ADVICE FOR MY KIRBY 516

[jeschbac]

Hey Kirby specialists, I've got an intriguing situation with my 516: I did quite a bit of restoration work like cleaning up the original bag, polishing the aluminum, put in a new brush roller, new wheels, new fan, and new bearings. All of this was done over Christmas. I was getting ready to sell it and was retesting things, but this time on different carpet than where I tested at first. Now I get a racket that sounds like a buzz-saw coming out of the carpet nozzle. The motor is just fine. It's limited to the nozzle. I've double checked that the brush roller is level between the two sides.

I'm not convinced of the new belt I put in. It's just about the stiffest thing I've ever had and I'm surprised I haven't broken the belt lifter. This can't be right. What part number should I have?

Is this contributing to the buzz-saw noise some way? The only other clues are lugs that don't fit tightly any more (connection of nozzle to power plant; I've improvised a decent fix) and the fact that on my other carpet I rarely get this noise. The nozzle is set on 4 for the backroom carpeting where the buzz-saw takes off and on 2 or 3 for the front carpet where it usually behaves.

What's going on here?

Thanks,
J

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

J,

If the brush roll you used has stiffeners (I presume it doesn't), then that buzzing sound is normal.

I also believe there may be hair wrapped up around the end caps; those should be cleaned off. The brush roll will only fit one way: the white cap should face your right when the nozzle is viewed up front.

~Ben

 

[jeschbac]

516

Thanks, but I'm actually not at all certain what a stiffener is and there's no hair wrapped around the ends. I've had the brush roll since late December and the 516 has had very little use.

I should add that I took it to a general vac guy this afternoon who didn't have a clue. The carpet in his place is very low and I think the nozzle was barely touching it, even all the way down.

 

[kirbykid]

This happens with my royal. I think the brush roll is just loose. i dont know how you could fix that but i think thats the problem.

 

[Miss Mercy]

The belt lifter may be rubbing up agaisnt the motor shaft pulley.

 

[kenkart]

This is going to sond crazy...

BUT find an auto supply store and get you a stethescope for mechanics, it looks just like a doctors, but it has a metal rod where the chest piece would be, you can then touch it to the machine while running and pin point the trouble, you can make one yorself cheaper, get an old stethescope, pull off the chest piece and insert a metal rod such as a screwdriver blade or drill bit!

 

[jeschbac]

more info

Thanks Adam. When the belt is actually on the pulley, isn't the belt lifter all the way down? Maybe it's the brush roll striking the lifter? Hum... how could this be? I'll check!

Kenhart: Old stethoscopes are great for stuff like this. I may give it a try.

And if I do have the wrong belt and IF it has compromised the lifter, this could be the issue!