Nikon FA top plate removal

wow a film camera!!!! , didn't know any of these still existed (less than 60mm) anyways you'll need to rewind the film back into housing , this is done with tiny crank on top of film advance wheel (don't go to fast !!!) slow and steady wins the race!! you'll also need to activate the shutter release lever (around the crank someplace) DO NOT OPEN CAMMERA TILL YOU HAVE REWINDED ALL THE FILM INTO HOUSING !!!!!!!!!!!! it will ruin all the photos

Remove top cover. Make sure shutter speed dial is connected with contacts.

Your camera is in cocked position with shutter fully cocked and that is why you cannot advance the film advance lever. Set the shutter to x position ( on your shutter speed dial on the right hand side and top of your camera ) . The shutter should release and then you should be able to advance the film advance lever.

Sounds like the shutter has not fully cocked, which often happens when you get to the end of a film and the film advance won't move on a full frame. Try the film rewind crank(gently). If it is not able to turn either way, then you have used up a film and have to rewind it and remove it from the camera. You will then be able to advance the film wind lever to finish cocking the shutter and it will fire as normal.

The K1000 is all mechanical, the battery only powers the light meter. So even if the battery is dead, then you should still be getting images even if very over or under-exposed.

If the images are totally black on the negatives, then your shutter is stuck open and massively over-exposing your images. If the images are black on the prints, then the negatives have been unexposed and will be totally clear. The latter problem means that the film has not been exposed at all and is either due to incorrect film loading, faulty film winding, or a shutter which fails to open.

To eliminate the possibility of a shutter fault, hold the camera up to the light with the camera back open and fire the shutter at each setting. You should see light as the shutter opens and from 1s to 1/30s should be able to see and hear the difference at each speed.

To check film loading and advancing correctly, load a film and wind film on (remember this camera needs the film leader to be manually engaged onto the take-up spool). Use the rewind crank (do not press the rewind button) to take up the loose film and take a few shots. You should see the rewind crank turn each time you advance the film if it is correctly loaded and advancing. If not, open the camera back and visually inspect the film. It should be securely engaged into the take up spool. With the back still open, advance the film and take a few shots: the take-up spool should be advancing and the sprocket wheel (just before the spool, it's the wheel which engages the holes at the edge of the film) should also be turning. If it isn't, then the film rewind mechanism is faulty and the camera is behaving as if the rewind button has been pressed. It's usually easy to remove the bottom of the camera to check that the button isn't sticking.

If all checks so far are OK then check the film pressure plate on the inside of the film door. It should be able to give a little when pressure is applied and holds the film firmly in contact with the advance sprocket, if not then one of the seating pins on the flat metal spring may have become dislodged and it's usually easy to reseat it. Clean the plate after touching it as it must be grease-free and spotless.

If you try all this and still have a problem then please add a follow up comment and I'll try to respond asap, but bear in mind that as I'm in the UK I may be in a different time zone to you.

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Unscrew the rewind knob and remove a circlip under it (You may need to grind the tips of a pair of round-nose pliers for this). Remove the disk and pull the rewind shaft stop off the hub (a spring and flat plate). Remove the two screws. You'll need a special tool to remove the little stud the shaft stop was pivoting on. Take a 1/8 inch screwdriver and grind a slot in the blade. Use this tool to remove the stud, then remove the three screws from the plastic cover ring.

Do not remove the center screw from the shutter speed dial. Remove three screws from the side of the dial and pull off the grip ring. 

Set the film advance mode selector to L.

While sliding film rewind lever, push film rewind button.

Fold out film rewind crank and rotate until film advance indicator stops moving.

If you don't have a manual, you can download one from http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon.htm

You can check the shutter without film in the camera. Remove the lens and open the film door. You will see the cloth curtains of the shutter in the center. Advance the film lever to **** the shutter and set the speed dial to a slower speed like 1/15. Hold the camera so it is aimed a a light source, (a window will do) and fire the shutter. You should see the light through the shutter for the time duration is is set to. (1/15). If you see the light source, repeat the process going up one speed setting until you reach 1/1000. If you see the shutter open and close as described, then try another roll. After you load the film and close the back door, make note of what the rewind knob is doing as you advance the film. It should spin counter-clockwise each time. That is a easy test to know that the film is traveling in the camera properly. Vary your exposures with the new roll at different speeds and f-stops. You should get exposures, but if not let us know.

You may end up sacrificing the used film or you can rewind it early.
I have had it happen that the film sprocket holes had striped out causing the advance sprocket to get out of sync with the film making it ride up onto the area between sprockets and creating a jam.
If you can, rewind the film onto the feed roll to preserve the exposed portion and then remove it from the camera.
Try the film advance then with an empty camera, releasing the shutter and repeating the cycle to determine if the advance mechanism will now act as it should; if it does, then the film was probably at fault and it may never happen again.
If you cannot respool the film, I would take it to a professional photo lab and have them unload the camera in a dark room if you want to try to save the pictures already on it.

It's not very easy- you have to remove the rewind knob and dials at the left end of the cover and the speed dial and winder arm at the right side. Then the 5 small screws around the cover.
It is a delicate task because under the cover there are some very sensitive electronics. If you are determined to go ahead with it then your best bet might be to get a service manual.