Disassemble, Clean & Oil a Lasko Box Fan

On the workbench today is the infamous Lasko 3733 box fan. The disassembly, cleaning and oiling processes are also applicable to nearly all box fans, new or old.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:20 Disassembly & cleaning
11:03 Motor disassembly & cleaning
23:03 Oiling the motor
25:54 Motor reassembly
29:52 Cleaning the switch & cord
33:17 Reassembly
35:38 Test run & outro
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ZoomSpout oil
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Specs:
120VAC 60Hz 1.1A 132W
3-speed PSC motor
Year of manufacture: 2010-11
Made in USA by Lasko
Model: 3733C
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Follow me on Instagram: / thesuperfanman
Instagram post of this fan: Coming in the future!
Song: TheSuperFanMan - Clean Dat Lasko 3733
#ElectricFan

[@veb6814]

Awesome to see an older fan get a second life 10 yrs or 100yrs old still enjoy watching!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! Yeah, sometimes all fans need is some TLC, whether they’re new or old!

[@tomday5830]

Dude you are a trip. Thanks for pimping that fan. 👍

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem ;)

[@kylanwalters37]

This really helped me!!! I have a Lasko just like this one and used this video as a guide to disassemble my fan, clean and oil everything. My fan is no longer binding up like it was and is freely spinning again! Can't wait to see how many years I get out of it now! Thanks!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Awesome, I’m happy to hear that it was helpful!

[@barbaragrant4579]

Thank you. I have 5 or 6 lasso fans that quit working. Now I'm going to try cleaning & oiling them to see if I can get them to work instead of trashing them.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem!

[@markrbutler6452]

Great video. Here's a tip about loosening screws. Before you try to loosen the screw, give it a twist as though you are tightening it. You should hear a tiny 'click' or see the screw move very slightly. The lock has now been broken, and you should be able to unscrew it without difficulty. In the event that a screw (or bolt) starts to feel like it's binding, just tighten it a little bit and then continue to loosen it. If it's been on there for a long time (especially bolts), you may have to repeat this 'tighten/loosen' process several times. An old car mechanic taught me this, and it especially works for rusty bolts or screws. If it doesn't, then you'll need penetrating oil or heat or more leverage, etc, but 9 out of 10 times it works great!...

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Can confirm that the trick does work! :)

[@LRK-GT]

Holy crap! The performance at the end makes me wonder if these are under-lubed from the factory as an in-built obsolescence measure.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That’s the very trend we’re seeing in most of today’s fans! They’re under-lubed to cut cost and to promote premature bearing failure. Ridiculous but that’s unfortunately the reality.

[@raymondbush1407]

Always love your content. Your videos are always great!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks so much! :)

[@Lukey06]

The fan at high speed is much faster than my 3733 on high!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I was also surprised at how fast this fan runs! This may be the fastest-running 3733 I’ve ever seen. It’s as if the motor is turbocharged lol.

[@mira-sturdivant]

Thanks I have been hesitating to pop the blades off! Glad to see it doesn't break it!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Just ensure you grab the blade assembly by the hub, and not the wings themselves.

[@LemontHill]

Good illustration on how to clean a box fan now I know how to clean my 3733s and B20200s lol good video and I enjoyed it SuperFanMan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it Lemont!

[@LemontHill]

@@TheSuperFanMan Your welcome bro

[@MichaelAngelEscalante]

Thanks Super Fan Man.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re welcome!

[@user-jw8bq1iq1j]

Thank you so much for this instructional video! Very calm, clear, and relaxing :) Our old Lasko fans went out, which became emergent w summer temps! After getting new fans, we decided to salvage the old fans for parts and screws, and mainly the small engine, to keep as a backup. With your instruction, one of the blades slipped right off easily, but it was not a Lasko fan, and I discovered that the engine is not interchangeable w the Lasko engines. The blades from another old fan that was a Lasko fan would not budge! So I had to get creative w ideas of how to remove it. Finally, I was able to remove the blades and the engine, then got the engine cleaned successfully, to keep as a backup. Mission accomplished! I took a sequence of photos as I did it. Is there a way that I can email these photos to you w a brief explanation? Anyone can remove stuck blades w the way I did it, as I am Disabled w only my dominant arm being strong. Oh, and the main hand tool I used for this task was your favorite tool, the adjustable wrench ;)

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Wonderful! I'm glad the video helped! Sure, you can email me at [e-mail] if you'd like.

