Featherweight motor question.
 

So here's the deal and my newbie mistake... I accidentally oiled my featherweights motor. I've read this is a big no no and so now I'm kind of panicking that I've ruined my nearly mint featherweight. What do I do now?? Is it safe to remove the motor and open it up?? Will I accidentally short something by doing so or electrocute myself?? :( what should I use to clean my mistake if possiable. I have not turned my machine on since and it wasn't a heavy oiling but it's been sitting a few days. But I'm frightened that I made a mistake so help! Please!

Leaveright. Leave her right there.

Get some Singer lube in the tube and grease it. Grease it good. Then run it. As you were told before one oiling with a small amount of oil will most likely not hurt it at all. I'd worry if you flooded it, but you didn't so grease and sew.

Joe

Thanks Joe! youve been very helpful! im curious though how does greasing the outside of the motor help the inside?? its a weird concept to me. :P again thank you!

Where did you put the oil?
Where Joe's referring to is in the "grease tubes" - see the pic. (Sorry about the absolutely disgusting FW. It's been sitting waiting for a cleanup, but it's a repainter, so it's taken a backseat. It was disassembled completely tonight, and I'm going to pick up some stripper for it tomorrow, so it won't ever look like that again.)

If you used oil to just shine up the motor, like the rest of the machine, it's completely fine. The grease tubes should have grease in them.

And yes, if you were really worried, you could open the motor without frying anything, including yourself, but a few drops into those grease holes (there are 2 of them btw) shouldn't hurt anything.

The grease tubes end at a bearing or a shaft inside the motor. (depends on which of the grease tubes we're talking about)
They supply a little grease, slowly, to that bearing or shaft so that when it gets warm from rotation and friction, it doesn't burn up (not fire like, just discolored and melty for the things around it) or seize.

Yes there's that one and one on the otherside faces the back wall if the machine is facing you. I mean I did apply it directly to those points. I'm going to the store today to buy some singer lube because I forgot to include it with my online order. I just wanted to know can the two mix or should I really open it up and try and dab out the oil before putting the lube. That kind of thing.

Joe and archaic always have the best answers. :) you guys have been life savers to a newb like me. :)

Good info!

Off topic, but have you seen Dave mccullums newest blog post on stripping featherweights? I thought it was interesting...
http://www.featherweight221.com/fwrx/blog/blog.php

You DONT grease the outside of the motor! There are two little metal ports, one on each end of the motor you put the grease INTO.
Doing this lubricates the motors bearings.

Putting oil or grease on the outside of the motor just makes a mess.

Basically the same thing ArchaicArcane said, but she got to you first.

Joe

I will take a closer look when I get home then. I thought it was all screws on the outside of the motor. Clearly I didn't look close enough? Maybe I haven't messed anything up yet. Still need to buy the lube for it anyhow.

Kittywolf,

This is just a friendly suggestion but it's meant in all sincerity. If you have an owners manual, read it carefully. If you don't download and print, or order one then read it. Everything you've asked about as far as oiling and lubing a FW is well documented in the owners manual.

Joe

I do. In my excitement I just browsed it and should have read it all through. It's totally my fault. I also like to hear someone I guess reiterate the information to make sure I read it correctly or to understand it better. I hope your not offended! :( I don't mean to upset anyone.