I started noticing a really bad squeaky sound coming from the
furnace. It usually happens right away when it kicks on, then goes
away after it has run for a while (but sometimes it will start at
arbitrary times).

I assume I need to oil something but I'm not sure what and what type
of oil to use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan

Two possibilities:

1. Motor bearings need oil -- 10W30 motor oil will work. Use a pump
oiler with a long spout to reach:

a. Bearings (2) on motor
b. Bearings (2) on shaft ends of fan, if belt driven..

You may have to loosen things to pull the fan assembly out so you can
get at it.

2. Slipping fan belt, if so equipped. There should be a tensioning
screw or other adjustment. Set so firm thumb pressure depresses belt
about 1/2" It also sometimes helps to use "belt dressing" on the
belt.

I keep a spare belt on hand at all times. Size is stamped on the top
(outside) of the belt. Any good hardware or auto parts store.

Check belts and/or bearing twice a year. Check burning/pilot light at
same time. I check at the beginning and the end of the heating season.

Do filters monthly. Consider a "washable" filter and spray-filter oil
for better dust pickup.

lagman wrote:
I started noticing a really bad squeaky sound coming from the
furnace. It usually happens right away when it kicks on, then goes
away after it has run for a while (but sometimes it will start at
arbitrary times).

I assume I need to oil something but I'm not sure what and what type
of oil to use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan
When my last furnace started "squeaking"
it was caused by the blower
squirrel cage, literally coming apart at
the welds. It started like a
sizzling/squeaking sound, but then,
after some time, it got very loud and
annoying. I was able to replace the
blower squirrel cage to fix the
problem.

On Jan 19, 2:47*pm, Art Todesco wrote:
lagman wrote:
I started noticing a really bad squeaky sound coming from the
furnace. *It usually happens right away when it kicks on, then goes
away after it has run for a while (but sometimes it will start at
arbitrary times).

I assume I need to oil something but I'm not sure what and what type
of oil to use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan

When my last furnace started "squeaking"
* it was caused by the blower
squirrel cage, literally coming apart at
the welds. * It started like a
sizzling/squeaking sound, but then,
after some time, it got very loud and
annoying. *I was able to replace the
blower squirrel cage to fix the
problem.

My old clunker had oil cups on the blower and oil ports on the motor,
newer stuff is sealed bearings you cant oil. Maybe a loose belt. I
think any oil is good, except cooking oil, although once as a kid I
put mazola in the mower. Oil if you can but sound going away sounds
like a belt if you have one.

On Jan 19, 1:41 pm, professorpaul wrote:
Two possibilities:

1. Motor bearings need oil -- 10W30 motor oil will work. Use a pump
oiler with a long spout to reach:

a. Bearings (2) on motor
b. Bearings (2) on shaft ends of fan, if belt driven..

You may have to loosen things to pull the fan assembly out so you can
get at it.

2. Slipping fan belt, if so equipped. There should be a tensioning
screw or other adjustment. Set so firm thumb pressure depresses belt
about 1/2" It also sometimes helps to use "belt dressing" on the
belt.

I keep a spare belt on hand at all times. Size is stamped on the top
(outside) of the belt. Any good hardware or auto parts store.

Check belts and/or bearing twice a year. Check burning/pilot light at
same time. I check at the beginning and the end of the heating season.

Do filters monthly. Consider a "washable" filter and spray-filter oil
for better dust pickup.

I see two fans in there.. One is smaller and is connected to the
exhaust, and one is a larger squirrel cage.. Which one do I need to
oil? Of course, now I can't get it to make noise again so I don't
know exactly which one the noise is coming from.

The larger fan looks like it would be quite a chore to pull out..
There are various other boxes mounted in front.

"ransley" wrote


once as a kid I
put mazola in the mower.



That was pretty corney.....

On Jan 19, 6:09 pm, Bubba wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:05:32 -0800 (PST), lagman



wrote:
On Jan 19, 1:41 pm, professorpaul wrote:
Two possibilities:

1. Motor bearings need oil -- 10W30 motor oil will work. Use a pump
oiler with a long spout to reach:

a. Bearings (2) on motor
b. Bearings (2) on shaft ends of fan, if belt driven..

You may have to loosen things to pull the fan assembly out so you can
get at it.

2. Slipping fan belt, if so equipped. There should be a tensioning
screw or other adjustment. Set so firm thumb pressure depresses belt
about 1/2" It also sometimes helps to use "belt dressing" on the
belt.

I keep a spare belt on hand at all times. Size is stamped on the top
(outside) of the belt. Any good hardware or auto parts store.

Check belts and/or bearing twice a year. Check burning/pilot light at
same time. I check at the beginning and the end of the heating season.

Do filters monthly. Consider a "washable" filter and spray-filter oil
for better dust pickup.

I see two fans in there.. One is smaller and is connected to the
exhaust, and one is a larger squirrel cage.. Which one do I need to
oil? Of course, now I can't get it to make noise again so I don't
know exactly which one the noise is coming from.

