MX self timer has stopped working

I recently acquired a MX from a well-known online auction site. This evening, my 8-year-old daughter was intrigued and I let her play with it for a few minutes. When I got my hands back on the camera, I found that the self-timer lever was loose. Pressing the little button doesn't activate the count-down any more, but the DOF preview still works (so presumably this means that the lever is connected correctly to the underlying mechanism).

Any ideas what may have happened and if there's any hope of fixing this?

Thanks,
EM

The advice used to be that mechanical self timers should be operated on a regular basis to keep the clockwork mechanism in good condition. I'm guessing yours possibly hasn't been operated for many years and has now given up the ghost by being used.

It could certainly be repaired by a specialist

OK thanks Ken. I tested it a couple of times after receiving the camera and it worked fine, but your comment certainly makes sense.

I'm vaguely remembering that after cocking the action of the lever will be loose until the mechanism is fired. Perhaps you didn't quite catch the release point of the small button, but I would think you tried it more than once.

Ken is absolutely right, it could be repaired.

Yes, it does stay loose until actually used and it does need to be taken past a certain point before the small button works.

Thanks for your comments. I've tried pressing the little button several times and have also rotated the lever as far as I can. Still no luck. My daughter is more upset about it than I am (my biggest disappointment is that the camera didn't come with the type of focusing screen that I was expecting from the manual).

EM

If you're feeling adventurous there's a service manual on my site LINK

But only for the brave and foolhardy!