[R-390] BFO Question

[flood@Krohne.com]

Greetings all!

Wow I get to ask my first question!  Please forgive my being a bit rusty on
hollow state technology.  I had my training during the fall of hollow state
and the beginning of solid-state and as it would turn out I know enough
about each to be dangerous.

My early 60's vintage Amelco R-390A has bfo trouble.  It would generate a
signal  but the frequency sounded high (sorry did not measure it) and there
was very little adjustment with the dial.  A tube swap did not help and
looking at the drawing and being dangerous as mentioned above, I thought
that there was not much that could be wrong there other than the little,
pto I think, bfo can.  A new one just arrived from Fair Radio and thus
generates, pun intended, my question.  The shaft on the new bfo can is a
bit stiff not easily turned by fingers.  There seems to be a bit of
oxidation on the shaft bearing.  Is it OK to put a drop of oil on it
without risking damage of some type and if so what is the official BFO lube
approved by the list?  I certainly don't want to get blacklisted for using
solid-state lubricant.

Is the old bfo repairable?  I can't resist opening up little things like
this, especially if it has a stamp telling me not to do so!

John Flood KB1FQG
TASC Department
KROHNE, Inc
7 Dearborn Rd.
Peabody, MA   01960
Tel.:  978-535-6060 / 800-356-9464
Fax:   978-535-8180