Hayden H Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Is the Cham[ion 400 supposed to be a mulyi-directional crank blower? I picked one up the other day on a trade, and it was seized, and nothing'd come off. Today I got all the oil ports off, and had to drill-out one of the bolts on the top gear box cover, (yes I know penetrating oil didn't work) I even tried a hammer impact with a flat blade end. (Sheared the vintage Snap On blade off). Upon closer inspection of the internals. ITS MINT (all but the gear box cover bolt)!!! Stands perfect, but its difficult to turn one way, and it won't turn at all the other way. I'm thinking it may have something to do with the worm-drive shaft being loose. Because when I look down into the blower and turn the crank, it appears to slip 1/16th forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Hayden, my Champion 400 moves air either way I push the crank. Clock-wize is most natural for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 It only turns clock wise, I think the worm shaft is loose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 My turns both ways as well. Next time you have a stuck bolt on something try a little heat on it. A small plumbers torch (Mapp gas) usually works for me. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Spray penetrating oil everywhere then turn the fan by hand - not the handle. The gear train works in reverse to help free up stuck spots (just don't force anything). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 I'll have to go get some more penetrating oil. I can't seem to find my PB Blaster or WD40. Its soaking in used filtered 10w 30 at the moment. I'll flush all that oil out, then put bar and chain oil in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Get that set of fan shaft bearings out and clean everything. Any rust/dirt in the ball bearings will caue a tight spot. I find that these are wonderful machines, unless they have been neglected in any way. The other blowers, with out all them ball bearings are quite a bit more forgiving and seem to hold up much better and operate just as well in my real world/hands-on experience. I have a cross sectional view of the 400. If I could figure out how to copy that from the manual to the computer,I'd post it up. WoW. What a contraption. You really must wonder who thought all that up and why it was needed. Simply amazing. You have seen that picture if you have a copy of that Champion Forge and Blower catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 http://www.google.com/patents?id=zYxlAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=804860&rview=1&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=0_1#v=onepage&q&f=false Inside the Champion 400. This thing is full of stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 WD-40 isn't very good as a rust breaker, it's "Water Displacer #40" If you don't have a tub large enough to just soak the whole thing in, buy something designed for rust, PB Blaster is good, I like LPS2 or 3 or ef you prefer to improvise ATF has good penetrating characteristics and is a good lube. As an old timer told me once many years ago, "if you know what caused the problem that's what will break it loose." That's a paraphrase as it's been probably 40 years but he was talking about breaking rusty bolts and recommended using water and it worked a treat. I've had good luck warming rusted together stuff to coffee cup hot and submerging it in water with a little Calgon in it as a wetting agent (surfacant). The best advise so far is, "Don't force it!" Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 PB Blaster'd it. It only turns one way, is that due to the bottom worm shaft being loose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Sorry, I got side tracked. If it turns at all rust is not your problem. Sure there's plenty in there and needs to be adressed but rust is NOT what's got it jammed. What's jamming it is crap in the gears and needs flushing out. Old blowers are wonderful homes for critters from ferrets down, there's NO telling what you might find in one. Wasp nests are common as are mouse nests and skeletons. Not to mention human kids and their inborn need to put stuff in things, ESPECIALLY if it makes a cool grinding, grating or banging sound. Try gently working it back and forth while upside down so falling crap can exit the inspection plate hole. Forget oil, it'll actually make dirt stick. Better than oil set up a hose and nozzle to spray into it while you work it, a good flow of fast moving water will lift and wash stuff out of the works. Pay attention of what's happening on a detail level. For instance, I'll bet you've never tried moving it unless it's right side up. Try turning it upside down, on it's left side, right side, etc. and watch what happens. One problem that can cause a blower to turn only one way is part of the gear train being loose. A gear doesn't need to move much to get out of mesh and lock up, the direction it turns can be what either keeps it in position or throws it out. Anyway, this is what I think is going on, something in the works needs tightening before trying to MAKE it work bends or breaks it good. OR there's something jamming the works, a stick or say nail can make an escapement so a gear can only turn one direction. So can a pebble but that's less likely. Wash it out, upside down and side to side, flush it from the output, input and access plates. Work it gently till it frees up, be patient, this may not happen in a few hours. Don't forget the air hose to flush it, wear PPE! If you can't play it free THEN think about taking it apart but leave that as your last resort. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Gummy/sticky blowers filled with old/dry/dirty lube get a steam bath first while it is together, then I take it apart to the point of inspection and or repair. More cleaning and then lube and assemble. I find that blowers require very few new parts internally, though the ball bearings can be sourced if they are really rerally rusty or cleaned in a shell casing tumbler. A new wood handle is a nice touch too. I cannot make them so I have a friend turn themout on his wood lathe for me. Nothing looks worse than a nice looking blower with a cracked/broken/or missing handle. The square headed set screws can be sourced from the local hardware and look much better than a modern hexed-head cap screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 I'll mess with the blower tomorrow afternoon, I got caught up with my knife pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 I figured out what was wrong with it finally. (Soemthign I should've checked first off) The clearance adjusting bolts for the bronze gear was almost completely loose allowing the shaft to not contact the screw drive. shes fixed now, but shes harder to turn than my other Champion 400 (Made before 1921), btu that ones bronze gear was worn to paper thin teeth, this blower on the other hand has absolutely no wear on the gears, (its missing the wooden handle), and had the remains of a gasket inbetween the fan housing shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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