Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi, I recenetly baught a used- and in good condition besides the motor - Electrolux Silverado. First I would just like to say DAMN these things are well made! I picked up the new-style wire reinforced hose with it as well as a SideKick I for TEN DOLLARS! The SideKick was $10, and the machine with the hose, wand setup, and decent-good condition powernozzle was $25. DAMN GOOD PRICE! There is a catch, however: The motor gives off a burning smell. I was aware of this before I baught it, but I think I can fix it, I just need to know HOW TO GET to the motor itself! Anybody know how?

Hi Hertz,

Try the folks at Hesco, Inc.  I've used them once or twice if I recall correctly.  Following is a link to a PDF which offers a part number.  The company's toll-free number is at the bottom of the page.  Please be advised that I am totally unaware of what they charge.  Nonetheless, if you can do the work yourself, I think you'll come out at far less expense than you would by buying a refurb. 

http://www.elkypro.com/hoops2005/vacuum_parts/electrolux/el_001.html

Best,

Venson

Thank you very much for the link, however not only do I think I have found a used WHOLE CANISTER for ONLY $20 AGAIN!!! BUT Hesco no longer carries Lux motors anymore :( Thanks for your trouble though! :D

Have you determined what is actually wrong with the motor??  Armatures are still available for this type of motor.  Bearings can still be replaced.  Fan bearings are readily available, #608, the sleeve bearing, you'd have to find someone with old stock.  I'm basing this on the premise that your Silverado has the SJ motor in it as opposed to the LF style.  Lux does having a special mounting kit for their VM3 motor which will replace the SJ motor.  The main problem here is getting a 5.25 inch diameter motor to fit.  There are still replacement motors out there.  There's a single stage 5.25 inch out there that has the black plastic style carbon brush holder.  If it is the LF motor, it would be easier to fit as it's the standard 5.7 inch diameter.  Mr Mole might have some replacement suggestions as well. 

Vernon

Hi I have 50 sets of  SJ,O-1 , Silverado [non lf style motors]carbons  the armature sounds like it has a few open segaments .I have armatures also,

These are the best motors aerus/ electrolux ever produced.

Just put 3 together for customers last week.

Pm me if interested in rebuild....

PS make sure the hose is not pourous............

regards

MOLE

Hey guys thank you SO MUCH for your AWESOME and helpful replies, but I actually called around and determined that either A.) The armature's bad, B.) The brushes are worn, or C.) Other. The brushes did look completely gone, and there was *MASS* arching in happening inside (it was like a frickin' blue and white light show!) - I would say the brushes definitely had a role, and just overall the motor didn't sound very healthy and was VERY weak. BUT GET THIS!!!!! I called my local vac store - Kramer's - and this *AWESOME* dude named 'David' soled me a PERFECTLY WORKING - though in overall bad-decent condition - Electrolux Silverado WITH WORKING ALL METAL ACCOMPANYING POWER NOZZEL, A SET OF BAGS (from previous owner) TWO COMBI TOOLS (one dirty one from previous owner, and one straight from their back storage container that this AWESOME guy lets me go through and scrounge around in, as well as the back lot as a whole B) ) AND TWO floor tools - a combination rug/floor nozzle and a straight up floor nozzle - ALL FOR $25 DOLLARS!!!)(#$*#)(*!!!!! Frickin' AMAZING what you can score if you look hard and meet the right people!!!!!! He also through in two metal extension wands which actually don't fit, but they were attached to the floor-only nozzle so I took 'em :D SO, I replaced the PERFECTLY working motor into the better condition Silverado - as well as some other bits and bobs that were in better condition on the Kramer's one - as well as re-oil and clean out the whole motor (spend about an hour or so making sure nearly EVERY bit of dirt was gone and it was nice and oiled and looking nearly new; there was * A LOT * of dirt in that motor!!) and cleaned up my whole main Silverado, and it sucks like a beast!!! Almost as strong as a Dyson I would say B) B) (and we all should agree that Dysons do, indeed, have VERY strong suction) But yeah, this thing has GREAT SUCTION! I mean it can hold it's heavy hose with two plastic extension wands right to my hand, and with the upholstery tool attached making the air flow area wider, it will stick to my hand even with semi-vigorous shaking. :D Awesome machine, and quiet too! Hey mole, I still might take you up on that offer given I now have an empty and dirty Silverado case that only needs a nice working motor. Oh, and a pressure tube for the auto-shutoff. Have any of those? A new cord rewind might be nice, but I can just have that serviced. I won't be buying any time soon, but is there a solid way I can contact you if need be?

