Pump motor Mystery Screw

[Sdwway]

My Hayward Superpump was seized when starting it up for the season, so I dismantled it to free the shaft and got down to a further layer than necessary. After removing a screw on the AO Smith 3/4 hp motor, I realize it can't be screwed back in and can't see what it connected to. Was there a nut holding it in place that's fallen into the impeller? What's the point of the screw anyway? A pic's attached to help this make sense.

 

[Bama Rambler]

That screw holds a retainer and, yes, it's important. You'll need to remove the end bell in order to get to the nut and put it back on.
To get that end bell off you need to remove the 4 long thru-bolts from the opposite end. They may be under the end cover. If they are you'll need to remove that first.

A word of caution! In older motors it's very common to snap one or more of the thru-bolts off trying to remove them. So be careful.
Spray some penetrating oil (WD-40, PB Blaster, Etc.) into the openings where the bolts thread into the end bell and let it sit a while. You may be able to see the thru-bolt ends by looking into the small holes by the mounting bolt holes. They thread into the back side of the mounting ears.

 

[Sdwway]

My Hayward Superpump was seized when starting it up for the season, so I dismantled it to free the shaft and got down to a further layer than necessary. After removing a screw on the AO Smith 3/4 hp motor, I realize it can't be screwed back in and can't see what it connected to. Was there a nut holding it in place that's fallen into the impeller? What's the point of the screw anyway? A pic's attached to help this make sense.View attachment 59810

 

[Richard320]

There is a nut inside. If you look at this, part 13 shows screw and nut. Don't ask me what they hold.

 

[Rossterman]

Bearing retainer. This prevents the shaft from moving laterally. There should be a piece of metal that the screw threads into that will come loose and fall away when screw is completely removed. During reassembly you install the rotor into that endbell. Install the bearing retainer and screw, than the rotor slides into the windings.

 

[Sdwway]

Thank you! That also explains this odd metal bracket that was left over.