Air Conditioning - Squeaking Fan On York Unit

Hello to everyone! I found this site by accident while doing a search for home repairs. I've been reading lots of posts and appreciate all the information shared here.

After my Grandmother passed away a couple years ago and I purchased her house. She had a York central furnace heating and cooling system installed but since I couldn't find any paper work or manuals, I have no idea how old this system is.

For the past few days, the fan on the top of the unit is squeaking. It's a metallic squeak and quite loud. (Neighbors can hear it.) Could someone please give me an idea of what might be causing this? It's cooling very well but I realize the noise indicates a problem. Could it be something as simple as the fan needing a few drops of oil or am I in for a major repair?

Many thanks!
Carly

Sounds like you need to lubricate the fan motor. Some of them have a sealed bearing. You can tell by looking on the motor for some little ports to add oil. If you don't see them you probably have a sealed motor and you will have to have it replaced.

I would say if the squeaking is that loud the blower wheel has spun out & the center hub is loose. It could also be the motor bearing but my money is on the blower wheel. Shut off power to the unit and look for oil holes like bossman said, they usually have yellow plugs that cap the holes, than check the blower wheel make sure the set screw is tight & on the flat part of the shaft & see if you can move the center part of the blower wheel independenly from the outer part, if so it needs a new wheel. 10 year old unit might as well change both & throw in a new capacitor too.

Be sure and turn the electric off to the furnace before reaching in there. If you turn it off at just the t-stat there's a chance it may come on somehow.

I think Carly is referring to the squeak as coming from the condenser fan on the outdoor unit, as she mentions the neighbors can hear it. Those motors are lubricated for life, and cannot be oiled. I'd recommend you call a York tech, but I'm guessing you will end up having to replace the fan motor in the condensing unit.

DOH!! Good observation there Beachboy, you are correct.

Still turn the power off.

Yup good catch beachboy. I read furnace and thought she was talking about the blower section. Probably a bad cfm or the fan blade is rubbing on the condenser shroud.

Carly you might try shutting the unit down and then turning the fan blade by hand with a stick poked thru the screen to see if it is maybe hitting something or if you can hear the bearing squeak a bit. Most likely you will need a new motor but hey the neighborhood great dane may have hopped on top of your unit and bent a wire down into the blade or something.

I did call a tech today and he said it's the bearings in the fan motor. Oh jeepers, I was hoping a shot of WD-40 might be the trick to quieten down the squeaky fan but no such luck for me.

Beachboy, you were right. My apologies for not making my note a bit clearer. I was referring to the fan on the top of the outside unit.

And to Mr. Fixit....no such luck for the neighbors having a Great Dane. If they did, there wouldn't be a cat named Sam who hangs out here. ;-)

Carly