eureka!

See this?  All these parts?  Looks like a chopped up car, doesn't it? It's not.  It did sound horrible, however.  Rather like a car that had thrown a rod.

Clacking and clanging and whirling all at the same time.  But nothing else was happening.  This baby was definitely not filling up.

So Richard finally decided to give me a hand.  He took it all apart. Spread it all over the studio floor.  Left it there.  Didn't bother to tell me the possible outcomes.  For example, could or would it eventually be a working machine again?  

This is where it ended up today.  An "oh, by the way" moment with my husband informed me that the motor has broken bushings.  Ah, thank you, darling, for the information.  I didn't mind stepping over your pile of broken vacuum and tools for an entire week.  Really, thanks for taking a look.  You're such a huge help.