Re: any way to resurrect a weak fan?

On 2025-06-21 3:12 p.m., micky wrote:

In sci.electronics.repair, on Sat, 21 Jun 2025 15:58:01 -0400, Bill
Abers <none@anywherenet.com> wrote:
 

So my refrigerator evaporator fan has become too weak to turn.  Well, it
turns, but very slowly maybe 1 RPM when the normal speed is 3000 or so.

 
How old is the refrigerator?  I had a similar problem about 10 years ago
when my Sears Kenmore (Whirlpool?) was 37 years old.  The fan wasn't
turning at all, for 2, probably 3 months, because I didn't have time to
fix it.  I figured it would overheat and ruin the fridge.
 
Since I fixed the fan, it's been 10 years, and everything still works
fine.  It never stopped being cold even when the fan was stopped.
 
I did have to defrost the frost-free refrigerator last week, first  time
in 42 years (plus 4 years before I bought the house.),  There was about
4 softballs worth of frost.  The freezer is a trifle colder now I think,
for the same setting.
 

I have a new one on the way but, before my food spoils, is there any way
to perhaps resurrect this existing fan, just to keep it going for 2-3
days until the new one arrives?  I wiggled it once or twice which
initiated full speed, but it didn't last.  I also tried lightly oiling
it but no difference.

 
I'm surprised that didn't help.  maybe you need an even lighter oil.
Does WD-40 have some sort of solvent effect, that might dissolve
"sludge" on the shaft?
 
  Thanks in advance.

 
WD-40 is terrible to use on anything you want to be still working in a
year or so's time. It reacts with the oils and turns to goo...
 
The stuff is a good Rust Preventative! Everything other claim is
marketing hype.