Euro Pro Solid Metal construction

A friend of a friend called me about her machine.  I told her that I would look at but I was not sure that I could fix it because it was so new (she thinks 2004). 

I was pleased to see that it was not a clam shell.  The top came off and I checked it out briefly while she was here.  There was a terrible rattle in the hand wheel.  She also claimed that it would not sew.  That it would get all tangled up.

I cleaned and oiled it first.  There was some very old grease on the cam followers on top.  The shuttle gears were equally gooey and there was gunk on the hand wheel mechanism.

Here you see the gears after I had cleaned them and applied new grease.  You can see evidence of the old dirty grease on the top of the gear and on the housing.  I cleaned them some more then applied Tri Flow grease.  Better than vaseline.

Once I had it cleaned and oiled, I was then able to look for the rattle. 

It came from the hand wheel for sure and when I inspected the motor, I discovered that the motor mount nuts  were loose.  See that little plastic zip tie just beneath the nut?  I think that is what caused the loosening of the nuts.  It was just in the way.  I got it out of the way, tightened the nuts but the thing still rattled.

The belt was way too loose so I tightened that and voila, silence.  Well, as silent as a solid metal construction with mostly plastic parts machine can be.

I sewed with it for a little bit.  All of the stitches work.  It did not need any tension adjustment.  It must have an automatic presser bar adjustment.  I could not find that anywhere.

So the machine now runs and stitches.  I don't know why it would get all tangled up for her.  Perhaps there was a threading issue. 

It certainly is a lightweight machine.  I can pick it up with one hand.  I would not want to sew anything heavy with it, though.  I think it would break.
]