I have recently found another Singer 201 I took the bobbin area apart and cleaned per Rain's info. His info is excellent, do not be afraid if you can follow directions. I was able to clean the thing up and once I got the tension cleaned up it was fine. I think the bobbin area, the tension and the motor are the hard parts on that machine - well maybe any straight stitch machine that has a motor. I like those 201 machines. They are sort of like a beefed up Featherweight.... I do have to tell a story, so grab some popcorn....
I advertized a Singer 201 on CL a while back. Some lady called up and wanted info about the Featherweight I had on CL. She was VERY angry when I told her it was NOT a Featherweight it was a Singer 201 a Heavyweight. I told her I did not advertize it as a Featherweight the ad clearly said it was a Singer 201.... She got really huffy and told me I should take the ad down since it wasn't a Featherweight. I kept telling her it was not advertized as a Featherweight it was advertized as a Singer 201. She finally hung up. Then she called back a little later and told me she looked at the CL ad and said it was advertized as a Singer 201 but I should take the ad down since it was NOT A FEATHERWEIGHT. Then she hung up. I love CL people..........