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Pangea
Tinkerer
Username: Pangea
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 04:13 am: | 
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Hi,
I purchased Pentax ME SE in mint condition from local private seller. At the time of purchase, there was no battery in the camera, but since it looked almost new, I didn't think that there would be a shutter problem.
The problem is shutter lagging. Light meter shows right speed and I compared with good working ME super. When I press the shutter button, mirror goes up right away with first shutter curtain opening. However mirror locks up in up postion so long until it comes back to the rest position. Doing about one roll of test shot, it starts to work properly (shutter speed in the view finder and real shutter speed matches).
If I put it in idle for a day or so, shutter lags again, and it requires another 30 shots or so, to make it work properly.
I replaced every foams including one near focusing screen, so I don't think it's due to sticky foam. I have tools to open upper and lower plate, but I don't want to mess with leatherette since it's in pristine condition. I'm not skillful enough to get into shutter box. Is it mechanical problem or electronical?
Could anybody guide me to fix this? |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 12
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 11:12 am: |
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See the ME article under "articles" at the top of this page. |
Pangea
Tinkerer
Username: Pangea
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:38 pm: |
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Thanks for your feedback, Donnie. I read the article. But I'm still confused whether the symptom is mechanical or electronical failure. From my understanding of the article, I guess it might be a capacitor or a variable resistor on the main pcb over the pentaprism. Could it be solenoid in the shutter box? Is the solenoid prone to fail? I don't know where to look at first. I'm lost. please help me somebody.
Thank you.
Rob |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 13
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 04:42 pm: |
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Since the shutter begins to work after being exercised, I'd guess mechanical. But that's just a guess. I have had luck using lighter fluid on an ME per the article. |
Pangea
Tinkerer
Username: Pangea
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 05:36 pm: |
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Thanks again, Donnie, for the update. I'll try to flush some gears and moving parts with lighter fluid. Am I right about that this can be done by opening bottom plate and cleaning gear box assembly? Or should I disassmble further to get to the parts?
https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/images/pentaxmewindlock1.jpg
This website and forum is really helpful and provide good insight for novice tinkerer. I'll update this thread, if it works.
Thanks,
Rob |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 14
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 08:40 pm: |
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From Henry's article:
I have had some luck setting the assembled body with the wind side down and squirting in some Ronsonol. Only the bottom cover need be removed. I don’t recommend this as who knows where the dirt and dried lube may go.
This was all I had to do with my ME. I didn't have to dissasemble anything furthur. If you decide to do so, remember: give this time to work. Don't rush. |
Pangea
Tinkerer
Username: Pangea
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 03, 2007 - 12:07 am: |
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I did squart some Ronsonol into gear box, but it didn't fix the problem. While the fulid is in the gearbox, I fired numerous shots just to get moving parts wet. I waited few hours until I don't smell the naphta any more, and ran another flush. While I was doing it. I hold the camera in various position so that the fluid could go here and there in the gear box.
While I can't guarantee that I removed possible hardened grease or whatever in the mirror box that causes this problem, now it seems like the failure is electrical. |
Docman
Tinkerer
Username: Docman
Post Number: 6
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 04:24 pm: |
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actually look on the curtains. If you see some sort of goo (sticky foam), then that;s the culprit. There's a foam just under the viewfinder (you'll have to disassemble the top cover & detach the mirror box, not an easy task!) to get to it. This foam may sometimes get into the curtain blades & make them stick together (impeding normal operation).
good luck. Be careful with the focusing screen if you plan to flush it with cleaners... It would be a good idea to avoid it. |
Docman
Tinkerer
Username: Docman
Post Number: 7
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 04:33 pm: |
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oh, and there could be also the second problem I encountered with me supers (not ME, but similar) on the mirror box, on the left side:
http://www.robertstech.com/files/me_sm.pdf
page 18. Don't know if it's applicable tough! It's a rubber pad that gets sticky in time. A good repairman should be able to fix it. Warning: not an easy diy... |
