Vendorlator VF-148-bb won't drop soda

[FOWL1]

Hello everyone.  I have a Vendorlator VF-148-BB soda machine.  It has a single motor to drop the sodas.  I've had it for years and when I first got it, it vended fine.  One day it didn't.  I took the Merkle-Korpff motor/gearbox off and took it apart.(without taking pictures and yes I'm kicking myself).  I found a gear with a missing tooth.  TI tried to find someone to make a new gear to no avail.  I found an older guy, I believe in one of the Carolinas who had the gear from another box.  This guy used to work on vending machines and it was the correct part.  I put the gearbox back together and back in the machine and guess what, It would not drop.  It's been several years now and I'm trying to get it to work again.  I took the gearbox apart again and moved the gear to where I though it should be and still no worky.  I have the manual and set the timing to the proper setting and it still doesn't drop.  I think the guy I bought the gear from has died so I can't use him as a resource.  Does anyone know anything about this machine or maybe have a motor/gearbox that I can buy that hasn't been taken apart that I can buy?  This thing runs real cold and was vending before I took the gearbox apart.  I can take engines apart and pretty much get anything to work so imagine my frustration on this thing.  I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the gearbox.  The motor runs, but again I'm sure it has something to do with not taking pictures of how the gearbox was when I took it apart.  Thanks!

[johnieG]

Is it rotating in the correct direction? (replacement vs original), some motors rotate clockwise & others counter-clockwise & the vending assy won't work backwards... just a thought.

[FOWL1]

Yes, it is rotating counter clockwise.  I didn't replace the motor, just a gear in the gearbox.  I fear I don't have the shaft that has both the drive gear and the cam that runs the switch set properly.  I was thinking about taping down the sold out switches, opening the door with the latch latched and dropping a quarter, then pushing a button to see how the drop arms are working.  Apparently this is not a very popular machine.  I got it probably 15 years ago for $50.  It's not the greatest looking machine but it's cool to have in the garage.  I keep a stack of quarters on top in case someone wants a soda.  There's not a lot of people who work on these old square tops.  All of the restores and parts people seem to work on the round tops and the ones with the glass doors that open.  Any help is appreciated.  If someone has a picture of the motor installed in there machine, that might be a help.  Thanks.

The attached is not my motor, but it looks just like it.  I got this from an old post that Termite posted.  His machine is a VF-100, mine is a VF-148.  They are very similar.


(Square top)
(pics of the machine; http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,21007.0.html)

[johnieG]

Sorry, I can't see anything from the old post being it's a photobucket picture ( they still around?) & the there's now way to zoom in, also the delivery chute-tray is in the way blocking the view...similar to the Westinghouse selectamatic series, often the carrier switch is reinstalled/rewired backwards ( the normally open & normally closed switch terminals..double check that.

[johnieG]

Here, I think this picture from an older repair I've done might help (maybe) it's of a VMC Pepsi VF148's vending motor repair I did. the pic' with the vicegrips show how to lock the vending carriage in place when to pull the motor for repair or replacement, notice the "cam-lobes" are locked by the vicegrips & are facing forward when the carriage bar is in the  starting position as shown in the other picture... anything other than what is shown the vending mech will not cycle & may jam and burn up the motor.

[FOWL1]

Cool.  Thanks.  I'll check it out .  I know there are timing marks on both sides and I set the marks for the right and left side.  Then the book says to move the cams to align the motor timing marks.  It doesn't make much sense to me to set the timing marks for the sides only to move them to time the motor.  I'll check it out again using your pictures.  Thanks and I'll let you know.  That machine and motor look exactly like mine so hopefully this will do the trick.

[FOWL1]

I just went out and tried to set mine like the pics that JohnnieG posted.  I could not load it as the picture on the machine instructs because the bar in the back column moved and dropped every soda I loaded.  I loaded the columns so they would hold sodas.  I put the quarter in and the first selection dropped.  I put in a second quarter and pushed the 2nd selection and nothing dropped.  It made all of the noises, it just didn't drop.  Same thing happened on the 3rd selection.  The 4th selection dropped after the quarter was inserted and the button pushed.  I thought, Hot diggity I'm halfway there.  I put a quarter in and pushed the 1st selection again and nothing dropped.  Again, it made all of the noises, but nothing dropped.  I'll try to set the timing again as instructed in the book with the motor cam set where JohhnieG shows it and see what happens.  Sorry for the late response, I went out of town when JohnnieG responded with the pics.  I know it's something very simple and I thought I was simple enough to figure it out.  I guess I was wrong.  Maybe it's because I'm not using Pepsi and I'm using Sam's cola and the machine is pissed off(haha)  I don't think so.  The cans are the same size etc...  I did find a round-cornered Coke machine on Facebook for $500.  The guy bought a garage and it was in the garage.  He says he knows nothing about it.  Red on the bottom and white on the top.  It appears that it is only for Coke because there are no selections.  Don't know what it's worth.

[Zerbie]

The Coke machine that you saw is most likely an 81B or an 81D....because both of these machines came from the factory with a white top and a red bottom. Attached is a picture of each.

Hope you get yours working.

[FOWL1]

The one I saw on FB marketplace doesn't have the side door to pull the sodas out of.  It looks like these, but the soda drops.  Thanks.

[cohammer]

Great information, thanks for sharing