[@djancak]

i did this to 3 Aerospeed box fans recently. They didn't seem to require as much disassembly as yours. One of them started squealing and slowing down so I took it apart and oiled the bearings, decided to go ahead and do the other two so they don't get to that point. I packed grease over the open parts of the bearings cause I don't really know what I'm doing, but I figure it'll hold the absurd amount of oil I put in there better if I do. Haven't noticed it splattering anywhere yet at least and they're all running just as fast and quiet as ever. Might've been a mistake to do that though since I saw somebody say that mixing lubricants can cause them to form tiny balls that can impact the performance eventually. We'll see 🤷‍♂

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I don’t think there will be any catastrophic lubricant failure, but premature deterioration is possible. In my early days of fan collecting I’ve unintentionally experimented with mixing oil and grease in fan bearings lol. No noticeable harm was done but eventually I cleaned out the bearings and oiled them.

[@bigguymarc05]

'the only fan that deserves a 37:33 minute long video' fan: lasko 3733 WRONG, SMC DESERVES BETTER

[@evvie01]

Thank you. You made a very nice video... I was looking for one on cleaning a fan motor. (I used mine in the kitchen this year so it has cooking grease in it.) I always clean the blades and grills but was afraid to clean the motor. I have an old K-mart 16" box fan that belonged to my Granny, then my Mother. I am not ready to let it go. It's a real pretty sky blue workhorse. Made by Lakewood Eng. and Mfg. Co. Chicago IL type U63 On the motor housing it instructs the owner to oil every 6 months with S.A.E. 20. I don't understand electrical but there is also a section called "Connection Diagram" that has a list of wires, listed as Common...White; High...Black; Medium...Blue; Low...Red, I'm assuming it's for the dial switch on the top, but I cant be sure. There is also a boxed number on the right side of the motor housing that reads M7 4 by it's self... maybe an inspector seal?!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful! It sounds like you have a fine example of one of the best mini box fans ever made! Lakewood was at the top of the game with their box fans, especially during the 60s-90s. If those fans are kept clean and oiled, they’ll last a very long time. The type of motor that they used on the 16” box fans can be tricky to work on. I believe Lakewood used either General Electric or FASCO motors on them. The General Electric motors are permanently assembled with epoxy, so they can’t be taken apart, and the FASCO motors have four little metal clips holding it together. However, using a vacuum & soft paint brush can often remove a lot of the dust inside the motor. An air compressor helps too. For oiling, there should be two little holes on the motor near the top, sometimes marks with an arrow and “oil” text. Zoom Spout turbine oil or 3in1 (blue bottle) electric motor oil both work well. The wiring diagram is indeed for the switch, and it’s just a schematic intended to aid assembly at the factory. I believe the boxed number is the year! 74 should mean it’s from 1974. The preceding letter usually is the month, with A being January and so on, but since M is the 13th letter, perhaps it means something else that I’m not too sure about.

[@evvie01]

​@@TheSuperFanMan Wow! Thank You for the history, I'm beaming. I'm pretty sure it's General Electric, there are no clips or screws. I'm so used to seeing general electric on small motors that I can't be sure, but I'm sure I would have noticed FASCO if I had seen it. I was not sure about the holes, but I did oil the shaft and let it soak in good. I used "Sewing Machine Oil" I hope that will be okay, I could not find my 3 in 1. I looked for a S.A.E. rating but couldn't find one on the bottle, but I assumed if it could be used on a sewing machine it should be okay for a fan. I decided against trying to mess with the inside of the motor unless it starts giving me trouble. Once I freed the blades of their drag and oiled the shaft she sounds like a spring chick. I do try to take care of the things I can. I'm not fond of this "throw-away" mentality plaguing society. My Lasco 20" that holds my air filter, on the other hand... all was going well until I tried to remove the three washers on the front part of the shaft... I broke the thin middle one, and I cant budge the one closest to the rotor. I finished cleaning and have everything set back together but not fastened... I might put it back together until I can find another washer for it. DO YOU know where I can find another washer??? Anyway I'll pick up another fan to use in its place until I can finish this one. I will try to remove that last washer one more time after the oil soaks in, but I'll leave it if it's still stuck, I'm afraid I might break it too. I think someone has had it apart before, (I bought it as new from Walgreens). Maybe someone pulled a switch. The shield/rim to the barrings is bent and the ball barrings inside were dry and discolored on the front side of the motor housing. When I pulled the blades off there was grease on the end of the shaft, very thick and sticky. It didn't surprise me, it had to work to get started, moaning a low laborious hum, when I turned it on the last time. I was just getting ready to turn it back off when it kicked in and started spinning.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Of course! The sewing machine oil should be okay. Might be a bit thin but since it's a relatively small motor, I think it'll be fine. I absolutely agree! I also try to keep things in good condition to increase their longevity, and buy things that will last longer, even they cost a bit more. I'm thinking the motor will be perfectly fine even with the one broken washer. During operation, since the forward force caused by the airflow pushes the motor shaft backwards, the effect of the washers on the front side of the shaft becomes negligible. The washers are really there just to align the rotor with the stator, and in most cases, the rear washers are the important ones. However, you can certainly get new washers for it if needed. I've noticed that the exact type of washers (thin, dark grey fiber washers) are ver difficult to obtain, but "red fiber washers" can easily be found online, such as Amazon or eBay. I use an assortment kit of these washers that works well for such situations. They are, however, thicker than the dark grey ones on the fan, so you may need to substitute one red washer for 2 dark grey ones. But again, I highly doubt the fan will complain even with the broken front washer. It does sound like there was some fishy stuff going on. The damage on the motor and the grease is not normal for a new fan, even if it was the worst fan to slip through quality control. Very odd indeed!

