Noisy furnace motor

[KATOOM]

Haven't owned my trailer during the winter. So I turned on my furnace for the first time ever and the motor has a light whizzing/squealing noise to it. Not completely constant as in one pitch but it is a constant noise. I cant tell if its a bearing noise from lack of usage or that the squirrel cage is barely touching something or its just normal. Are those furnace motors hard to remove or mess with? I overheard someone telling someone else that its not worth dealing with them and just to replace the entire unit. Obviously not the choice I'd choose unless there was no other option.

[wolfe10]

The motor has BUSHINGS, not bearings. And, yes you can oil them. Use a light viscosity non-detergent oil such as sowing machine oil.

[John_M_M]

We have a Atwood Hydro Flame furnace model 8535-IV and it howels when we try to run it. Can it be oiled or does it have sealed barrings.
Can you easily replace just the motor and where can you buy one.

[lonekazoo]

After a trip over rough roads two years ago (which is basically any road in Utah) my Suburban furnace started making a hideous grinding noise. I pulled the whole unit out and found where the squirrel cage fan was rubbing on the housing. I used a zip tie to secure it down, which lasted a few months. I ended up taking it out again and sinking a bolt through the housing to pull it away from the fan. No trouble since, it's much quieter than ever, and I feel like a certified HVAC repairman.

[C_Schomer]

My old Dometic has oilite bronze. It was easy to take apart and clean and oil them. Craig

[sum1]

powderman426 wrote:

sum1 wrote:
Yours may be different, but I have gotten YEARS of extended and quiet life out of squealing fan motors by getting a couple of drops of oil into the bearings. Get creative to reach the bearings: sewing machine oil dispenser, Q-tip taped to a length of wire, a piece of broom straw dipped into the oil, a twig with just the right curves, ...

Because the bearings are sealed, that wont work unless you get the motor out and drill small oil holes into them. For that much trouble, you might just as well replace the motor. JMO

This has not been my experience.

[KATOOM]

Thanks guys.

[Old-Biscuit]

Suburban Furnace Manual

Covers various models including yours.....SF35

[T18skyguy]

Those blower's are darn noisy even when they work right. Mine sounds like a jet engine. That's why I use electric plug in unit. I wouldn't sleep a minute with that thing going.

[jetcare]

The top hole is for the combustion air intake and the bottom hole is for the exhaust.

[KATOOM]

So far its not helping. Its a Suburban SF35F. Is there downloadable manuals online? Also, there is only heat coming out of the bottom outside vent. Is that normal? Whats the top vent hole for? Sorry for sounding so ignorant but this is "my" first "nice" trailer where my others were old and I could relate (or more easily work on).

[KATOOM]

Letting it run for awhile sounds worthy of trying. I'll see if that helps.

[WDP]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Really depends on Mfg. and model.


Motor bearings are sealed..so oiling them won't help.

Year/Brand/Model info would be helpful.

The blower motors have oil soaked bushings, not sealed bearings, easily and effectively oiled. As mentioned, either sewing machine oil or 20W non detergent motor oil will fit the bill.

WDP

[ksg5000]

I hadn't used my heater in a couple years and when I finally turned it on during one of my "inspections" it squealed. I turned the propane off and let the fan run for an hour and it hasn't squealed again - might work in your case and didn't cost a dime.

[RoyB]

I hope you are not confusing the loud noise the blower usually makes with a possible bad bearing noise.

My furnace blower sound like it sounds when you are sitting in the back roll of seats on a MD80 Jet Plane... a real loud GRRRRRRRRR type noise.

The loud noise coupled with the 6-8AMPS the blower motor draws sure does keep me from using the gas furnace very much.

Roy Ken