Pressor Foot stuck on Singer 201
 

I'm wondering if anyone can help. I have a Singer 201 and I went to clean it up and the pressor foot is stuck in the down position.
Any ideas on how I can fix this?
Thanks

Take the faceplate off. Oil the presser foot bar at the top and bottom and the cast iron where it should be going through. Oil the cam on the inside of the lever that is supposed to lift it. If the 201 has an open nut and not an acorn nut that the shaft comes through oil it there also. Start with these steps.

I'll try.I took the faceplate off and tried to move it but nothing happened. I do have sewing machine oil, in fact I believe it's Singer. But I have a new bottle also for my Juki. Need to buy the lube stuff.

Don't try to move it yet. Just oil it (oil all the places the manual says to oil) and let it sit for a day and then try to move it. If it doesn't move, oil it again and wait again. The problem could be behind the face plate or somewhere else, so oil everything that moves. If you need a manual, you can download it free from ismacs.com or singerco.com. The oiling spots are in the manual. You can use heat to speed up the process by putting the machine in a hot car for a while. I understand a hair dryer will work too, but I'm not sure what you blast with the hair dryer.

Any sewing machine oil will do. You can use Vaseline for the "lube" stuff, if you mean sewing machine grease or what they called lubricant for the gears and the motor if you have a 201-2.

201s are like all those old machines, virtually indestructible. It's something stuck in the bobbin area, some old sticky grease in the "innards" or something like that. They will almost always move with some detective work, oil and patience. I have a couple of 201-2's. They are wonderful machines and worth the effort. It's one of two machines that are often touted as the "best machine Singer ever built".

bkay

Thanks, bkay. I took the faceplate off. I also took the lever off that holds the foot. There is a big thing above it that won't budge. I can't describe what I mean and my photo won't upload.
I'll just oil the whole thing and wait a bit.
The big piece stuck is what's making the lever not move up. Does this make sense?

You might try unscrewing the knurled knob at the top half a turn countercockwise. That can break up a friction area perhaps Turn it back when you are done. [ATTACH=CONFIG]577877[/ATTACH]

This pic is of a nasty 66, but it may help. You didn't mention if the presser foot arm is free. It hinges around a screw and has a slide in the case. It has a cam on it to lift the presser foot. Oil both sides of where the slide should lift up and down, then the top of the cam, or as much as you can reach. The screw pivot area and again the presser rod.
So everything here marked with orange. Y[ATTACH=CONFIG]577880[/ATTACH]our 201 will be somewhat different.

Thanks once again, leonf- I took the lever off, right above it is the problem. That piece won't budge. It's like iron or something. I also took off the the coil on that piece in your photo.
I'll keep working on it :)

PS. That orange spot you marked is exactly what is stuck

Wow, maybe I need to take reading 101 again. I keep missing the key points. I thought you meant the needle was stuck.

If the presser foot lifter moves and the presser foot doesn't, you'll have to figure out what is disconnected or broken. If neither will move, then it's probably just stuck. If you have an amber colored film in that area, then it's probably old dried up oil. Someone may have used some WD 40 on it or something like that that left a lot of residue. That brings us back to cleaning, oil and heat. The heat will soften up the gunk, the oil will dilute it and your lever should move.

I just spent about 2 weeks on a 401 that I couldn't get to move (in this case, zigzag). I re-cleaned and re-oiled it numerous times. It eventually moved and runs fine now.

bk

bkay, I thought you were a bit confused. OK we all do it.

SusieQ Just to make sure, you have the knurled knob off, the coil spring off the rod and the curved yellow marked piece is off too.? The brown rectangle marked piece that is attached to the rod isn't moving? [ATTACH=CONFIG]577893[/ATTACH]

Leonf- it's the piece right above the presser foot lever that is just stuck like you wouldn't believe. I put everything back together. STill nothing
Yeah, it looks like a rectangle made out of cast iron. It's not the piece with the coil

bkay- I need more than reading 101 haha!
No, it's the lever that you pull the presser foot up or down that is stuck in the down position. The cast iron piece above the lever seems to be the problem. Oiling and trying to be patient here- too much to ask lol :)

No, it's not the rod piece, although that doesn't move either. It's the rectangle directly above the lever that won't move.

The rectangular bit on the 201 is solidly tightened to the round presser bar (the rod piece), and should move up and down with the rod. I'm guessing you need to keep on oiling all the points there; take of the shiny screw on top of the machine add oil down there; be careful not to misplace the small washer on top of the spring. Make sure oil seeps down the black cast iron part of the body where the metal rod (should) move up and down. There should be oil on the back side of the presser bar lever too, it pushes the rectagular bit up, and needs a bit of oil to move it smoothly.

You should with a bit of force be able to grab the presser foot and push the bar up; if you can't do this when the presser bar tension screw is loosened it's stuck. The square bit needs oil too, just add oil to the cut out groove in the back of the machine, where the presser foot moves up and down. It can gum up to by dirt and grime, but it's usually the part the rods moves up and down in that needs particular attention.

Hi Mickey2- I just realized that the rectangle piece is attached to metal rod. I got out a flashlight and saw it!! Thanks so much.

Dirty machine , but at least it is a 201 Mickey2 is correct.[ATTACH=CONFIG]577938[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]577939[/ATTACH]This is the goal.

Yes, it sure is. I'm finally at least understanding exactly what is stuck. I appreciate all your help :)