Question about Singer 338
11-22-2012, 05:31 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 2,103
I might have a duplicate cam or two that I would be glad to send you. I will check after Thanksgiving. PM me if I don't get back to you on Fri. or Sat. I doubt I have a duplicate #1 cam, though - most of them were left in the machines and went with them.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Keep your fingers crossed!
11-23-2012, 05:52 AM
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Missouri
Posts: 44
Joe,
I finally got the machine working! After using penetrating oil, cleaning and waiting & coaxing, the main shaft finally turned loose! It is sewing but I think I will have to replace the belt as it is slipping. I am not sure how to take the belt off and I don’t want to break anything. Can you give me some instructions or point me to an adjuster’s manual? Thank you for all your advice and help.
I finally got the machine working! After using penetrating oil, cleaning and waiting & coaxing, the main shaft finally turned loose! It is sewing but I think I will have to replace the belt as it is slipping. I am not sure how to take the belt off and I don’t want to break anything. Can you give me some instructions or point me to an adjuster’s manual? Thank you for all your advice and help.
11-23-2012, 06:39 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 2,103
I have 3 duplicate cams: #5 - arrowhead; #6- domino; and #31- crescent (my favorite of all the stitches!). All 3 of these cams are part of the set of 8 that typically came with the accessory box for the machine. If you want them, PM me your address and I will get them in the mail to you.
Linda
Linda
11-23-2012, 06:52 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
schuu6p,
Great, I'm glad you got the machine freed up. Now float it in Tri-Flow oil to get the penetrating oil out and she should be good to go. Tri-Flow grease on the metal gears goes a long way to making it run better too. There is two sets of gears, the vertical shaft drive and driven, and the cam drive gears. They need grease, not oil.
For the belt try this before replacing it. If the belt is not obviously cracked, frayed or defective, get a soft lint free cloth and some rubbing or denatured alcohol and clean the belt, hand wheel and drive pulley. There is a real good possibility they got oil on them as you were trying to get the machine freed up, or just from use in the past.
The easiest way to do this is with the top and end plate around the hand wheel removed.
To replace the belt here is how I do it:
>Remove: the top, plate around the hand wheel, bottom drip pan. This gives you room to see and work.
>Under the motor, facing the right side, you will see a white eccentric cam with a screw in the middle of it. Loosen the screw and rotate the cam so the motor is all the way up ^^ .
>Remove the hand wheel. When you pull the hand wheel off the belt will come with it. You "might" be able to remove the belt with the hand wheel in place, but I've not been able to do that on one of our machines yet.
>Clean the belt grove on the hand wheel and motor pulley with alcohol as suggested above and let it dry.
>Clean the insides of the hand wheel shaft bore and the main shaft too.
>Put one drop of SM oil or T-F on the shaft.
>Put the new belt on the hand wheel, and then with the motor all the way up put the belt around the motor pulley and slide the hand wheel on the shaft.
>Replace the stop motion clutch washer and knob.
>Adjust the belt to just take the slack out of it. Do not make it tight. Even snug will put a excessive load on the motor and slow the whole machine down. Make it just tight enough to not slip.
I test it buy holding the hand wheel with one hand, and turning the motor pulley with the other. If it doesn't slip, it's good to go.
>Tighten the big screw in the eccentric cam, replace the top, end plate and drip pan and you should be ready to sew.
There might be a simpler way to do this, but this is how I do it. I like to get everything out of my way when I work on machines and I like to get all the old belt residue that comes off as they wear cleaned out too.
Your machine takes a SINGER 196386 belt.
I have found quite a bit of variation in aftermarket belts. One I bought for our 413 was enough too short it wouldn't fit. Just an FYI on that. Try to find a Singer belt if you can. If not just be careful when you instal it as you don't want to bend and twist it. The cords inside can break easily.
Hope this helps.
Joe
Great, I'm glad you got the machine freed up. Now float it in Tri-Flow oil to get the penetrating oil out and she should be good to go. Tri-Flow grease on the metal gears goes a long way to making it run better too. There is two sets of gears, the vertical shaft drive and driven, and the cam drive gears. They need grease, not oil.
For the belt try this before replacing it. If the belt is not obviously cracked, frayed or defective, get a soft lint free cloth and some rubbing or denatured alcohol and clean the belt, hand wheel and drive pulley. There is a real good possibility they got oil on them as you were trying to get the machine freed up, or just from use in the past.
The easiest way to do this is with the top and end plate around the hand wheel removed.
To replace the belt here is how I do it:
>Remove: the top, plate around the hand wheel, bottom drip pan. This gives you room to see and work.
>Under the motor, facing the right side, you will see a white eccentric cam with a screw in the middle of it. Loosen the screw and rotate the cam so the motor is all the way up ^^ .
>Remove the hand wheel. When you pull the hand wheel off the belt will come with it. You "might" be able to remove the belt with the hand wheel in place, but I've not been able to do that on one of our machines yet.
>Clean the belt grove on the hand wheel and motor pulley with alcohol as suggested above and let it dry.
>Clean the insides of the hand wheel shaft bore and the main shaft too.
>Put one drop of SM oil or T-F on the shaft.
>Put the new belt on the hand wheel, and then with the motor all the way up put the belt around the motor pulley and slide the hand wheel on the shaft.
>Replace the stop motion clutch washer and knob.
>Adjust the belt to just take the slack out of it. Do not make it tight. Even snug will put a excessive load on the motor and slow the whole machine down. Make it just tight enough to not slip.
I test it buy holding the hand wheel with one hand, and turning the motor pulley with the other. If it doesn't slip, it's good to go.
>Tighten the big screw in the eccentric cam, replace the top, end plate and drip pan and you should be ready to sew.
There might be a simpler way to do this, but this is how I do it. I like to get everything out of my way when I work on machines and I like to get all the old belt residue that comes off as they wear cleaned out too.
Your machine takes a SINGER 196386 belt.
I have found quite a bit of variation in aftermarket belts. One I bought for our 413 was enough too short it wouldn't fit. Just an FYI on that. Try to find a Singer belt if you can. If not just be careful when you instal it as you don't want to bend and twist it. The cords inside can break easily.
Hope this helps.
Joe
Last edited by J Miller; 11-23-2012 at 06:54 AM.
11-23-2012, 07:26 PM
#17
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Missouri
Posts: 44
Thanks Joe. I will follow your instructions and get the belt off tomorrow. I oiled everything after it broke loose and I may have gotten some oil on the belt. I will clean the belt, the belt grove on the hand wheel and the motor pulley per your instructions, let it dry and put it back on and see if it works better. No need to replace it until I have to. I will also put some Singer grease on the metal gears. You have helped me a lot and I really appreciate it.
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