Singer 328 needs help
 

have a 328 vintage sewing machine and I love it, but it runs stiff.
It belonged to a dear friend who passed away and wanted me to have it and use it.
It makes a hum as I am trying to sew and is very slow to start and feels stiff and
still very hard to turn the whell even by hand. Is it the pulley?? how do I find what size it is
and where can I find another. I really want to use this machine. When I can get it to go
it is amazing. I also have a Singer 15 90 which my husband retured to life after it had
been in a flood and left to sit in a garage for 15 years. It runs great and I love it , but would love to
have this machine to run well also, Can anyone help? Vintage lover!! Joan

Could be the motor, or it could just be that the machine needs a good cleaning and oiling.

I'd try the cleaning and oiling first.

In addition to checking, cleaning and oiling, check the belt and make sure it's not too tight. The belt should be just tight enough it doesn't slip. A too tight belt will cause the conditions you mentioned.

Joe

You can treadle those.

Hi Joe
I was hoping you would answer. I did not know how to get in touch with you.
We have been praying for you since I read about your illness. Hope you are much better,
Enjoy reading your posts so much and have really missed you.!!

My husband did clean and oil the machine when we first got it, but I had gotten the 15 90 and have been
using that to quilt and now want to use this for a while. He says the pulley is coated with a plastic and it does not run concentric and wobbles. He has the belt as loose as he can get it and still have it run. We cannot even find where the size of the pulley is listed anywhere to try a different one. Is it possible to get that part for these older machines?
He is going to take it apart and check everything out on the motor. With all your experience with all your wonderful
vintage machines, I knew you could help us!! What a great group on this site, I love it. So glad you answered !!!
Hope you respond again and that you are truly better!! Joan

HI HMMMMMM that is a thought if all else fails. I do have Mom's old singer treadle.
The machine is a Red Eye and it works, but not nearly as well as this one, ---when I can get it to run!!
The cabinet for the Red Eye is gone as it was in a fire and the water damage was terrible and unable to salvege,
but the machine cleaned up nicely and the decals are pretty good. The treadle part is cast iron and perfect shape.
We are going to try to get this one to run well if we can. He is going to take it apart today and check it out again.
Love your picture!!! Joan
Love your
I am lucky he is so good machanically and loves to work on these old machines, but he thinks it is the pulley
and we can't even find the part listed anywhere---probably can't get one. Thanks for your reply.

Do you have a regular Singer cabinet the Redeye will fit into? Maybe you can rig a 'hole' for the belt and put the machine on the old legs. Maybe you can still treadle it? Those do move very smoothly! It seems like it is hard to kill a Redeye...

The pulley on my 328 is some contraption made out of some composite material, and doesn't look like it would be something that would be replaceable by anything other than the same thing.

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You probably need to look on eBay, or find someone parting out a 328.

it has channels you can run a treadle belt through. You have to knock out the plastic rectangle in the front.