OM-1n sticky self-timer

[Ivo Stunga]

Hello, dear wildlife and people shooters!

The self-timer of my OM-1n is acting up and likes to stick, stopping the timer action entirely unless slightly bumped. Especially in cold weather, making me think that old grease could be the culprit.
CLA is due.
But having taken the OM-1 apart, I dread to approach my sole camera with screwdriver too much - especially to go near the intricately horrifying exposure meter pulley system... The rest is functioning properly and I just use cable-release for slow exposures, but would love to have my timer back nonetheless.

So, is there an option to remove the old grease and apply new without taking it apart too much? I'm thinking accessing it via a strange place with a solvent in a syringe with needle to flush out the old, then another syringe to apply some fresh mineral oil or specialty lube that I don't know about yet...

Any tips, repair manuals for this?

 

[BMbikerider]

I think your analysis is probably correct. Any grease or form of lubrication on a camera that could have been made any time since the 1970's will have lost it's properties. If it is still working except for the timer it's still a goodun, so perhaps give it a Christmas present with a service and check.
I would most definitely not wash anything out with a solvent unless the camera was opened up. That solvent whatever you use could get to places you don't want it to, and cause damage. Take to to a pro who can do a proper job. Even mechanical cameras are fine instruments that can react to rather crude cleaning and DIY servicing methods.
A camera mechanic will have the appropriate lubricant to do the job properly. An incorrect lubricant can give off fumes and affect the optics and make things even worse.

 

[Ivo Stunga]

I would most definitely not wash anything out with a solvent unless the camera was opened up.

Sound. And I was thinking to take it apart to the level I'm comfortable with, which isn't much. Top plate, however, reveals a set of gears under winding knob - a module that can easily be taken out providing some deeper access, and bottom plate provides access to some more gears and levers, but haven't checked if timer gear assembly would be possible to access via top or bottom plate.

So I'm just gathering info at this stage, to see if it's viable - I'd tilt the camera away from curtain mechanism, then place a drop or two of solvent, work it a couple of times, then apply grease the same way.

 

[BMbikerider]

Sound. And I was thinking to take it apart to the level I'm comfortable with, which isn't much. Top plate, however, reveals a set of gears under winding knob - a module that can easily be taken out providing some deeper access, and bottom plate provides access to some more gears and levers, but haven't checked if timer gear assembly would be possible to access via top or bottom plate.

So I'm just gathering info at this stage, to see if it's viable - I'd tilt the camera away from curtain mechanism, then place a drop or two of solvent, work it a couple of times, then apply grease the same way.

Applying an unsuitable lubricant (grease) can give off fumes and in a restricted space be redeposited on optical surfaces, for my money it just isn't worth it. The hesitation for the self timer not working is almost certainly due to lack of use, so ask your self is it worth it? The self time is not an absolutely essential part of the operation of the camera to take a picture. (Or are you a compulsive tinkerer)
I had a self timer 'hang up' in a Nikon FE some years ago and this was sorted out by repeatedly operating the self- timer over and over again many time one after another, it was just lack of use caused the problem. Worrying about such a minor glitch is not worth the risk of damaging an otherwise fully working camera.