J Miller

Patient: Singer 518, ZZ with cams

>Complaint: Oscillating squeak at slow speeds that turns into a squeal at higher speeds.
>Main shaft seems to me to have some extra resistance, but I'm not sure about that as I don't use this machine.
>The squeak's oscillation matches the speed of the needle bar and feed dog exactly.
>The squeak only occurs when the main shaft turns. The hand wheel does not cause it.
>Onset: Suddenly. One day the machine was normal, then the next it was making the noise.



I have:

>Looked at everything.
>Cleaned the machine.
>Tri-Flowed everything that moves several times, top, under the face plate, and underneath.
>Checked for thread in the take up lever linkage.
>Removed the hand wheel and belt and checked it. - OK
>Removed the needle bar to check for straightness. - OK

Tomorrow I'll but the needle bar back in and keep checking, but I'm at a loss as what to check next.

Prior to this my wife has been using it with great results to make her cat tents.

Any ideas??

Joe

DonnaMiller

Could it be a bearing on the shaft? Sounds like it. Try needleing the bearing with oil or grease.
Donna

manicmike

Hi Joe,

Do you have a length of rubber or plastic hose? I use a length of hose to locate car engine noises and leaks. Put one end in your ear and move the other around the machine or less until the squeak is loudest, then you're less than an inch away from the source of the annoyance. Maybe I should add this to the tool tricks thread

miriam

please do - not everybody reads everything

ThayerRags

I've had a squeak from the feed dog rubbing on the needle plate before.

CD in Oklahoma

miriam

Is the squeak coming from the bobbin area? I don't know about your machine but some times a 401 will be dry or have dried up oil and produce squeaks or even slow the motor if it doesn't get oil between the race and the thing it runs on.

J Miller

I haven't used the rubber tube method, but I have used the screwdriver to the machine and ear method. It's loudest at the top, but I can't pinpoint the exact location.

CD,
The squeak happens with or without the needle plate on.

Miriam,
Could be, it's loudest on the left end of the machine. But I can't pinpoint it.

As I said above I've oiled everything that moves repeatedly. If it's a lack of lube somewhere, it's a weird place.

I've got to put the needle bar back in, then I'll get back to the hunting.

Joe

Prim Quilts

My husband has one of those stethoscope things that you use when working on cars........wonder if that would work on sewing machines too. Hymmmmm...........didn't particularly think that thing could/would be useful to me.

J Miller

Prim,

I don't see why not. The sewing machine is so very similar to a car engine that it couldn't not help.

Joe

miriam

Yup Joe just a series of pistons, levers and gears - basic physics.