Pfaff Select 1520, 1530, 1540 Sewing Machine Service Manual (P/N BP00083)

• Document coverage: 125 PDF pages total for the Pfaff Select 1520, 1530, and 1540 free-arm machines: a 105-page Pfaff service publication dated Karlsruhe, August 21, 2001 (HTS), plus a 20-page illustrated List of Spare Parts, 3rd edition November 2002, Nr. BP00083.
• Feed-system work: Covers main toothed-belt tension, feed-dog centering and height, presser-bar setup, dual-feed/top-feed foot alignment, feed-regulator cranks, stitch-length zero point, and feed-motion timing, with separate procedures where the 1520, 1530, and 1540 mechanisms differ.
• Automatic stitch mechanisms: Details removal, replacement, and adjustment of the 1520/1530 automatic module and zigzag-stitch unit, along with the 1540 utility-stitch and zigzag units, locking disk, setting eccentric, needle-position stops, feed-reversing bar, and gear relationship.
• Stitch-forming calibration: Includes needle-slot alignment, hook-to-needle clearance, bevel-gear adjustment, sewing-hook timing, needle-bar height, bobbin-case position finger, needle threader, bobbin winder, upper and bobbin tension, check-spring stroke, buttonhole balance, and forward/reverse stitch-length equalization.
• Mechanical and drive repair: Documents housing removal, needle-tension-unit service, handwheel-release spring replacement, sewing-hook removal, cleaning and lubrication, toothed-belt replacement, arm-shaft crank setting, bevel-gear replacement, motor removal, carbon-brush service, motor-pinion replacement, and motor-belt service.
• Electrical testing and pedal service: Covers UUS 390 and UUS 393 motor circuit-board work, carbon brushes and leakage testing, plus AE 010 foot-control circuit-board and mains-lead repair. The safety section includes VDE 0701 testing with the ABB Metrawatt M 5013, insulation-resistance checks, appliance-current checks, simulated leakage-current tests, and actions for incorrect readings.
• Parts identification and factory tools: The service manual is illustrated through Fig. 125, while the companion parts list adds exploded plates and a numerical index for housings, shafts, stitch modules, feed and hook assemblies, motors, foot controls, accessories, and regional electrical variants. Required gauges and tool part numbers are listed for repeatable adjustment work.

Model-Specific Architecture and Factory Baselines

The manual does not treat the three machines as mechanically identical. The Select 1540 is specified with a push-button, 40-program utility-stitch system and 37 utility stitches. The 1520 and 1530 use a 15-program dial and are listed with 12 utility stitches; dual fabric feed is specified for the 1530 and 1540. Across the range, stitch formation is built around the Pfaff transverse double-rotating hook and an arm-shaft-to-lower-shaft toothed-belt drive. Those differences carry directly into the repair chapters, where feed-dog centering, presser-bar height, feed-regulator crank setup, automatic-module replacement, zigzag-unit service, and needle-position adjustment are divided by model.

Most calibration chapters follow a practical shop format: Requirement, Check, Adjustment, and Cross-check. That structure gives the technician the manufacturer baseline, the inspection method, the adjustment area, and a final validation rather than only a dismantling sequence. It is particularly useful after belt, gear, hook, or automatic-unit repair, because the manual identifies the related adjustments that must be rechecked before the machine is returned to service.

Workshop Reference, Diagrams, and Parts Support

Representative drawings include the housing-shell removal views, feed-motion timing diagrams, automatic-unit gear-indexing marks, hook-to-needle and needle-rise timing views, arm-shaft crank and bevel-gear layouts, motor assemblies, AE 010 foot-control components, and ABB M 5013 test connections. The illustrated parts publication supplements those repair views with ten parts and accessory plates, then maps the callout numbers through a multilingual numerical index. It marks wear-part numbers, explains the information required when ordering replacement parts, and states that items shown without a part number are not supplied separately.

The factory tool list identifies the needle-rise gauge 00-870136-01, needle-rise clamp 00-870137-01, spacer 63-102600-18, bobbin-case-holder adjustment gauge 00-880133-01, and presser-foot gauge 63-114690-39, along with Torx and circlip tools. Motor coverage distinguishes the UUS 390 220-240 V build, P/N 902-1039-001, from the UUS 393 110-120 V build, P/N 902-1039-003, which helps match the correct electrical parts and test scope before repair.

Repair Traps and Electrical Safety

Several procedures call out alignment details that are easy to overlook during repair. On the 1540 utility-stitch unit, the timing dots on the toothed segments must remain correctly indexed; losing that relationship can put stitch selection and needle positioning out of phase and leave the gear train binding. The bevel gears are treated as a matched pair, and the hook-shaft bushing, plastic washer, and hollow-pin orientation are specifically called out because incorrect assembly can create shaft end play or bind the hook drive. A motor pinion removed from the rotor is classified as non-reusable; fitting it again risks an unreliable drive fit.

Disconnect the machine from mains power before opening the housing or working near electrical components. Pfaff also requires an electrical safety test after every repair, including a mechanical repair, so the manual's motor, foot-control, insulation, and leakage-current sections are part of the final shop check rather than optional background material.