Tornado 3 Stage Vacuum Motor X1038

Three stages means three fans in series, and that is what produces the water lift a carpet extractor needs — a single-stage motor moves plenty of air but cannot pull water out of a pile. Part number X1038 is the genuine Tacony 120V three-stage Ametek motor used on the Cascade 20, the MWH-800 and the Marathon 800 machines.

Compatible Models for the 3 Stage Vacuum Motor

This part fits the following Tornado machines:

• Tornado 98164 MWH-800 8-Gallon Self-Contained Carpet Extractor
• Tornado 98166 20″ Marathon 800 Carpet Extractor (8 Gallon, 115V)
• Tornado 98167 20″ Marathon 800 Carpet Extractor (8 Gallon, 115V)
• Tornado 98168 12 Gallon Self Contained Carpet Extractor
• Tornado 98168 20″ Marathon 1200 Carpet Extractor (12 Gallon, 115V) — all series
• Tornado 98856 Cascade 20
• Tornado 98860 Cascade 20 OZ

Before buying a motor, rule out the cheap causes of poor suction, because a healthy motor on a leaking machine sounds and behaves like a dying one. A perished recovery tank lid gasket, a float shutoff stuck closed, a collapsed vacuum hose, a blocked intake filter and a loose standpipe clamp all present as weak pickup. Work through those first. It is a short list and it saves a lot of motors.

When the motor itself is going, the signs are specific. Carbon brush wear shows as a motor that starts reluctantly, runs with a rising and falling note, or throws visible sparking at the commutator end. Bearing failure is a rising whine or a rumble that changes with speed. A motor that has ingested water — which is what happens when the float shutoff fails — often runs briefly then trips, and usually smells of it.

Water ingestion is worth dwelling on because it is the dominant cause of failure on these machines and it is preventable. The float in the recovery tank exists solely to stop water reaching the motor. If your motor has drowned, replacing it without finding out why the float did not close means doing the job again. Check the float moves freely in its cage, that it has not taken on water itself, and that debris is not packed around it.

Fitting: unplug at the wall, photograph the wiring and the gasket stack before anything comes apart, and keep the motor mounting grommets and the intake gasket in order. Those gaskets are what stop the motor breathing unfiltered air around the edge of its seat, and a motor fed grit through a badly seated gasket will not reach its second season. Replace them rather than reusing them — they are inexpensive and they are only accessible now.

Finally, fit a clean intake filter at the same time. A motor pulling through a clogged filter runs hotter and works harder for less suction, and the filter is a couple of minutes and a few dollars against the cost of the motor you are installing.

Browse every assembly for this machine on the Tornado 98168 Marathon 1200 parts hub, and see the manufacturer’s range at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Tornado machines does the vacuum motor X1038 fit?

It is used on the Tornado 98856 Cascade 20 and 98860 Cascade 20 OZ, the 98164 MWH-800 8-gallon self-contained extractor, and the 98166 and 98167 20″ Marathon 800 carpet extractors. Call 763-535-0770 with your model and serial number if your machine is not on that list.

How do I know the motor is failing and not something else?

Rule out the tank lid gasket, the float shutoff, the vacuum hose, the intake filter and the standpipe clamp first — all of them cause weak pickup. A genuinely failing motor starts reluctantly, sparks visibly at the commutator end, rises and falls in note, or whines and rumbles from the bearings.

My motor drowned — what do I fix besides the motor?

The float shutoff in the recovery tank. It exists to stop water reaching the motor, so if water got through, the float did not close. Check it moves freely in its cage, has not taken on water itself, and is not packed round with debris. Replacing the motor without fixing that means doing the job twice.

How do I order the 3 Stage Vacuum Motor (part# X1038) or get help?

You can add the 3 Stage Vacuum Motor (part# X1038) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.