"D O G" wrote in message
.net...
I am fairly clueless about it, please forgive me if my questions are
completely stupid.


You asked questions...no question is stupid if you do not know the answer,
however, you may not like the answer you get.
Please keep that in mind.


-The current motor is 1075 rpm 4spd (direct drive), do I need to go with a
4spd motor replacement or a motor with smaller # of speeds will do.

If you have a 4 speed unit, you need 4 speeds. IF you have a dual speed,
normally, you need 4 speeds.
WHY?
The speeds are there for a reason. Its a little thing called static
pressure, and the motors have more than one speed for a reason.
Even a heat pump, that the motor runs at the same speed regardless of heat
or cool mode, will have at least 3 options.


I cannot
set the speed with the thermostat, so I presume thermostat sets the speed
internally, based on its own built-in rules.

Nope.
Its all in the wiring, and how the unit you have, that no one on the net can
see, and the duct design that you have, calls for.


I am guessing then that less
then 4 speed motor will not work or will not be as efficient.

It may not work right, thats correct.


-The motor is 1/3 HP, does it make any sense to go with a slightly more
powerful motor, i.e. 1/2 HP? Any advantages/disadvantages?

Just explosion of the cage...the unit is rated for a particular load, at a
particular RPM, using a particular HP...go higher, and the cage COULD spin
faster than designed, and it COULD come apart...real fun at over 1000 RPM...

-The motor has an external capacitor 5/370. Can I get a replacement motor
with different capacitor's parameters, assuming all the rest of the
motor's
parameters and dimensions are the same. Will it work or the motor must
have
exactly the same capacitors.

You can get anything you want, but, if you have to ask that, its time to
stop...


-What's a good and inexpensive place to buy the motor on the internet?
What
should I expect to pay for it: 115V, 1/3HP, 60HZ, 5.8 AMPS, 1075RMP 4SPD

There isnt a place on the net, in all honesty, that is a good place to buy a
motor, unless you are a certified tech. Everyone else wants too much for
crap motors.
Your best bet, to insure a safe, and complete repair, while its not rocket
science, IS to call a local competent, and licenced tech out to make sure
that it is actually the motor you need...and insure that if it is, you do
not end up like the guy over in Greensboro that was a crispy critter for
trying to replace his motor.
No..its not all doom and gloom...but, better safe than sorry, and in all
honesty, from your questions, you could get hurt, particularly since the
replacement motor MAY NOT be wired the same way.

I have a varity of motors, that fit that bill. They range in price from
about $30 each to over $150. It depends on the application, design of the
unit, and other factors that we simply can not see over the net.

Call a tech...really.


Thanks a lot for your help