How can I fix my dirt devil featherlite? It makes a loud screech when turned on...I've checked for blockages and it appears to be free of that. I've checked the belt and it looks and feels good, ie. not nicked or slipping. I've also taken it apart as far as I can get, not unfortunately as far as the motor, but getting down to the belt is no problem. How do I take off the coloured plastic cover? Any ideas would be most helpful as I have another vacuum for household use and would rather diddle around and fix this, and then sell it!

mame, June 2006

I would like to know how to take off the top colored cover. I can't find any areas to snap it off. My son poured some juice in the motor area and I need to clean it out. Vacuum still works, just need to clean it. I took the wheel covers off thinking that if I took the wheels off, I might see a way to separate the top and bottom of the vacuum, but stumped.

Please help?

Gina, April 2007

THIS QUESTION SHOULD BE REMOVED! the following answer is by mame...
Haven't figured out how to delete my question, so...here's what I did. I'm used to quality vacuums and this aint one of them - it is so cheaply put together that I had to remember to look for plastic snap-on areas instead of screws. Once I had that mind-set it was very easy to take all parts off, including the blue cover which snapped on in 4 places. A few screws are used inside...I opened the motor cover and blew out the rotor area with canned air....not much else I could do in there. Put it all back together and it still screeches!
Guess I'll donate it the local Sally Ann, or part it out.(LOL)

mame, July 2006