Buck Stove Blower Motor: Symptoms, Which Motor Fits, and How to Replace It

By Fireplace Choice September 12, 2026 0 comments

The blower is the hardest-working part on a Buck Stove. It runs every hour the fire does, sits in the hottest air in the house and pulls dust through itself all winter. When it goes, the stove still burns but the room stops warming, because the convection air that carries heat off the firebox has stopped moving. Here is how to tell a dead motor from a dead switch, which motor fits which Buck, and what the swap involves.

Symptoms of a failing Buck blower motor

Stove heats, no air. The firebox is hot, the fan is silent or barely turning. Motor.
Humming without spinning. The motor is getting power but the bearings or windings have failed. Give the blade a nudge with the stove cold: if it spins up, the motor is on its last season; if it stays stuck, it is done.
Runs on high only. On the 3-speed 1MBS1/1MBS2 blowers this is usually the speed switch or the capacitor, not the motor. On single-speed Fasco units it is the motor.
Grinding or a burning smell. Dry bearings. Stop using it; a seized motor can trip the thermal cutout or worse.
Fan never starts, even when hot. Check the snap-disc thermostat first. It is a small round switch mounted to the stove body that closes when the stove reaches temperature. If bypassing it starts the fan, replace the disc, not the motor.

Which blower fits your Buck

Buck used a handful of motors across decades of stoves. Match yours by model, then confirm the mounting (front-mount versus rear) against the photos on the part page.

Motor	Fits	Notes
1MBS1 3-speed	26000, 27000, 28000	Original-style 3-speed for the Little, Regular and Big Buck
1MBS2 3-speed	26000, 27000, 28000	Current 3-speed replacement; uses the 9¼" fan blade PO400170
Fasco PE-71731439 single-speed	26000, 27000, 28000	Single-speed alternative for the classic family
Fasco PE910714 front-mount	20, 80, 81, 85, 91, 94	The standard convection blower on the later stoves
Fasco PE300714 front-mount	91, 80, 20 and the 26000 family	Read the fitment note on the part page before ordering

Every motor page lists the models it fits under "Compatible with", and each model has its own parts collection: 26000/27000/28000, 91, 81, 80, 85, 18/20. Not sure of the model? See how to identify your Buck Stove.

Replacing the motor

Cold stove, power off. Unplug the blower cord or switch off the circuit if it is hard-wired.
Remove the blower housing. On front-mount units, the housing sits behind the lower front panel or under the ash lip; two to four screws hold it. On the 26000-family inserts the 3-speed blower slides out from under the firebox.
Photograph the wiring before disconnecting anything. Note which lead goes to the speed switch and which to the snap-disc thermostat.
Swap the motor. Transfer the fan blade if the new motor ships without one; on the 3-speed units the blade is a separate part (PO400170). Match the rotation arrow.
Reconnect and test with the stove cold by bypassing the snap disc briefly, then reinstall the housing.

Budget an hour the first time. Vacuum the housing and the heat exchanger channels while it is open; a clean blower moves noticeably more air and runs cooler, which is what makes motors last.

Make the next one last

Run the blower on low or medium for normal burns and save high for warming a cold house. Vacuum the intake every few weeks in season. Replace the snap disc when it starts cycling erratically rather than letting the motor stop-start all night. And if your stove is a 26000, 27000 or 28000, keep a spare fan blade on the shelf; a cracked blade is the most common reason a good motor gets replaced.