[@evvie01]

@@TheSuperFanMan I thought I replied to this already. I do have a copy of it... Wow! Thank You for the history, I'm beaming. I'm pretty sure it's General Electric, there are no clips or screws. I'm so used to seeing general electric on small motors that I can't be sure, but I'm sure I would have noticed FASCO if I had seen it. I was not sure about the holes, but I did oil the shaft and let it soak in good. I used "Sewing Machine Oil" I hope that will be okay, I could not find my 3 in 1. I looked for a S.A.E. rating but couldn't find one on the bottle, but I assumed if it could be used on a sewing machine it should be okay for a fan. I decided against trying to mess with the inside of the motor unless it starts giving me trouble. Once I freed the blades of their drag and oiled the shaft she sounds like a spring chick. I do try to take care of the things I can. I'm not fond of this "throw-away" mentality plaguing society. I also mentioned my 20" lasco fan and the trouble I had with it. But if that was the reason my comment was deleted by who or what ever I will leave it out. Again thank you

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@evvie01 no problem! I’m not sure why the comment was removed; it definitely wasn’t done by me. KZbin sometimes automatically removes certain comments for seemingly no reason so perhaps this was another such case.

[@bachluthology2]

Hi I restore old metal box fan. What oil did you use in the video?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I used Zoom Spout all purpose oil, shown at 23:05 in the video :)

[@loganhawkinstv.426]

Was the fan plugged into 120 volts, or 240 volts at the end of the video?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

It was running on regular 120V. It sure does run like it’s on 240V though! The motor on this fan is ridiculously fast.

[@ronfiveo]

Nice video . Do you know where I can find a replacement fan motor for an older model Lasko Box Fan with the larger "deeper 20" box" ? I'm having trouble finding one. Thank you.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Unfortunately I'm not aware of a suitable replacement motor for those. I think keeping an eye on local buy/sell sites, eBay or thrift stores for another fan would be the best option.

[@ronfiveo]

Thanks @@TheSuperFanMan

[@richardmccauley8225]

Where did you get a fan with the old logo

[@joshuakraus9583]

Is non detergent oil ok to use on these fans? Also thank you for showing me how to clean mine

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Yes, non detergent is actually the right type of oil for sleeve bearing motors, including most household fan motors. Detergent oil collects debris over time and clogs up motor bearings. Detergent oil is great on systems that circulate the oil through filters, such as in engines, but not so great on unfiltered lubrication systems such as motor bearings.

[@Mandeelite]

Can u tell me why I would have a red and blue wire along with the grey and white

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Is your fan the same model as this one (3733), or another box fan? Some box fans have different coloured wires for each of the speeds. Lasko box fans tend to have plain grey wires.

[@gracecatlady9150]

Thanks. Couldn't figure out how to take the blades off.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! I’m glad it helped!

[@disc39]

do you know where to get replacement motors for these fans? mine had seized. i took it apart but it was so stuck i pulled out the front bearing before getting it off the shaft. also broke 2 of the washers trying to get them off. i know these fans are only $20 but i hate to send all that metal and plastic in the frame to the landfill/recycling center when all it needs is a motor for new life..

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Unfortunately there aren’t any suppliers of replacement motors for these fans. If you happen to find another used Lasko box fan with a working motor, say, at a thrift store, you could potentially use it for parts, but otherwise it’s likely the end of the road for your motor. When the bearing pops out of the socket, it’s very unlikely that it’ll go back together the way it was from the factory..

