Thread Number: 38891  /  Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
Oreck Magnesium motor Question..... 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 413009   8/22/2019 at 15:41 (1,705 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        

Hi all, does anyone know if the motor has bearings or bushings?

I just cleaned and reassembled one only to hear an odd sound when it is powering off.

Originally there was some cards pieces caught in the fan blades and quite a bit of wear on the fan blades, but it does power up and sound good at high and low speed.

It is just when I turn it off it is a low whirrrrrrring sound from the motor.

Please help.


Post# 413025 , Reply# 1   8/23/2019 at 01:42 (1,705 days old) by vacuumdevil (Vacuum Hell )        

vacuumdevil's profile picture
It has ball bearings. I would recommend changing the fan/fan housing .

Post# 413039 , Reply# 2   8/23/2019 at 16:01 (1,704 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
Thanks Alex...

 I called a local store and talked to the Oreck 'expert". (He used to work in a now closed Oreck store locally. I asked him if the motor has bearings or bushings.

He did not know. He said when they decided the motor was bad, they simply swapped it for a new one, never having opened it up.

I ran the vacuum today and aside from the sound, it worked great. But I was not satisfied.

This afternoon, I opened it up to find it has bearings. One was freer moving than the other. I pried off the seal on both, irrigated with WD40, dried and added grease.

Sounds the same.

So you suspect the fan housing? Me too.

Post# 413046 , Reply# 3   8/23/2019 at 22:34 (1,704 days old) by vacuumdevil (Vacuum Hell )        

vacuumdevil's profile picture
@fantomfan57 Well you're going to need a new motor now WD-40 will dissolve the grease in the motor bearings.

Post# 413053 , Reply# 4   8/24/2019 at 01:39 (1,704 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

madman's profile picture
If something is rubbing, it will likely make the sound all the time, not just on wind-down. Then again, the fan will be pretty loud when running, and may mask other sounds.

Can you rotate it by hand? Does it bind at all? Better question is, can you rotate it with the motor housing on?

Post# 413055 , Reply# 5   8/24/2019 at 04:38 (1,703 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
Alex & MM

 I dried up the WD40 before adding the grease, but you may be right.

MadMan, I can rotate it by hand, but I will check out if something is rubbing or binding.

I think the fan is louder than expected on High, more so on low and when turned off.

I may have to take it apart for the 5 time and pay more attention to what was suggested by you all. Definitely redo the bearings.

Where do you all get your replacement bearings?



Post# 413056 , Reply# 6   8/24/2019 at 05:07 (1,703 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
Youtube

 I was checking out a YT vid.. The sound of the motor with the bearings going out, sounds familiar. So, it is quite possible it is the bearings.

As I plan to keep and use this vac, I will replace them. But I will be replacing the fan/housing combo as the fan blades have wear & damage.

I have been waiting for the new brush roll from an Ebay seller where the package has gone missing. An estimate of a week from Pennsylvania to Texas seems a lot. Also the claim that USPS "messed up the scanning" so the tracking shows, nothing but a label being created.

At this rate, I would guess the part is not located in the US.


Post# 413062 , Reply# 7   8/24/2019 at 18:21 (1,703 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
Dead in the water....

 I was unable to remove the bearings, I just don't have the proper tool to get into the tight space to get behind either bearing. I reassembled the unit and will use until motor dies. I will find a motor somewhere soon.

Design issue, easy to install, difficult to remove scenario.

Can anyone recommend a bearing puller that I can use?

Post# 413066 , Reply# 8   8/24/2019 at 21:18 (1,703 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

madman's profile picture
Kinda depends on the individual application. I'm not familiar with that motor.

Silly question though, how much is the whole motor?

Post# 413146 , Reply# 9   8/27/2019 at 18:50 (1,700 days old) by FantomLightning (Ohio)        
I...

 Don't believe that motor is meant to be serviceable at all. Best bet would probably be entire replacement, hopefully the motor isn't too expensive. The classic XL motor is incredibly reasonable for "generic" (non Oreck branded).

Post# 413147 , Reply# 10   8/27/2019 at 19:17 (1,700 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
MM & Zach

 The motor is small, one bearing is too close to a cooling fan collar and the other is too close to the "armature". I can see there was, is a specialized machine that mounted these at the factory.

I can get a motor on Ebay for $65, but will eventually find another Magnesium for around $15 at Goodwill. Between the two of them, I will end up with a good one and a parts machine.

Zach, you have to be right about this motor, not meant to be serviced.

Thanks.


Post# 413187 , Reply# 11   8/28/2019 at 17:40 (1,699 days old) by kirbyvacuum (Long Island New York)        
oreck Quality

 Is Oreck quality going DOWN Hill? I hope not.I never had much to say about them one way or another Way over priced.Well while doing my morning walk about in April or so I found a 4O aniversary one in the trash. Took it home cleaned it up Bag was very full. And belt was broken .I took a chance and ordered what I needed. Imust say i am a Kirby guy all the way.WOW what a nice job it bose on the rugs a bit loud but very good. My wife LOVES it Because it is to heavy to bring upstairs. I realy like it. What do you all think? Should READ NOT TO HEAVY TO BRING UPSTAIRS

Post# 413231 , Reply# 12   8/29/2019 at 19:57 (1,698 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)        
Oreck Quality......

 I recall reading that due to Hurricane Katria, Oreck suffered great losses in the form of the factory and workforce. I believe they attempted to rebuild but were unable to get a good enough workforce so the quality went down.

I think then Oreck was sold to another group who for one thing, did not cultivate the European company that was making the Dutchtech canisters. So they went away.

I hope most of this is accurate.

Post# 413233 , Reply# 13   8/29/2019 at 20:57 (1,698 days old) by FantomLightning (Ohio)        
You're...

 Not totally off. To my knowledge their actual reasoning for leaving LA was that the tax breaks Oreck had gotten for opening a factory and creating jobs were ending and not being renewed. They made the decision to move based on that.

They were sold I believe first to some form of venture marketing group, they're now however in the hands of TTI. TTI had actually being doing well with them and things seemed alright. Now however I see signs of them cheapening things mainly on the commercial line. The lowest end blue commercial XL now comes with a very cheap plastic brushroll in place of the original wood. The U2000RB-1 that ran the first generation "Endurolife" belt that was serpentine has been swapped for the simpler and cheaper flat synthetic Endurolife belt the rest of the line has been using for a few years.

Outside that the Magnesium has been what I'd consider the lowest quality machine currently, it's fully built and assembled in China unlike the rest of the current line up. Worst by far however was the Oreck Touch bagless. The amount I've seen with failed motors is staggering.

In all honesty I don't think any of the motors with the exception of the carbon brushes on the classic XL and XL21 platform machines are meant to be serviceable, funnily enough it's basically the same cost for the carbon brushes as the entire motor last I looked.


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