I had a compressor that would only run if the orange wire was shorted to ground. I bought a couple of thermal switches so decided yesterday to open it up and change out the one there. Took the end plate off and checked thermal switch with multimeter and it was fine. Hmmm. Looked at ground point for orange wire. This is a small diameter tube with a V slot in it. The ides is that you jam the wire into the slot and it cuts through the insulation to ground the wire. Did not look like a good plan for something that vibrates a lot so I pulled up the wire, stripped off some insulation, jammed it back into the slot and soldered in place. Ground circuit now good. So now to put back the end plate which requires you to hold the brushes back until they are over the commutator. In the past I have tied the brushed back using thread with I could than cut when the end plate was part ways on but this time I noticed I could pull the spring arm back and hook it under the brush holder. I then pushed the brushes into the holders, put the end plate on about 75% of the way and used a small screwdriver to flip the spring arms up and behind the brushes. Tested compressor and ran fine. By the way they draw 4 amps with no resistance and up to 12 amps if the outlet is partly blocked. Hope this helps someone.

In the photo you can see a gray ring. I am told you are supposed to slip this ring between the brushes to hold them apart. The commutator pushes the ring back in place when you assemble the end piece.

Gord Wedman said:

In the photo you can see a gray ring. I am told you are supposed to slip this ring between the brushes to hold them apart. The commutator pushes the ring back in place when you assemble the end piece.

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That makes a lot of sense, similar to the regulator for the alternator, there is a cap that moves off as the reg moves on to do exactly the same thing.

This looked like an O ring to me so I never tried to use it in that way. I wonder if it always gets back into proper position?

I push the brush back and then hook the wire over the brush casing. Put top back on and then poke a small screwsriver through the gap to release the wire and let it springbinto place.

Let some one else do it and save yourself the faffing about

That's not the P38 way. P38 driver must be self sufficient.

Gord Wedman said:

That's not the P38 way. P38 driver must be self sufficient.

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What and do the butler out of a job