Floppy drive eject motor gear- was seized

[toshiba1]

Hi all,

I have a superdrive which would not eject disks. Last night I checked the gearbox near the eject motor. The small metal gear driving the mechanism was really seized. I rocked it/rotated it manually (first removing larger gear on top!) and after a few turns the small gear freed up and it spins easily now (See picture) -- The eject mechanism works great now.

Question: is there anything I can do to prevent this from seizing up again? Maybe spray something into the little plastic gap where the motor is? Spray some contact cleaner spray in there maybe? Other ideas are appreciated! 

Thank you!

 

[MOS8_030]

I usually use a bit of white grease on the gear train but any "lite" lube should work. (ie a small amount of 3-in-1 oil or gun oil like Remoil.)

You're lucky, that yellowish gear at the bottom is still intact. That one usually disintegrates with age and has to be replaced.

 

[toshiba1]

It felt like the motor itself seized (there wasn't any apparently gumming in the gears themselves)

 

[MOS8_030]

Usually that brass gear begins to grow a little verdigris and sticks to the nylon gear.

 

[toshiba1]

That is a good point.