VC Montpellier Fan maintenance

[Tracks74]

I have done lots of searches on past threads and it is obvious the fan unit needs the most amount of attention on the Vermont Castings Montpellier insert.
I figured out how to remove the fan assembly just fine, but I am wondering what are the best maintenance techniques others have found.
The housing around the squirrel cage fans are all riveted together, so to get at the guts of the unit, it appears you have to drill out the pop rivets and re-assemble the housing. Not sure I want to try that.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Really wanting to quiet this fan unit down.

I have found that the sound can greatly change just by applying pressure to slide the unit a bit, changing the contact pressure spots of the fan assembly to the entire stove, fwiw.

Btw, the unit was bought in 2011 and is past any warranty I have read others have applied for fan assembly replacement.


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[begreen]

If necessary, drilling out pop rivets is pretty quick and easy. It takes a sharp 1/8" drill bit to clear them out. Reriveting is quick and easy usually. Do you know if this is a sleeve or ball bearing motor?

 

[Tracks74]

It looks like a sleeve bearing


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[begreen]

If sleeve bearing is there an oil port? If none, I have carefully drilled into the oiling felt surrounding the bearing so that I can re-oil it with some light oil like 3n1.

 

[Tracks74]

I will check it out more when I remove it again this week.
Are there any good materials to put between the fan assembly and the insert?


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[Tracks74]

Specifically, between the top of the housing and the insert.


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[begreen]

As a vibration damper? It would need to be non-combustible. Maybe a small section of kaowool blanket?

 

[missedbass]

I used gasket roping on the bottom and it has helped. I also cut some filter screen and put it on the air intakes.