WIChix

Culprit: mid 90's Hobbylock 774, made for Pfaff.
Crime: Rebellion, delinquency, loopers not catching
Background: Thought I'd be nice. Oiled it. Replaced needles (Schmetz universal 90/14). Changed thread. Serged off the bottoms on some onesies for a church project. First 2 fine. (Tensions all set around 3, but right looper thread at 6...its a quirky thing.) Difficulty over a seam. 3rd one, acting up. 4th one, not good at all. Stitch thread not catching. Bumped needles down a tad. Threads catch, looper threads get loose & messy, start missing. test, test test. Set R looper thread to 3, just because. Loopers stitches not forming. Needles are back up where they ought to be. Stitch thread fine. Loopers stitches not forming.

I have quadruple checked the threading diagram (just because, although the fact that it worked initially indicates correct threading.) Did find that the foot has slipped down a bit out of its screw, put it back, but that shouldn't have affected looping. test, test, test. Right looper thread pulling out of looper needle. Rethread, test, repeat. Left looper thread pulls out. Rethread. Test. Stitch threads catch for first 1" or so, only a tiny loop comes through to the top in the middle of that. some tiny loops showing on bottom, but not caught. Reset R looper tension to 6. Loose loops form for first inch, then R looper thread pulls itself out of eye again.

Nothing in the owners manual "trouble shooting" addresses loopers not looping. Timing issue because of the seam bump? I have no experience in timing, but legal redress / pointers appreciated.

(Oh for the days of the old John Deere B manual...if engine sludge is detected, take a sledge hammer...)