Zorki-4 repair, where the heck does that rod fit?

[Sid836]

I have repaired successfully (???) my Zorki-4. It had a block shutter, now everything works fine.
The problem is that upon removing the self timer, a less than 1cm metal rod came of from somewhere. Everything works fine now on my Zorki, but the self timer does not trip the shutter. This makes me thing that this little rod belongs to the self timer assembly. I have seen a small slot on the base of the camera next to the sprocket driving reel, but when I fit that rod there the winding is blocked.
Help please?

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I have repaired successfully (???) my Zorki-4. It had a block shutter, now everything works fine.
The problem is that upon removing the self timer, a less than 1cm metal rod came of from somewhere. Everything works fine now on my Zorki, but the self timer does not trip the shutter. This makes me thing that this little rod belongs to the self timer assembly. I have seen a small slot on the base of the camera next to the sprocket driving reel, but when I fit that rod there the winding is blocked.
Help please?

Yes the little rod should fit within a hole under the blade spring. So you should take off the blade spring and put the little rod in the hole. Further if it is pushed down too far by the selftimer mechanism, you should loosen the mechanism by loosen its front screws a little and push it upwards as far as you can do....

 

[Sid836]

For some reason when I put that rod in that hole, the film advance is blocked. Could it be because some spring is also missing from there?

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

For some reason when I put that rod in that hole, the film advance is blocked. Could it be because some spring is also missing from there?

No, has nothing to do with a spring (apart from the blade spring as written above). If the rod does not 'sit up straight' under the lever of the selftimer mechanism, but is sitting nearby that lever, it might be pushed against the winding mechanism (which means: pushed against the pins on the sprocket wheel that go through the sprocket holes of your film ). The rod not sitting up straight could be caused by being the wrong rod (to small) sitting in a hole that is too wide....
Also the sprocket wheel could be sitting too low in position so that its pins can touch the rod when winding.

In stead of the rod, also the lever of the selftimer mechanism might be pushed against the sprocket wheel by the rod, causing the winding failure.

In the below picture you'll see (in the yellow circle) the rod sticking out from the bottom, and - resting upon it - the lever from the self timer and nearby the sprocket wheel, as it should fit: you must be able to turn the sprocket wheel without interference from the rod and lever.

 

[Sid836]

Great! Thank you!
I have removed the timer, placed the rod in there, put back the timer, re-assembled the camera and now it all works perfectly!

Thank you very much for your invaluable help!