[@disc39]

@@TheSuperFanMan yeah, that's what i was afraid of. it's sad that manufacturers don't realize that there are those of us who'd happily pay $20 for just a motor to reuse the frame, grills, and fan blades of a $20 fan. that'd be a win win for everyone. Thanks for the quick response!

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

Checked your Amazon list, but didn't notice those neat little application bottles with the needle noses. What're they called and where can one get them? Thanks.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

It's a needle bottle and I got it on Amazon years ago! It looks like the exact one I bought is no longer available but there are many similar alternatives: amzn.to/3WmiePw ^ it's an Amazon affiliate link. I earn a small portion of sales with no additional cost at your end.

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

@@TheSuperFanMan Cool, thanks!

[@jonathangallegos6372]

I cleaned my fan but I pulled the bushing/bearing out and when I try banging it in, it goes crooked

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yikes that’s no good. Can you elaborate on the situation a bit? The spherical bushing popped out? What part is going in crooked? Unfortunately it’ll be very difficult to put it back in without damaging anything, as the bushing’s retainer is designed to be installed once and never removed. Forcing it in with impacts will irreversibly damage it.

[@jonathangallegos6372]

​@@TheSuperFanMan 19:44, I made the mistake of removing the bearing while sanding the old dirt, bc some of the sandpaper crumbled and fell where in between where the bearing sits I'm trying to push it in without too much force but the bearing isn't going in fully to where it wiggles and wobbles crooked

[@nchw68]

You properly lubed the motor👍There are so many other vids on YT that demonstrate doing it wrong, like using grease or just applying a drop of oil to the shaft or not even disassembling the motor and then the uploader thinks they're smart and helpful 🙄

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I can’t agree with you more! I’m sure those other videos are trying their best, but I also do find that they’re often not done correctly. Most videos done by fan collectors however, tend to be correct. But many years ago, I used to be in the wrong shoes too. I used to “oil” fans with WD-40, thinking it was the way to go lol.

[@nchw68]

@@TheSuperFanMan At least you don't have a video posted showing WD-40 being used as a lube and you learned how to do it the right way afterwards.

[@davidwhitefancollector3985]

I just noticed power box fan has a very fast high speed

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Are you referring to this fan?

[@Gamert80]

Yes

[@thenetgamer2]

Interesting, my fan has the same housing and blade, and the motor is similar but slightly different. But It has patent pending cast into the motor housing, and the casting in general is very rough. I wonder how old it is, and when the patent was filed.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

There should be a year faintly stamped into the bottom of the fan. Usually in a formate like “2010-11”, indicating it was made between 2010 and 2011.

[@thenetgamer2]

@TheSuperFanMan Case says #04721 with one number partially missing on #. Def not 2021, lol, fan came with house moved in in 2014 was already rusty then.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Interesting, I think that’s a number for something else. Are there other numbers? Sometimes the stamping is faint and hard to see, but the year code should be unmistakable once you find it. I’ve seen some rare instances where there were no date indications on these Lasko box fans, so if you don’t find it, it may be one of those oddballs!

[@thenetgamer2]

@TheSuperFanMan Theres a stamping for the model and Ecm number(whatever that is) with voltage and what not. But I remember seeing something that looked like a date on the plastic casing of the capacitor on the motor when I took it apart now that I think of it.

[@Fanscarsetc]

@@thenetgamer2you’re was probably made in the mid 2000s. Lasko used a bunch of odd motors, named supreme, promotor, and some just said patent pending. I had 2 galaxy fans i parted out a few months ago and one of the motors says glory while the other is unbranded and just says bf-06-3 Lol i still have them both tho

[@Fanscarsetc]

I’m late but did you swap a weather-shield motor into this fan or something? There’s no way that’s the regular 0.8 amp motor. That’s probably the fastest 3733 on youtube! My guess is the Canadian 3733s use the stronger weathershield motors

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Never too late to leave a comment! This fan is bone-stock. Zero modifications!

[@thefanobsession5253]

I almost wonder what the usual price is for these fans to today. Off Topic, did you hear how all Lowe’s stores in Canada will be converting into RONA?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I think around $35-50 CAD for a box fan nowadays, which is way too much in my opinion. Interesting, I hadn’t heard about the Lowe’s news. I wonder how the current products offered by Lowe’s will change when Rona takes over. I wouldn’t want to see some of the Lowe’s exclusive products get removed.