Hertz,

     You scare me when you say you oiled the motor. Did you take off the end cap and oil the felt underneath? When you cleaned the fans did you take them out to wash them? The armature and the carbon brushes were both bad. That is why the motor was weak. The sleeve bearing is referred to as an oil lite bearing having oil in it and a small amount in the felt to let it absorb more in it when needed as the motor heats up. I hope you don't have any problem with the motor. If you ever do put a new armature and brushes in and have access to a rheostat hookup you need to break motor in at half speed for 30 minutes to seat the carbon brushes correctly. I have a hookup from Electrolux where I hook up two cleaners on the same cord and it cuts the speed to 50%.  Good luck.

                                                                                                     Procare

No, I did nothing more than spray a good bit of silicon-based lubricant around each end of the armature of the "NEW" motor that works - w/o the bad carbon brushes or armature. I think you're getting it wrong; I'm not using the "weak" motor, I bought a used - but near-perfectly - if not perfectly - - working Lux Silverado so I transplanted the motors (as well as some other bits and bobs). I oiled - or more specifically: Lubricated - small areas of the motor. I may just have the busted motor sent in to this great guy at: www.vacuumman.com who specializes in rebuilding and refurbishing all-things Electrolux. What would be "scaring" you though? Why would "oiling" or lubricating it be a problem?!

Electrolux motors are not to be oiled in the way you described. One end has a sealed ball bearing that if there is a problem with it being dry and bad replace it. The other end where the carbon brushes are you take off the end cap and put oil in the felt and not spray in between the armature. Damage to the carbon brushes and the armature can occur.I have seen several machines that caught fire from people doing what you said you did.  Carbon Brushes also have softened up causing the brushes to go bad. Any number of things can go bad. In all the time Electrolux  has been out customers were told not to oil the motor. The cleaners had Ball Bearings in the majority of their cleaners. (37k-39k and 38kdd bearings) . I was a serviceman for Electrolux and know what I am talking about.       Oiling of vacuum cleaners was for Hoovers and Eureka and other uprights that used sleeve type bearings . They even showed customers where to oil them in their manuals. As cleaners got more powerful ball bearings became the norm with very few having sleeve bearings. Power heads have the sleeve bearings.

                                                                                     Procare

Procare

Have you figured out a way to fix the bottom end problems on the modular motors, the fan end, I just cant seem to clearence them correctly Cant buy the lower housings with the bracket and bearing anymore ,You know the 6500 style

I press the top bearing on with the arbor press [no problem but after drilling out the lower bearing retainer and installing the new bearing and reriveting the retainer the clearences just seem to go away and cause it to rumble on the shut down.

Your help would be appreciated.

Thanks

MOLE

procare wrote:

Well it shouldn't be a problem considering it was only a SMALL bit of LUBRICANT and I blew vast streams of air in there to try it out with my Heritage II Kirby, so there wasn't much lubricant in there left at all. It runs fine, no burning smell or smoking, so I'm nearly sure it wasn't affected (the motor) much at all :] Thanks for your concern though! :] Now I ask: Is it possible to buy post-motor filters for the Silverado or any metal machines? I know not officially, but aftermarket maybe? The thing that's impressive is that with these American-Made DVC aftermarket bas with "Genuine MicroFiltration" - there's virtually NO "vacuum smell" and the air blowing out is VERY clean smelling! I'm just curious if there are even any after market filters available?