The 360 has not been used for several years and needed cleaning and oiling. Before cleaning and oiling the machine worked, by hand, in forward nd reverse with no apparent problems. After cleaning and oiling with most, not all, stitch changes, etc. it seemed to work OK. However, at the respective adjusters the bobbin would not sync with the needle and in the forward direction struck the bobbin holder while working in the reverse direction.
After further cleaning and oiling other newly discovered oil points the bobbin holder rotated freely in the stitch holder. The bobbin is placed in its case outside the machine and that case is placed into another holder on the shuttle shaft. It is the bobbin holder that rotates freely on the shaft without an ability to sync with the needle as it attempts to descend into the bobbin thread area striking the holder outside the proper slot area. At no time does the bobbin holder in the other case appear to be held in a synchronized position. By hand it just continues to rotate freely no matter the position of the needle holder (without the needle in the machine).
The 362 machine had been left exposed in a closet of an ocean area home for many, many years and was, in the beginning, completely locked up. After a preliminary cleaning and oiling it would operate by hand, with difficulty, with all moving parts, needle, bobbin housing, etc. working in both forward and reverse. As it was still very stiff further cleaning was done with additional oil points being dealt with. After reaching the point of being easily operated by hand a needle was installed only to find it to have the same problem.
No thread, or fluff, appears visible in any of the bobbin areas, yet two different machines that were only cleaned and oiled appear to have the same failure.
Any ideas would be very much appreciated. Pictures of both machines can be provided if that would help. BTW the 360 was purchased in 1960 and the 362 was purchased in 1965. My mom had an earlier similar model Pfaff purchased in the early 50s that she sewed my dad's welding leathers on, as well as, fine fabrics for dresses, etc. It's only failure was a fiber gear, that Pfaff replaced in about 1955 at no charge. It swelled under extended use jamming the machine causing her no end of distress when sewing the leather material. They are very tough machines.
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You really need to take this machine into a repair tech with experience on vintage Pfaffs. It sounds to me the timing is off and possibly a few gears have deteriorated.
Neither (and I could be wrong about either!) are home fixes. Re-timing a high-end machine like a Pfaff is best done by someone who has invested the time and money in training. I do repair-refurb on Singer and a few other vintage machine brands but wouldn't touch a Pfaff as these are very different no matter how similar they look to a Singer (not much really:). I also won't try working on a computerised model - I don't have the money for training and manuals and wouldn't dream of 'learning' on someone's sewing machine!
RE what you will be charged...Service manuals cost in the high three digit figures, and tools to work on vintage electrics are costly as well (but not as costly as the manuals, ouchie!). To give you an example, I paid over $700USD for a Singer (500series) manual back in the late 90s.
I cannot emphasis strongly enough the need to take these machines to a pro - your problem, while it does sound very much like a timing problem, may be instead a minuscule 'burr' of rust that you can't see at home and likely wouldn't know where to look for any road.
I own so many vintage machines my husband wants me to sell them all or open a museum:) You have two very desirable machines well worth the cost of having them restored to sewing functionality, and I have to now confess to wishing you'd posted snaps, and to a HUGE machine envy, you lucky Pfaff owner, you!
My Dad Bought My Mom a 1954 Phaff 130 NEW...she sewed everything from silk, satin, leather & canvas...when she passed in 1970 my Dad gave it to me. I use it almost every day, & would never part w/it.
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