[@thefanobsession5253]

@@TheSuperFanMan There were certain Rona exclusive products that got removed after Lowe’s took over. I’m talking about certain ceiling fans if you can’t tell lol.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

When did Lowe’s take over Rona? I thought they always coexisted. Funny thing is, I have never been to Rona in my entire life lol. Lowe’s, Home Hardware, Canadian Tire and the Home Depot have always had better selections and prices in my experience.

[@thefanobsession5253]

@@TheSuperFanMan They bought Rona in 2016 for 3.2B Canadian dollars, but it wasn’t until 2019 that they brought in Harbour Breeze ceiling fans and the Utilitec store brand. Rona’s store brands are Facto and Uberhaus, Facto was the store brand for their portable fans, but I have to say the Utilitec fans are much better because their made by GD Media. When Harbour Breeze fans came in Canarm and Hunter Ceiling fans just kind of faded out of selection. The Canarm Jasper, Hemingway, Marta, Sewyer, Corrine, and Port were all Rona exclusive fans. The Hunter Canadiana, Acadia, Hinman, and Starway were only sold at Rona. After Harbour Breeze came in, Canarm and Hunter just kind of faded out of their inventory.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Good info! I wasn’t aware of that. I guess we can expect some changes in the fan selections when the Rona takes over Lowe’s.

[@loganhawkinstv.426]

I just realized why this video is 37:33 long🤣👌

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yep! Only the Lasko 3733 can have a video that’s 37:33 long lol.

[@user-mm8ey7fn3g]

I like the way you clean that shaft ! Can u do mine next?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Haha I’ll have to pass

[@MattsFans]

AYO PAUSE

[@stupidbrainbitch_son_ofagun]

Lol, I pull the blades instead, but I obviously grab the hub

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That works too!

[@matthew_tran04]

There it is! It’s gonna start moving 8000 CFM again! It’s such an Awesome fan! NOT!!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Haha now it’s going to be able to cool the whole house down on low speed!

[@davidwhitefancollector3985]

What makes this fan go very fast on high speed?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

There are a few different factors, such as motor specs, blade design and general aerodynamics. This fan seems to run unusually fast lol. It‘s definitely one of the fastest running 3733s I’ve ever seen.

[@hitachifansandmore]

awesome all it needs now is feet lol

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yep! Perhaps I’ll get some new feet for it. I’m debating if it’s worth it though lol.

[@ElohiSilverEarthVentures]

Nope that does not happen for me like that, just prop up side and push down on inner part of blades well not on blades but ya know, I've pushed on this so dang hard and it doesn't budge for me, never does I've tried this a million times and I think I've only got blades off like twice

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Some fans tend to be more troublesome than others. The blade hub press-fits onto the motor shaft, so factors such as inconsistent plastic molding, debris or old oil buildup can make it much harder to take the blades off. For fans with fussy blades, you can dab some oil on the motor shaft before reassembly to help with disassembly next time. Hope it helps!

[@brianbingham7524]

@@TheSuperFanMan

[@RetroJayFans]

Okay as a fan collecter that is NOT a atcual 3733 theres way more grill slats and the moter is diffrent what?!?!? And theres never sticker on top or sticker label on bottom always printed in the fan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

As a collector myself, I can tell you this is a regular 3733. Differences you’re seeing are just minor variations between American and Canadian Lasko box fans.

[@RetroJayFans]

@TheSuperFanMan your probably right. Also do u still have that classic box fan with grill that looks like diamond and do u still have your homemade fans?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yep, I still have most of the homemade fans from the early days of my channel. As for the Classic box fan, no, I don’t have it.

[@RetroJayFans]

@@TheSuperFanMan ok thank u!

[@FC70YT]

But youtube ruined it by turning 37:33 into 37:32

[@chuckecheeseminnesota]

Still shows as 37:33 for me.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yeah I’m not sure why KZbin does that, perhaps it’s due to rounding the seconds based on the sub-second frames? Funny thing is, the thumbnail and the KZbin app show 37:33, but my computer shows 37:32, so I guess it depends on what device you’re watching it on.

[@ronaldhenson3379]

Its worth cleaning a lasko box fan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Always!

[@mikep3322]

For $25 at Walmart I'll buy another one instead of clean it out. Mines lasted 6 years and still going without cleaning it

[@TheSuperFanMan]

But that could also mean it’ll last many more years if you do clean it up, which wouldn’t cost anything other than 5-15 mins :)

[@RetroJayFans]

​@TheSuperFanMan true!

[@fansoffans7756]

First

[@TheSuperFanMan]

First indeed!