed what might have been holding it back. I crocus clothed the bearing surfaces on the shaft and inside the steel sleeve bearings. Noticed the "wicking" around the bearings that's there to soak up oil and keep it available to the bearings was crumbling. Drilled and punched the rivets out, made new wicking from cotton cloth, reassembled with screws, nuts, lock washers. Noticed now that the oil didn't just pass through the wicking and drip out. Ran it several hours several days strapped to a box, with the blower wheel on it to load it, and it ran cool and free. Reinstalled today. I also did the
A/C Tuneup by Chris Bryant which I'll open as another thread. Did a test run this morning. Cool, smooth, and quiet. Hopefully for a long time. I hedged my bet by adding an Oil Hole that I can use to keep the wicking wet with oil.