Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Help with "ticking" intermittent

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Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 07-19-2003, 03:49 PM:

I KNOW the world's best techs are on this forum....so, I need advice.
One of my XL's has a noisy intermittent while running film. Here's the deal: Take off the sprocket, NO noise. Install the sprocket a very soft "tick" develops. I'm guessing this indicates some wear in the star and cam. After aligning the sprocket with the shoes and adjusting the intermittent shaft for the slightest end play the noise really increases when running film. I've tried three sets of shoes, no luck. BTW, I'm using a VKF sprocket. I've done all I know to do!!!! What next?????
Thanks for any help in advance.

Don

Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 07-19-2003, 06:26 PM:

Ive never taken a sprocket off to check for noise but you can check by slowly rotating the proj by hand, naturally when the sprocket is on lock you should feel absolutely no rotational movement[play] in the sprocket. Next carefully rotate until the cam pin is in the star slot. Carefully feel if there is any rotational play in the sprocket now. Use just a finger on the sprocket to check this. There should be none. If there is probably the movement will never run quietly. If there is none, perhaps loosening the outer case with the movement on lock and retightening will take it out.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 07-20-2003, 12:42 AM:

Me thinks the pin and cam is worn. I have seen a few where the pin had a definate visible flat spot on the pin itself.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 07-20-2003, 12:43 AM:

Some are noisier than others, but if the sound is really bad you should check for trouble.
First ensure that it's getting enough oil. If the oil pump tube at the governor has shifted you can get lots of splash on the window but very little oil going in the cup and down to the intermittent, even if the intermittent tube is positioned perfectly. With the framing cranked you should be able to see a steady stream of oil going into the intermittent gears.
If you want to look further consider that the intermittent is costly, assembly and adjustment is tricky, and you might make it worse or destroy it... oh, and have a spare gasket
Possibly the radial clearance was misadjusted. This happens if somebody opens the case for some reason but doesn't understand how to put it back together. By moving the front of the case against the back you set the clearance between the cam and starwheel. I set this by feel; if it's too tight you get drag turning the cam at lock - it mustn't be too loose or the intermittent gets noisy (slightly loose) or breaks (way loose).

If the shafts/bushings or the pin/starwheel are worn... it's going to be expensive to make it right. I would live with the noise and have arrangements in place for an intermittent to swap if or when yours causes picture problems (or really breaks). It might run "as-is" for a long time with no trouble and paying $$$ for a rebuild doesn't make sense until you have to.