Stinking Potted Motor
 

The motor stinks when I run it. Could it just be dust coming through the tape?
Thanks so much!

Another picture of motor

Wish I could help you out. I have relatives in your beautiful state.

Aww, thanks! I love Washington too, as I had been there from birth till I was 22, a year ago.

If anyone knows about this motor problem, please help me. I don't know what to do about it, and it's the only machine I have of mine to sew on. :(

What does it stink? Burnt? Moldy cellar? It probably needs a service, clean up, new grease, checking the carbon brushes etc.

Mickey2, thank you for replying. The motor smell is a bitter dusty smell.

Is this a new machine to you? Have you had it for a long time and not used it until now? Or have you been using it and this smell just started?

I have been sewing on it for a while. I received it in November last year, and had it re-wired by a friend (in which it was gone for a month).
Ever since I first sewed on it I noticed a peculiar smell, but it wasn't until the day before yesterday when the smell got really poignant. That day I was sewing on it for a few minutes without thread or fabric going from slow to fast speed, and the smell got stronger and stronger smelling. I immediately unplugged it, and tried it about half an hour later. Whenever I sew on it now the strong smell remains.
My dad thinks dust may be coming through the tape, or the tape is shedding a fiber content. He doesn't know though, as he admitted.

I have not oiled or greased the motor yet since I first got it. Should I try that first?

I got my first vintage Singer a little more than 2 months ago, I am far from experienced with these. So keep that in mind when I try to help.

In you situation I would remove the hand wheel and the motor cover (like in your pictures) and run it slowly and watch for anything that doesn't seem right. Smoke, noise, anything you wouldn't expect.

But like I said, I am new to this. That is just what I would do. As far as electrical problems like shock and fire you need to use your best judgment on that.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]542330[/ATTACH]

If it was rewired last autumn it should still be fine. The black tape hasn't smelled much if at all on my vintage Singers (1930s and 1950). If you run your fingers over the black tape, do they smell of the bitter dusty smell? Is it like when rubber get hot? If it's the black tape I'm sure some of the experienced members here have heard of similar cases.

When I ran my finger over the tape and smelled it, there isn't much of a smell. It appears the main smell is in the center wire part.

Yay, I checked out the motor for smoking like DK said, and it seems to be all good (I didn't notice any smoke) Apparently the smell is old lube and dust. My dad and I cleaned out the old lube behind the handwheel, and are leaving the motor smell to wear away. If I end up having more trouble with this, I'll probably take it to a serviceman, but for now I'm good. :)

Great news!

I posted a reply on the Victorian sweat shop forum SteveH has finally gotten up and running. Sweat shop in one word will help your search.

Hopefully you did grease the motor before returning it to service. The gear seen in the pic above and the motor bearings use the same grease source; the grease pots. Run them dry or with insufficient lube and the motor will be damaged.

Joe

I got the machine cleaned and oiled, and just need to add some lub in the under the screws underneath the hand-wheel. I contacted a sewing repairman in Montana with my picture and the story of the smell, and he gave me some options. None of them apply to be except perhaps "the motor shorting out." I'm hoping it's not that; if it is I may need to get another motor. But that would be the worst case scenario. For now I am going to continue using it believing it is a dusty lub smell.