Nikon FE camera repair

[Sweettea]

G'day, in a strange twist a friend gave me a Nikon FE. I just bought one, as well so now I have two. (Yay me)

When I went to load film in the gifted one, the film would not advance. I'm wondering if there is something simple I can do to fix this? Or is there something more sinister going on...

(The battery is brand new.)

 

[ArtTwisted]

this might not be the problem at all but the shutter on my FE jammed twice even with fresh batteries (2 different sets), and this stopped the film advance, i just poped the camera into M90 mode which released the shutter and it still works fine now.

 

[perkeleellinen]

This probably isn't the issue either, but if you have the camera set to Auto and the lens cap is on, when you try to load a film and you fire the shutter the exposure will be an age because the lens cap has stopped all light. Hence what may seem like a locked up advance lever may be a really long exposure.

 

[Alistair Wait]

Hi, I have one with a similar problem. There is a clutch mechanism at the winder. The clutch is slipping on mine and I intend to take the top and bottom plates off some time and try tightening the set screws. The following thread is repeated on a number of websites and gives some clues to the problem and to fixing:
http://www.photokb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/photo-35mm/11745/Nikon-FE-film-advance-slipping
If I cannot sort it myself I will send it in for a service sometime

Cheers

 

[John_Nikon_F]

If it's jamming, there's an issue with the pendulum beneath the baseplate that is preventing the advance mechanism from engaging. I've had a couple FE's that would jam up, then, if you provided enough force, they'd unjam, but then get stuck where the advance lever was at the fully wound position, but would return freely without returning the ratchet mechanism to the ready-to-fire position.

Considering how the FE's no longer have new parts available for them (although, it's possible the ratchet cam mechanism from an FM3a might work), it might be best to pick up a good working FE2 or FM2n instead.

-J

 

[fstop]

There are some differences between the FM and FE with the locks. No sure if the parts interchange between the FM3 and FE/FE2.

I shot some pics of an FE I have here, usually the advance lock hangs due to dry lube and thats what "jams" advance lever travel.

You can also have issues with the Motor Drive (MD) shutter release plunger, lever and lock mechanism, when the advance lever is moved or the motor is advancing film there is a cam that moves a lever to lock out shutter release, its easy to spot if the bottom cover is off. If the plunger is hanging it will keep advance from moving because the lock won't swing out. ( its not pointed out in the pic but take a pen and push on plunger you'll see what moves)

If the lever doesn't lock after advance, its the double exposure lock not returning to the correct position, this can be dry lube or broken or disconnected spring I beleive.

 

[John Koehrer]

Is the rewind button or double exposure button stuck ? If it's the rewind, there's a latch just above the large disk in post #6.
If it's the multi exposure, it's under the top cover. push it one way or the other and try advancing the camera. There's a spring that may be broken or have popped off it fastening point.

 

[fstop]

If the rewind button was stuck the film would not advance.If the double exposure lever was stuck, once the shutter was cocked the advance lever won't swing out more than the "on" position.

Heres an exploded view, maybe it might help.