Dear Richard,

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Sorry to hear of your difficulty with

a stiff-turning capacitor.

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I had not seen any prior posts from you

describing the component, so I’m not sure

of exactly how to proceed.

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If you are talking about an air-variable

there are bearings on the front and rear plates

that need to be lubricated.

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WD-40 will temporarily free it up, but the

best solution is to use a small amount of

molybdenum disulphide grease on a thin, thin

screwdriver, then to follow with a drop or two

of engine oil on the dabs of grease, then

follow up with moving the cap through all

its motion. The moly grease is conductive

plus it will work its way into the bearings.

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You will see wipers on both ends that need a bit

of lube as well.

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If you are talking about a vacuum cap, the actuator

screw can be removed and a bit of lube on the

threads and around the steel thrust washer will

work well.

?

Hal Mandel

W4HBM