The larger fan looks like it would be quite a chore to pull out..
There are various other boxes mounted in front.

You would need to oil the motor that is squeaking but the high
efficiency furnace you have most likely does not have oil ports.
Usually a squeaking noise is caused by a pending bearing failure which
results in a motor failure. Nothing you can do about it unless the
squeak is something else.
Bubba

It started squeaking again. This time I took off the cover and was
able to confirm that the sound is coming from the smaller fan attached
to the exhaust. This makes me worried.. If this motor fails, will I
have a basement full of CO2?

On Jan 20, 7:14*am, Bubba wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:27:43 -0800 (PST), lagman





wrote:
On Jan 19, 6:09 pm, Bubba wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:05:32 -0800 (PST), lagman

wrote:
On Jan 19, 1:41 pm, professorpaul wrote:
Two possibilities:

1. Motor bearings need oil -- 10W30 motor oil will work. Use a pump
oiler with a long spout to reach:

* * * * * * * * a. Bearings (2) on motor
* * * * * * * * b. Bearings (2) on shaft ends of fan, if belt driven..

You may have to loosen things to pull the fan assembly out so you can
get at it.

2. Slipping fan belt, if so equipped. There should be a tensioning
screw or other adjustment. Set so firm thumb pressure depresses belt
about 1/2" *It also sometimes helps to use "belt dressing" on the
belt.

I keep a spare belt on hand at all times. Size is stamped on the top
(outside) of the belt. Any good hardware or auto parts store.

Check belts and/or bearing twice a year. Check burning/pilot light at
same time. I check at the beginning and the end of the heating season.

On Jan 20, 1:30 am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Oh, gosh, don't use 10W30. That absorbs moisture from the air. Please, don't
use detergent oils.


Huh? What about a car engine then?? I have never had anything that I
could attribute to moisture absorbtion in oil. A citation, please...

On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:26:57 -0800 (PST), lagman
wrote:

I started noticing a really bad squeaky sound coming from the
furnace. It usually happens right away when it kicks on, then goes
away after it has run for a while (but sometimes it will start at
arbitrary times).

I assume I need to oil something but I'm not sure what and what type
of oil to use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan

Stand by the furnace until it starts and figure out the source of the
noise. If its the motor 10/30 motor oil on the motor bearings should
work. A car's engine runs a lot hotter than you furnace so it will
work.

If not and you have an old style gas furnace with a squirrel cage
blower the bronze bearings are probably shot. They are quite easy to
remove and to replace. A HVAC supplies shop will have replacements.
They should cost less than $20. Check the cage shaft too to see any
scouring. Replace the shaft or shift it sideways to present a good
round shaft surface to the bearings if that is possible. The shaft and
bearings are meant to run dry. Grease will dry up in the heat and
cause problems. Oil will create an abrasive slurry with the bronze
bearing shavings. Even if the bearings are not the problem $20 is a
very cheap investment and resets the condition of your bearings for
another 20 years of trouble free running.

On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:27:43 -0800 (PST), lagman
wrote:

It started squeaking again. This time I took off the cover and was
able to confirm that the sound is coming from the smaller fan attached
to the exhaust. This makes me worried.. If this motor fails, will I
have a basement full of CO2?


Go to a HVAC supplies shop and get a new fan. Replace. Its not worth
the time and effort to fool around fixing it.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:14:37 -0500, Bubba
wrote:

Well, I have good news and bad news.
The bad news is, your home is already full of CO2.
The good news is, you home is already full of CO2.
Luckily your home is NOT full of CO.
If the inducer quits, the pressure switch will sense this and shut off
the burner.
Get the motor replaced.
Bubba


I thought you'd come up with a howler like that. You can probably
take the OP for an extrra $100 on you call for saving him from a fate
worse than death.

PaPaPeng wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:26:57 -0800 (PST), lagman
wrote:

I started noticing a really bad squeaky sound coming from the
furnace. It usually happens right away when it kicks on, then goes
away after it has run for a while (but sometimes it will start at
arbitrary times).

I assume I need to oil something but I'm not sure what and what type
of oil to use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan

Stand by the furnace until it starts and figure out the source of the
noise. If its the motor 10/30 motor oil on the motor bearings should
work. A car's engine runs a lot hotter than you furnace so it will
work.

If not and you have an old style gas furnace with a squirrel cage
blower the bronze bearings are probably shot. They are quite easy to
remove and to replace. A HVAC supplies shop will have replacements.
They should cost less than $20. Check the cage shaft too to see any
scouring. Replace the shaft or shift it sideways to present a good
round shaft surface to the bearings if that is possible. The shaft and
bearings are meant to run dry. Grease will dry up in the heat and
cause problems. Oil will create an abrasive slurry with the bronze
bearing shavings. Even if the bearings are not the problem $20 is a
very cheap investment and resets the condition of your bearings for
another 20 years of trouble free running.

The squeaking we get here was actually the blower body vibrating on the
bolts that held it in. Put a hand on it, it'd stop. A little oil
around the screws & it stopped. Comes back abt every three years or
so; pull dust off, oil again.