mawluv,
My machine has been soaking in kerosene for about a week now. Well, just the bottom gears and such and the crud is still not coming off most of the parts. In some places where it wasn't oiled as much it's beginning to come off. Internally it's a mess too, but not seized up. The insides of the plated parts are untouched by the kerosene.
I won't use water on a sewing machine cos of rust. I just can't be sure I've gotten all the moisture out of it, or enough oil into it to prevent rust.
So, in a day or so I'm going to crack open the last quart of Hoppe's #9 I've got and clean that gunk off. I hate to use it, but it works and won't hurt the decals if you don't leave it on for a long time.
Joe