Ok. I shot some pictures of a very dirty motor. The part in the circle, the gear, gets cleaned then it gets grease. Just draw a very small line of grease the size of a kite string on that gear. The grease will spread to the fiber gear, too. The arrow is trying to point to the shaft with the bearing race just next to the gear so go closer to it and you will get it right. Once you oil that you will want to turn it until it quits growling. If it doesn't quiet you will need a new bearing. We don't want to go there.
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And the bobbin area will need some oil, too. Here is an area some people miss. It can growl or even seize up. Put a drop of T-F on the red X.
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If it still is growling you will need to look for places that rub and oil them. You need a light weight oil. Do not use 3- in 1 or wd40.

Why, thank you!:) Googled around last night trying to find out what the fibre gear is and now that I may know, will work on getting that worked on today. I now have trip-flow so am expecting miracles.

Miriam, for some reason your posts with the wonderful pics didn't show up till after I'd written the above response. Strange. Thanks so much for those!

Now, when you speak of grease, what kind? When I started working on this I was at my mama's house & all we had was vaseline, so I used it. What should I get. We did spray wd but only on the crevice between the hand wheel and stop motion knob.

That should be Tri-Flow oil, not trip-flow and we also like Tri-Flow grease. It's a great product for gears such as the fiber one on the hand wheel and it's drive gear. Does wonders for any steel gears too. You can get both at Sew-Classic.

Use motor oil on the top of the motor shaft bearing, and run the machine after you have put the oil on it. That way the oil can work it's way into the bearing and soften the old hardened grease.
Use sewing machine oil or Tri-Flow oil everywhere else you oil.

In lieu of the Tri-Flow grease you can use the white colored Singer grease that's available now. It's for gears. The old motor lube in the tube will work too, but not as good.


Joe

I am so glad that Wishfulthinking started this thread because I've learned from the posts, copying them to put into my 503 notebook. Regarding Miriam's photo of where to oil under the bobbin, that is another time I turn the machine on it's side to get to anything that moves under it, sometimes even pull out a stray thread with the serger tweezers. Photos and explanations posted on here are priceless.
When Miriam says do not take off the handwheel and stop motion knob, heed what she says. I can show you the cardboard box where a Kenmore 1914 has lived for several years since my resident muscle and favorite helper felt he should remove the handwheel and re-set those parts I have no names for that reside there. That's one I may pay someone to put back together.
Tri-Flow is my friend! I've ordered oil and grease from Sew Classic. It can sometimes be found at bike shops.

I was more concerned about the front knobs - the hand wheel knob can come off - just get it back right.

I have a syringe of 30wt just for these motors. One drop usually works, quiets the bearing right down.

Cari

Whoooo!! Look at Miriam go with the marked up pics! :)

Sorry Jane, I should have mentioned what a fiber gear is. You know now though.

I have a lot of trouble getting triflow grease here for some reason. I can find the oil - after a bit of searching initially - but for some reason no one carries the oil. For gears only - I use the Super Lube product which is very similar to Tri-Flow grease - it's got PTFE (Teflon) and it's synthetic and food safe. Technically the Vaseline will work but I think the TF and SL greases "Stick" better instead of flinging off like Vaseline does. Of course, you being in the US, you have access to all that Jenny sells, so not to worry. In the meantime though, you know of other substitutes.