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My Century SA intermittent started making a shrill tapping noise last week. Last night it got much worse. I can see metal shavings on one of the sprockets. I loosened the screws and the set nut on the intermittent, to try to adjust it, but it will not budge. It looks like there is a paper gasket that will come apart if moved. I called one place and found a rebuilt intermittent for $1500 plus my old one. I'd like to find a new gasket and try an adjustment before spending that much money. Anyone know where to get a gasket and how to loosen this? Or where to find a better price on the rebuilt?

First thing to check is see if there's oil in it and up to the proper level.

Run the machine with no film and see how it sounds then. Also try running it with the gate closed and then again with the gate open. Do the same with the intermittent pad (under the gate) open and closed also. That will eliminate any mis-alignment as a problem. If it still makes noise with gate and intermittent pad open (no film present) and intermittent is filled properly with oil, then the intermittent is about to slam big time ($$$$ repair). Try Scott Hicks' American Cinema Equipment (www.cinequip.com) in Portland, Oregon for a rebuilt intermittent. Remember that the intermittent is the heart of your projector and it's built to EXTREMELY close tolerances and is VERY EXPENSIVE!! Treat it well and it will last for years.

I am replying for projectionist husband. He says that it has been 8 years since he worked on a Century and wants to check his manuals which are at home. However, he believes that the Century heads are greased rather than oiled. Also, the intermittent has to be removed by loosening the screws BEHIND the intermittent and then pulling it out from the front.
Ken Layton is absolutely right about the tests he recommends. Pray that it is a problem with the gate not being adjusted correctly rather than the intermittent.

If all else fails, you might try checking equipment suppliers for a new (used) Century head which goes for about the same money as an intermittent. That way you have spare parts or an additional working projector head whichever you choose. Boxoffice is currently listing several suppliers with Century equipment.

Good luck on this! We have all been there. Our local competitor lost an intermittent in one of their projectors - they lost their Thursday evening show but "borrowed" an intermittent out of the Simplex projector running trailers in the lobby of another theater in their chain. Don't we all wish!!

Also remember if the intermittent sieze there will probably be major damge also happening else where in the machine as it litterly stalls. That damage is even more expensive
$1500 is a very good price for a movement with a exchange. They are extremely precise device and very time consuming to rebuild

Thanks for the replies. I'll run the tests you suggest, Ken. The oil level is fine. I contacted General Theatrical Supply who will do a rebuild for $100 plus parts (max $800). Fortunately I have a friend/sound tech who unfortunately does not live close, but who had two spare intermittents that also need to be rebuilt. He sent them directly to Mark at GTS. GTS has a one day turnaround and I should have a rebuilt by Friday. I have the Century manual and hopefully can remove mine and put the new one in without problems.

I had at least four Century intermittants sieze up and strip the drive shaft gear off. Main cause was lack of oil. These machines would leak like sieves.Worst one happened during the last 2 minutes of a sold out show of How Stella got her Groove back. I do not suggest taking any itermittant apart because you will never get it back together correctly. Get it rebuilt. Keep them oiled. I have changed more drive shaft gears than I care to mention.

How would you like to see a pile of machinery that broke because of oil level and quality not cared for? I can think of two cars I'd throw on that pile.

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Mike Hurley
www.bigscreenbiz.com

These machines were beyond help before i inherited them. I could not beleieve the non-maintinance that had been performed on these machines and this was a major chain.

"I could not beleieve the non-maintinance that had been performed on these machines and this was a major chain."

Oil, gear lube, and good preventative maintenance are lots less expensive than rebuilding machines.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
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Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Got the rebuilt intermittent and my 16-year-old "master projectionist" put it in, using the step-by-step method out of the Century manual. It works! True test in one hour--SHOWTIME!

John,
It saddened me to go from a 24 screen where I was there from the ground up and started a great preventive and routine maint. program, then I transferred to "siberia" to become a GM and got the "step child" theatre that had never had a lick of maitinance done since the doors opened. I wondered many times why I did that to myself.