Gearandsuch

Hi, everyone, this is my first post.

I bought a Singer 403A cheap on eBay and it needs a lot of work. Fortunately, I found Andy Tube on YouTube before I got it. And this forum soon after.

Unfortunately, when I plugged the machine and foot controller in and pressed on it, nothing. Not a peep. So I am watching Andy Tube's video on removing and cleaning the motor of a 403A and noticed after he took the motor apart he spun the main shaft and it really spun a while.

Mine feels rough when I spin it by hand and doesn't keep spinning at all. I figure it needs a new top bearing. Does that sound right? Do you know of any tutorials on how to do that and where to buy one?

Also, how can I test the motor without the controller? He has a wire with alligator clips on one and a light dimmer and plug. Is there an easier way to test the motor (I don't have his testing device)?

Thanks for any suggestions!

JoeJr

Welcome to the board!

Did you test the foot controller itself? Are you getting power from the wall outlet to the motor? Or to the motor plug? You need some inexpensive tools to check power through that far, and it's a lot easier than tearing apart a motor.

From other things I've read, I don't think you're going to find motor parts very easily. Might need to look at a replacement motor. If you have power through to the motor and really have to consider tearing it apart, try removing the brushes first and cleaning out the inside with some CRC QD electronics cleaner first, and then search this board for lubricating a 401/403 motor, I remember seeing some posts about that.

Gearandsuch

JoeJr thanks for the quick reply! I don't know how to test the foot controller, or if I'm getting power from the wall outlet to the motor, or the motor plug. Any suggestions on how I could learn this stuff? And what tools I'll need? Maybe a YouTube video? Or an article?

JoeJr

Any of the tools in the attached picture. They are all inexpensive. The easiest to use it the green one because you don't have to figure out where to touch probes, just run it along a wire and it will beep if there's AC power in the wire.

Check all the connections, clean off any corrosion on pins, plugs, etc, then plug everything in. If you have something like the green tool you just move it along the wire from the outlet to the machine, it should beep, move along the wire to the foot controller, with the button depressed, it should beep. Even with the motor dropped out of the machine you should be able to get close enough to check the wires to the motor plug. The multimeter might be the better investment, then you can check the terminals on the motor plug itself, with the foot controller plugged in and button depressed. I don't really look at videos on things, but there have to be some on basic use of a multimeter. You can do this, just need the right tools and a basic understanding of what you're checking: is there power getting to the motor when everything is plugged in and the button on the foot controller is depressed.

Gearandsuch

Thanks again. I didn't expect to be learning about basic electrical repair but I guess I am! Hopefully all the tools and parts I end up buying for this restoration won't add up to the price of a machine in great shape.

bkay

It's amazing what you learn when you have to. Go with the flow. Everyone is helpful and will do what they can.
bkay

Rocketeer

Hello and welcome --
I posted a while back about my restoration of a 500A, including the motor and replacing the bearing. If the bearing is truly the issue, it's not an easy task to replace it, and it may be easier to obtain a used motor as a replacement. Pounding the commutator shaft down through the old bearing is a risk for damage, and pressing the bearing into the housing and then the commutator shaft back through it without unduly stressing the bearing itself is tricky. Unfortunately, I don't think these were ever meant to be replaced.

Singer 500A "Rocketeer" complete restoration

I'm happy to help in any way I can, including walking you through what worked for me, though.

Matt

JoeJr

I think that's the post I was thinking about, Rocketeer's. Try the simple things first. Just yesterday I was using a foot control to bench test a machine, first there was power then none. Turns out the plug was yanked out of the wall one too many times, I guess, and a few inches lopped off the cord and new plug and it worked fine.

Gearandsuch

Rocketeer, I read a comment by Andy Tube on one of his YouTube videos on motors about how hard it is to replace that bearing (he said he's never done it himself). So I'm not going to pursue that.

I took one of his big tips and went to the store and bought a hair dryer an hour ago. He uses one to heat up areas that might have dry, hardened oil or grease. I'll try that on the bearing, then he recommends 30 wt auto oil. I'll have to see if I can "borrow" a teaspoon from a neighbor.

And I'm going to get an electrical testing thingie (multimeter) like JoeJr suggested.

Gearandsuch

Do you think it matters what weight auto oil I use to put a couple of drops on the top of the top bearing?