Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - Blower Has Gotten Noisy

It's been so long since I posted here, that I had to reregister. Glad to see this forum is still going strong.

My York heat pump blower has gotten very noisy over the last several days. I finally had a chance to take the cover off tonight. The motor seems to have a lot of axial play, over an eighth of an inch. When I slide it back and forth, I get a tinny rattle, and when it runs, I get the same rattle and the whole blower frame vibrates. I can barely discern some radial play too. I can hand spin the motor freely with no noise or resistance on rotation.

I can't find anything else loose, so my assumption is the motor bearings are going. Is this a fair assumption? Could my blower wheel have come unbalanced? What is normal endplay and radial play on a motor like this? What else should I be looking for?

BTW, it is a York model N2AHD16AO6C with the motor type listed as PSC 208/230V 4.2FLA 3/4 HP on the external sticker. I can't see any info on the motor itself.

Id say go for a new motor now. Dont hold off till it stops in the middle of the night. Id get a new capacitor also. make sur all the blades on the blower wheel are clean. Mark all the wires so you can put them back.

ED ;)

Thanks Ed, I'm not waiting, we have shut off the unit. Thank goodness the weather is mild. I want to order a new motor today, do you have a favorite supplier that can ship rapidly?

Is it a possible that I have a cracked blade too?

Is it a possible that I have a cracked blade too?
just check the blower wheel when you have it out. You could see if you can buy at Grainger or Johnstone supply if you have one of them by you.

ED ;)

Both my local Johnstone and Grainger refused to sell to a private individual. Anybody else you like that sells to homowners? How about the on-line places?

Boy cant say Id dont buy from on line

http://www.americanhvacparts.com/?OVRAW=sheet%20metal%20ductwork&OVKEY=sheet%20metal%20ductwork&OVMTC=standard


http://www.heatcoolparts.com/

You Can try them

ED;)

Try a local hvac company. They might sell over the counter to the public. The company I work for does.

Thanks. That's precisely what I did. The local, family-run HVAC company has always treated us well. So I set up an appointment and brought them the assembly this morning. The one brother changed the Emerson motor out for an AO Smith generic, installed a new belly band and set up the wiring, as the speeds were wired differently. He also gave us a new capacitor. Only charged us $168. I installed it this afternoon, and guess what, no improvement in the noise and vibration. Argh! He did note that the fanwheel had some pretty large runout. So it looks like it is time for a new fanwheel too. Now how would it get bent like that?

Are there replacement fanwheels sold that are more efficient or quieter? I'm guessing this unit is original with the house, which was built in 1991. Or am I stuck replacing like for like?

That shop you went to should have a new blower wheel or an old one around sounds like it lost a weight off the wheel that balance it.

ED ;)