Pentax Super Program Repair

• Open cell foam, self-adhesive, 1.5 mm thick: For light seals and mirror bumpers
• Isopropyl alcohol: General cleaning
• Cotton buds: General cleaning
• Contact cement: Adhesive for attaching leatherette
• Molybdenum grease: Lubrication for mechanical latching points

The most common failures for the Pentax Super Program are a stuck reflex mirror or an advance lever that winds continuously (aka, "infinite wind"). Both have the same root cause, which are degraded rubber dampers in the mirror box mechanism. The failure can usually be repaired by cleaning out the old material.

Various electrical issues are somewhat common and are often caused by corroded battery contacts or internal wiring, which is repairable. There are also two solenoids inside the camera, one that releases the mirror and one that controls the aperture, which can fail and cause issues.

If you are already performing significant disassembly of the camera for a repair, consider doing a more complete overhaul of the camera to reduce the chance of future issues. The following service will address the most common failure points of the Super Program.

• Mirror box mechanism: Remove old degraded rubber bumpers and clean all affected components.
• Shutter block: Remove old degraded rubber bumpers and clean curtain pivots.
• Viewfinder: Clean and replace old foam light/dust seals.
• Light seals: Remove and replace old foam light/dust seals.