"Do not oil" electric motors?

[rev_otis_mcnatt]

I installed a new Emerson condenser blower motor in my home AC's outside unit in 2001. I tried to start it up for the first time today since last fall, and it was a little sluggish at first instant, but now is okay, apparently.

I am almost positive that it stated "do not oil" on the motor casing when I installed it, but I guess I could be wrong, although I doubt it. Trouble is, it was such a pain to get into harness when I bought it that I am reluctant to take it out, just to verify the "do not oil" part. Ya think I should take it out anyway and try a few drops of machine oil for good measure, or do some motors specifically not ever need oil? Thanks for any good input.

-- Otis

[Srgnt Billko]

Not sure about your specifics but I've had motors with either oil holes on one or both ends - sometimes covered with caps. If it doesn't have a specific place to oil I would forget about it.

[Bubba]

You should clean the motor every 4 months and oil it every other month to keep it "squeak free" for many years to come. The extra torque in todays motors require a synthetic oil just to keep them from overheating after 1 hr of continuous running. Dont use machine oil. Use a good quality 3W24 SAE detergent oil. Apply 2.14oz to each bearing every other month. After 1 yr you can lower it to

1.73oz every other month. Each year after you can lower it by .48 oz per year until you need to oil it no longer. Vacuum it with a dirt devil type sweeper every 4 months to keep the dust out of the bearings. This should make your motor last 10 yrs or longer. Bubba

[Richard J Kinch]

Permanently lubricated inside of seals, until it fails. You can't get oil where it would do any good, and it wouldn't last if you did.

If it is sticky getting started, replace it. Otherwise it will fail to start and overheat your compressor, and then let's hope you have fail-safes on the compressor so it isn't destroyed.

[Bubba]

Im sorry, I didnt know someone appointed you my mother. You do have your minion card, dont you? You cant quite make your way around in here without it. Bubba

[Stormin Mormon]

Mine has Zerk fittings. I just pump em full of axle grease every weekend when I don't have anything else to do. Which makes about

26 weekends a year.