[VAC] Re: Find that blower!

["Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxx>]

I don't have long term experience with synthetic motor. I do have BAD
long term experience with ordinary motor oil. Long time ago the standard
recommendation for lubricating teletypes was #30 none detergent motor
oil, if the proper teletype oil wasn't handy. That turned out to be bad
advice because in about a year, the none detergent motor oil would turn
to gum, without being heated significantly, and require the machinery be
cleaned with strong solvents, then relubricated. But if the recommended
teletype oil was used, it didn't gum. Probably a detergent oil would
have been some better, but not perfect. Sewing machine and electric
motor oils are generally rated for longer life.

I know some who swear by synthetic motor oil as the lubricant of choice
for old military radios that have many gears, that it doesn't evaporate
from the open gears, and doesn't gum. I've quit using mechanical
teletype machines and such old military radios do I don't have direct
experience, other than that my jar of teletype oil is 35 years old and
has no gum, though it has a odor that I dislike.

Probably as many motors that have provisions for lubrication suffer from
too much lubrication as have long life from proper lubrication. "Sealed
motor bearings do tend to have a lifetime limited by the amount of oil
in reserve. On the other hand, motors properly lubricated with only a
drop of oil for each bearing once a year can have very long lives.

Gerald J.