Terri C. Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Wanted to come back with an update. I called APQS, they listened over the phone and felt it was an air pockect in the gearbox. I was sent a packet of grease and easy to follow instructions on how to repack the gearbox, I also ordered the 4 screws just in case I stripped one when I was taking them out (which I did). Took the head off, repacked the gearbox and she is now purring right along agian.(I could see the air pocket when I removed the cover) Thank you APQS for your GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE and thanks to all of you here for your help and ideas on what might have been wrong. I have a rattling noise coming from the bobbin area, if I put pressure on the black collar with the set screw it stops the rattling. Is there bearings that could be going bad? or is it something else?. I didn't hit anything it just started to make the noise. I attached a picture so you can see where I'm talking about in case I used the wrong words above. 2005 Millie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Have you blown it out with air and oiled it? I had a similar problem with mine and a drop of oil seemed to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Does it happen only when the bobbin is in there? That could be the thing that's making noise (the bobbin) Try taking the bobbin out and test the sound. Does it diminish or go away? Have you given it a good bath in WD 40 lately? It might need a little cleaning and oiling. Blow out any lint first. Give the APQS factory a call for advice. They can diagnose things like this over the phone. You might need to adjust the collar. I did this once; it's easy to do but easier if you have a partner to help hold/see things from the bottom while you work from the top. Mark Caraher can send you instructions on how to make this adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri C. Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 It's all clean and oiled didn't help at all. It makes the noise with or without the bobin case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 A rattling in the hook assy area almost always indicates you need to oil the hook assy. Have you rotated the throat plate out of the way and oiled from the top? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Good advice, John. I also do this (oiling from the top while the machine is running slow). I add about 3-5 drops in there to get it nice and lubed. PS: I do this AFTER I spray a good dose of WD40 squirt from the top down into the rotating mechanism. I wonder how many of us do this routine? I try to do this about once a month or so when I am giving MIlli a good cleaning. She purrs like a kitten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgene Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Wow, I never knew about doing this....I think it's time for a cleaning and oiling tomorrow. So I loosen the front screw of the throat plate, rotate the plate out of the way and oil from there....down into the hook assembly...correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Yes! Correct. But since I'm already there, I usually take the entire plate off and wipe away all of the dust and goo that accumulates underneath the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 good to know I too will give mine a good cleaning from the top. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonbon Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Also~watch the little screws you are removing! They like to drop on the floor and get lost, never to be found again. You can guess how I know this, right? Geez............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Stuart - APQS Service Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 You may also have an air pocket in your gearbox grease - if your machine has never had it's gearbox repacked, it may be time to do so. It won't cause any problems with your machine, other than the noise issue. Sometimes putting pressure on the hook assembly changes how the gears are seated in the gearbox, making it sound a bit differently. If you have any questions, you can always call us and have us listen to your machine while it is running - we can almost always diagnose an air pocket, as it makes a specific sound that we can hear over the phone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Hi Shannon, You wrote: Good advice, John. I also do this (oiling from the top while the machine is running slow). I add about 3-5 drops in there to get it nice and lubed. Do you use the big oiler supplied by APQS for the oiling? That must soak it! I add one or two...just wondering if I am under oiling or if you are just more enthusiastic at oiling than I am !!! Big smile here!!!!! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Hi Lisa, I don't believe that 3-5 drops of oil from above down into the bobbin assembly will over-oil it, but definitly don't put that much on the hook area where the bobbin sits However that said, I stopped using the big oiler bottle and started using a smaller "precision tip" oil bottle that does not ooze or make a mess. It's a small bottle but I just refill it using the big bottle when I need to. Here's what it looks like. I've had this small oiler for several months now and I am really happy with it. No more mess, no more waste. I always give a good bath in WD 40 before I oil. Or shall I say, I always oil after I give a good bath in WD 40. Here's the link to the discussion about the little bottle: http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=16013&page=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri C. Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Thank you all for the tips. She is clean, oiled from top and bottom and she still is rattling :mad:. I think I'll call the service dept. after work tomorrow and see if they can give me any ideas after hearing the noise. Thanks again for your time, your a great group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 I put a couple of drops of oil on the ridged part that you can see in the opening on the top of the hook. I do not recommend removing the screws from the plate. Only remove the left front and loosen the right read. Then put the front screw through the thick and thin washer so they will not get lost. I have made many service calls and the washers are missing or not properly matched. If I remember correctly the thick one is .022 inch and the thin one is .011 inch. When stacked together this is .033 inches. This gives you the proper clearance for the thread cutter and sets the hopping foot height. Do not lose any of them, they are important. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Hi Terri If you have had your machine some time and use it regularly, it will naturally develop a bit of a rattle as it starts to wear, no matter how well you oil it. Hook assemblies typically last from 3-5 years depending on how much use your machine gets. If your hook assembly is around this age and you are sure it is well oiled, you might like to replace it to see if that helps. You might find your stitch quality improves too. Good luck sue in australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri C. Posted July 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 I know I've had my machine for 4 yrs. but I only quilt for myself and some for my sister, so I really don't think it's the hook assembly. Didn't get home in time to call APQS today so I'll try Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 25, 2009 Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 Terri, like Amy said, it might be air pockets in your gears. Have you ever had to repack your gear grease? After 5 years that could be a possibility... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri C. Posted July 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2009 I'm thinking that is what is making the noise. No, I have not been blessed with repacking bearings yet, I've done some searching on the subject and would love to find some pictures of it. I'm not afraid of doing it would just like to gat a visual of it first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hi Terri When you receive the grease from APQS, they will also send you an instructions sheet with very clear colour photos and instructions - it will all become clear when you see them. sue in australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Can the air pocket move away from the gears? My machine was making a buzzing rattling sound so I figured I was going to have to repack the gearbox. Then today as I was quilting, it suddenly got quiet! Kinda scared me. I checked everything and she was still stitching just fine. I didn't realize how loud she had gotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hi Holly Yes the airpocket does move around and the sound of the machine changes. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri C. Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 posted my solution to this up in my first post. Wanted to bring it up to the top in case some others were having the same problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 OK Good to know. I love happy endings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Terri I had to do the same thing a while back and it is so easy! I love my silent machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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