Rev.2

 Need to remove a top casting on a Kiev to access something? Perhaps you need to remove the shutter assembly or to fix some leaking light baffles.

 First thing you have to get yourself is one of these multi-cavity parts bins. The idea is to keep each disassembly step in a discrete compartment. Some chocolates, such as Ferrero Rocher, come in a beautiful 24 cavity plastic tray. You can treat yourself to a chocolate for each step along the way.

 Before proceeding further, wind the camera and set the shutter to 1/1250 or 1/1000 and fire it. We want to have the shutter at some known speed so that we can reassemble it back into the same state. OK, lets start, remove these three screws….

 Lift off the Shutter Button and Inner Knob Face. Place the Spring with the rest of the parts in a parts compartment. Good work so far, eat a chocolate to make room for more removed parts!

 If you have a later model Kiev 4AM or M then you need to unscrew the Shutter Button Plate to get access.

 Remove these three screws and lift off the Winding Knob.

 Remove these two screws and…

 Lift off the Shutter Speed Bezel. Notice the two Wavy Spacers under the bezel.

 Depending on which year of Kiev you have the removal of the Winding Knob may be slightly different. In this example, a 1962 Kiev 4A, you brace the Winding Fork and turn the Winding Knob counterclockwise to unthread the fork off of the shaft.

 On this 1964 Kiev 4, there is a screw inset in the Winding Fork. Later model Kiev 4AM and M’s are similar.

 As always, make note of any parts stacked up on a shaft and the order the came out. Make simple diagrams on a small piece of paper and stick it with the parts in the compartment of the parts bin.

 Pull out the Yak hair twine used for a light seal as shown by Blue Arrows. It probably is in poor shape by now anyway. Remove three screws shown by Yellow Arrows.

 Remove this one big screw and…

 Lift off the top casting as a whole unit. The Exposure Counter Dial and its adjoining Drive Gear will probably come along for the ride. You are now done this step.

 For reassembly, replace Exposure Counter Dial and Drive Gear in the following fashion. You may not have noticed exactly where they sat when they fell out when the top casting was removed.

 Other things to watch for are any extra bits of Yak string used for light sealing as shown under the viewfinder. Make sure to replace any light sealing material with new yarn or string.

 Or, if you are like me, I replace the light seals with more modern synthetic materials. This urethane foam made by Rogers Corporation under the Poron product name has an adhesive back and comes in many thicknesses, densities and cell structures. The top-most one I find most appropriate for replacing light seals.

More information on Poron Urethane Foam can be found on Rogers Corporation web site.

http://www.rogers-corp.com/hpf/CT/Poron-I/aboutporon.htm

June 05, 2006