Nikon S2 slow speed escapement not working

[Highway 61]

The upper shutter speed dial is hold by three set screws not being positioned at 120°. Are you sure you haven't, after you took the top cover off, reinstalled the upper shutter speed dial a bit wrong, so that the 1-30 marking actually matches the B setting ?

How does the dial look when set on 1000 ?

 

[photomoof]

It has to be something other than the escapement, I have never had to fuss with them much if they function smoothly outside of the body.

 

[jonmanjiro]

The upper shutter speed dial is hold by three set screws not being positioned at 120°. Are you sure you haven't, after you took the top cover off, reinstalled the upper shutter speed dial a bit wrong, so that the 1-30 marking actually matches the B setting ?

How does the dial look when set on 1000 ?

The upper shutter speed dial is held on by a single grub screw which holds it in place. To remove the dial, you loosen the grub screw and then screw the dial off anticlockwise.

The notches of the upper shutter speed dial all match correctly. The 1/1000 position is also slightly raised as it should be. So the top side of the upper shutter speed dial seems to be correct. It appears that whatever needs adjusting is on the underside of the dial. I can see a cam rotating on the underside when I rotate the dial but cannot see how to adjust its position.

 

[Highway 61]

Sorry about the set screws - that's now five years since I opened up my last S2 and I don't have mine with me at this moment.

Looks like the parts 440, 441, 435 and 406 positions have to be adjusted relatively to each other.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I hope this really helps:

Good luck, Jon.

Erik.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Thanks again Erik! Unfortunately I still haven't solved my problem, though.

Is there anything in your S2 maintenance manual about setting the top shutter dial/bottom shutter dial linkage position (position where both dials are set to 1/30)?

 

[Erik van Straten]

There are only instructions for replacing the curtains and to repair problems with the synchronisation left.

I do not see any instructions for a linkage position of the speed dials.

When you want, I can copy the whole book for you and e-mail it. Just PM me if you like that.

Good luck,

Erik.

 

[jonmanjiro]

That would be great, Erik. Sending you a PM now.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Jon,
I took a quick look at the archives for the old classic camera repair forum for any hits for the Nikon S2. Here's a link to a thread about someone else who had the same problem you've got. Don't get too excited because there is no fix mentioned, however I thought the description of the problem and how the speeds could be induced to run a little with the shutter release might be worth noting, in the even it is a clue that helps you put the pieces of your puzzle together. FYI anyway. http://www.rangefinderforum.com/classics/forum/messages/20735/14466.html?1233720939
Cheers
Brett

 

[jonmanjiro]

After several more hours of head scratching and trying different things, the S2 is now firing correctly at all shutter speeds !!! 😀

The problem ended up being some grime on the spring surface indicated in the photo below. The grime prevented the indicated cam from sliding along the spring surface freely when the shutter was fired. Instead, the cam would lock in position and only slide along the spring surface after releasing your finger from the shutter release button, thus the camera behaved like it was set to B. After cleaning the side surface of the spring (a job that took all of two seconds) the camera instantly started firing correctly.

Now its time to test with film!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Congratulations with the repair! What a little bit of dirt can do.

Nice camera, the black return button looks a bit odd to me. Is this normal for late S2's?

Erik.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Thanks! And well spotted, Erik. A chrome black dial S2 should indeed have a chrome rewind knob. Only a black paint black dial S2 would have a black rewind knob like this one. The rewind knob on this camera is actually an unused looking replacement part (possibly an F part?).

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Congratulations, and by documenting the fix you've helped the next person who needs to sort the issue out too.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[Erik van Straten]

It is interesting to compare the reality with the repair manual. I see quite some differences, probably due to the fact that the camera is a late one, towards the end of the production, and the manual is early.
For instance, in the photograph I see a rod overlapping the cam that is completely absent in the manual.

Erik.

 

[Highway 61]

Ha ! I should have thought of this. This is a common fix on all classic Nikons from the S2 to the F...

I now remember that I solved the same problem the same way on my black Nikon F. That was 12 years ago so it seems that I have lost some of my abilities to remember everything ! 😱

Congratulations Jon !

🙂

BTW I like the "panda" look of that S2 "black dial", thanks to the black rewind knob.

 

[jamesliaopiop]

Jon

what kind of tools do you open the top cover?
I can't remove the time dial and shutter release button.

thanks!

 

[jonmanjiro]

No special tools are required.

To remove the shutter speed dials...
1. Pull up the top dial, rotate it until you see the small screw underneath, and then slightly loosen that screw with a 1 mm screwdriver (see photo below).
2. Sit the top dial back down, and then unscrew the actual top dial anti-clockwise with your fingers.
3. Use a slightly larger screwdriver (1.6mm or 2mm?) to remove the larger screw on the lower dial.

To remove the A-R dial...
1. Rotate the A-R dial until you can see the small screw through the hole, then loosen the screw with a 1mm screwdriver (first photo below).
2. Then loosen and remove the locknut on the inside of the A-R ring (second photo below). I use a filed down pinset for this.

Good luck!

 

[jamesliaopiop]

Thanks Jon. I will try it again!

 

[jonmanjiro]

Thanks Jon. I will try it again!

How'd you go? Did you manage to remove the top plate?

 

[jamesliaopiop]

Jon,
Thanks!
Yes, I finally removed the top plate successful!

I'm also have problem in slow speed shutter after clean the slow speed gear train my slow speed still not work properly.
So I open the top plate to check the slow speed setting lever.

I found the “2” will move by speed setting dial and the gear will push the “1” to change slow speed.
My S2’s problem is the “2” seems to tight and can’t restore to proper position.

Do you have any suggestion for fixing this part?