Typewriter Talk / Smith Corona Electra new belts now motor won't spin up. Clutch? Belt?

**Posted by Kalani** 24-1-2023 15:49:28

Tried installing the McMaster 238 belts on the Smith Corona Electra 120 and now the motor won't spin up. So, is the clutch worn and too loose?
The "o" rings, from McMaster number 238 are very very tight on the pulleys. Maybe this has something to do with it.
Everything spins up find with the old V belts but just some pulley hop and floppiness from the worn loose belts.

Solutions?

thanks for your help everyone.
k
old "v" belts, loose and floppy but works, pulleys turn, everything functions.

McMaster 238 "O" rings are very very tight to install. Motor now doesn't spin, or clutch doesn't turn.

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-1-2023 16:51:48

Kalani,

1. Have you tried moving the impression control knob from 1 to 10 and other positions ?

2. Look at the motor mounts. Can you see some elongated bolt-down holes which would allow you to move the motor a bit closer to the front of the machine ?

3. O-rings will stretch out a bit with use. Did you buy the Durometer 70A o-rings or did you go with the harder 90A ?

4. Make sure the motor clutch is all clean and degreased. Duane Jensen has a YouTube video on this. Same for the other 2 pulleys and their bushings/bearings and make sure all the grooves in all pulleys are clean and have no burned rubber from the old v-belts.

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-1-2023 16:53:46

p.s. I have a bunch of Dash No. 240 o-rings from McMaster Carr in 70A rubbers. If you want to try those (or one 238 and one 240) on your machine, I would be happy to send you some in the mail. Just drop me a message with your ship-to address.

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-1-2023 22:10:26

Kalani,

If your McMaster-Carr package says "Hard"...it is their Durometer 90A rubber and that, I found, is way too hard and stiff to work. Somewhere on the package you will see "90A" mentioned.

I tried 90A, 70A and 50A. The "Medium" 70A was perfect and what I have on my electrics in various sizes. The "Soft" 50A is way too soft and stretches out and the o-ring then flaps.

I will mail you a pair of 238's and 240's in 70A in the US Post, tomorrow. You could even try a mix of both sizes on your machine.

**Posted by Kalani** 25-1-2023 07:18:13

Pete E. wrote:
Kalani,

If your McMaster-Carr package says "Hard"...it is their Durometer 90A rubber and that, I found, is way too hard and stiff to work. Somewhere on the package you will see "90A" mentioned.

I tried 90A, 70A and 50A. The "Medium" 70A was perfect and what I have on my electrics in various sizes. The "Soft" 50A is way too soft and stretches out and the o-ring then flaps.

I will mail you a pair of 238's and 240's in 70A in the US Post, tomorrow. You could even try a mix of both sizes on your machine.

Thanks, Pete.
Appreciate the help.

Question: Does the motor shaft, "inner cam shaped plastic piece" with the belt pulley that inserts into the centrifugal clutch get worn out on the Smith Corona Electra 120?

Thanks again
Aloha
k

**Posted by Pete E.** 25-1-2023 08:30:42

Kalani,

I do not know...am very new to the Series 6 Electras...only got my hands on them in the past month or so.

I did harvest parts from a 3rd. machine to get the 2 others up to 100% and did salvage all such parts.

My 2 Electras have gone (or will go) to other homes...I did not care much for the power return on the 220 and the 120 was a cursive machine.

I will hope to pick up a non-cursive 120 in the future...so figured I needed a hoard of parts for that one which will be a keeper.

**Posted by Pete E.** 25-1-2023 10:08:52

Kalani,

If you need some hard, nylon bushings/collars...you might try your local ACE Hardware store.

In their hardware aisle, they have those rows of small self-serve drawers that are full of all sorts of small screws, nuts, bolts, set screws, washers, etc.

My local Tru-Hardware has similar offerings.

And my local ACE store even has very small nylon bushings, washers, and collars made of hard plastic. And softer rubber parts of all sorts. It is my first stop before I go the McMaster-Carr route.

**Posted by Kalani** 25-1-2023 14:20:58

smith corona electra 120
removing allen screws on motor clutch

run motor with fine sandpaper to remove shaft burrs from the 2 allen screws.

remove inner pulley

clean and check cam ridges on inner pulley and centrifigal clutch pivots etc.

**Posted by Pete E.** 25-1-2023 16:05:53

Kalani,

My Electra 120 (and my preivous Electra 220) had all the motor clutch and the motor pulley made of metal.

From your photo, it looks like yours are made of a yellow-coloured plastic. Is that the case ?

My Electra 120 was made in 1966.

The parts of this video Duane Jensen shows are metal as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SLT4DsQ_14&t=768s

**Posted by Pete E.** 25-1-2023 16:13:39

Photos...
.