Help me help my Kitchenaid

I have a 20 year old Kitchenaid stand mixer that isn't spinning any more.  The husband had a go at replacing the worm gear, as suggested as the most likely repair (via youtube) but it still doesn't move.  Well, it did move a little after he replaced it, but didn't last even one recipe.  I really don't want to throw this out without exhausting all my options, but neither of us are very mechanically minded.  I'm sure it's a mechanical fault, not electrical.  I just don't know how to diagnose/fix.  

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

The good thing about something being broken is that it’s already broken.

Take some screws out and send us pictures. Maybe someone can give you the most likely causes without pulling it apart but if you do pull it apart, we should be able to see what’s broken.

I managed to pry it apart and got the son to take some photos.  I've also had a play around moving the gears and they all seem to move, though I'm not sure if there's a problem between the planetary section (the part at the bottom that attaches to the beater) and the main head, as I had to separate the two to take it apart.

Ok, so a few things to try.

Firstly, keeping your fingers away from anything interesting, does the motor spin when turned on?

Secondly, with the mixer unplugged and nowhere near electricity, can you spin the motor by hand?

Thirdly and you’re not going to want to hear this. Can you clear some of that grease off please? I’m looking for chipped teeth on gears or whole gears that slide out of the way when you poke them.

James: you might know, I don't, is it possible to install the worm gear 180 degrees off position, so the gears are not meshing at the right spot at the right time? (Not sure if that made sense, I don't have better words.)  I know it can be done in other things, and it all looks good, but doesn't work right.

Pearl, it might be sliding on the shaft or not fully pressed onto the shaft which would do what you’re describing.

It looks like it has a closed end so it can’t be installed backwards. (If it is then that would lead to the above)

I'm following this thread with interest due to a similar problem with the same KitchenAid mixer. The speed adjustment lever is not responding as I change speeds. Sometimes the mixer doesn't move as in the OP scenario. If I push the lever in or jiggle the knob, something registers and I can get 3 speeds eventually. After reading this post, I tried more forceful jiggling and was able to get all 10 speeds. It's probably  a matter of time until the jiggling and pushing approach fails. But maybe this data point could be of use?

Thanks James, I can move the motor by hand.  It doesn't do anything when I plug it back in and turn it on, but maybe that's because I've taken it apart--it did make noises when I tried to turn it on before taking it apart, but no movement.

I'll do my best on the grease but I may have to get back to you tomorrow...

Good luck Amy (and Pearl?)--maybe we'll get them fixed!

Amy Gardener wrote:If I push the lever in or jiggle the knob, something registers and I can get 3 speeds eventually. After reading this post, I tried more forceful jiggling and was able to get all 10 speeds. It's probably  a matter of time until the jiggling and pushing approach fails. But maybe this data point could be of use?

That sounds like an electrical thing, either the knob's connection with the power, or the connection between it and the motor.

Amy Gardener wrote:I'm following this thread with interest due to a similar problem with the same KitchenAid mixer. The speed adjustment lever is not responding as I change speeds. Sometimes the mixer doesn't move as in the OP scenario. If I push the lever in or jiggle the knob, something registers and I can get 3 speeds eventually. After reading this post, I tried more forceful jiggling and was able to get all 10 speeds. It's probably  a matter of time until the jiggling and pushing approach fails. But maybe this data point could be of use?

Well that’s interesting. I had assumed that the speed controller was… actually I don’t know what I assumed. It looks like the lever goes under that cardboard/brown bit opposite to all the big gears. Are there smaller gears under that or something electrical looking?

G, in your 4th pic I can see that your neutral wire (white one) is disconnected, there may be a placed on the circuit board for that to plug onto. ( could be on the motor instead but I doubt it, I think those are the blue and brown wires)

I'm looking at the spring in G's picture above that connects to the lever: https://permies.com/t/270975/a/255322/20241214_200410.jpg
I tried magnifying it but can't quite make out if the spring is broken.

I've just watched this video where he replaced the speed plate and governor, no touching of the gears.  


I also watched this one where he took it apart and replaced the speed lever, adjusted brushes and adjusted a screw on the speed plate, as well as cleaning and replacing the grease.


Watched them both at 1.5 speed because I'm impatient :)

James, I reconnected it.  Amy, I think that spring is ok, I've checked.  Thank you both for pointing them out. I'll do some more investigations tomorrow when there's some natural light.

Have you checked the brushings?

I asked Google and yes, they have bushings ...

To replace the brushes, you can remove the brush caps and pull the old brushes out. Then, install the new carbon brushes, which have a special shape with one flattened corner.

I always called them `bushings`, look for a `button` and when the `button` is opened there is the carbon bushing.

Ahh ok, I glanced at the first video and that looks interesting!

Although please don’t copy him and use an uninsulated screwdriver with the power on, that’s not cool.

Thanks for that Anne, I had a look at the brushes and they seem to be in good condition;  the son was able to put them back in the right way (I couldn't work it out).

James, I did some experimentation with the screws holding the speed plate and was able to make it move, but not get all the speeds or much variation in speeds, so I have ordered a new plate and governor.  I also ordered some new grease, as it's making a terrible racket when it does turn.  When it arrives I'll clean out the old and put in the new.  Oh and I asked the son to remind me each time I went to adjust a screw to UNPLUG!  He/I remembered most of the time.

Any luck Amy?

G Freden wrote:Thanks for that Anne, I had a look at the brushes and they seem to be in good condition;  the son was able to put them back in the right way (I couldn't work it out).

How many millimeters were left on the brushes?  Just curious ...

G Freden wrote,

Any luck Amy?

Actually yes! I've never taken apart a KitchenAid but I did this morning. After watching the videos, I felt like I could do this. I straightened the mixer lever so it would make function properly and tightened the screw. But mostly I really cleaned the mixer using cotton swabs and bamboo skewers to get the residual dough out. I used a little rubbing alcohol to clean the metal openings and parts that needed extra help. The unit works like new: no jiggling needed.
Thanks for making me more confident with this and future repairs G! Good luck with your mixer.

Anne Miller wrote:

G Freden wrote:Thanks for that Anne, I had a look at the brushes and they seem to be in good condition;  the son was able to put them back in the right way (I couldn't work it out).

How many millimeters were left on the brushes?  Just curious ...

Hi Anne, I took one out this morning and measured it at about 15 mm.  

Well, still not there.  I replaced the speed plate and governor, but it still just makes a big noise for a very little movement.  My next step is to take it all apart, clean out the old grease and put in new.  I have a new tub of food grade grease, but after a frustrating hour and a half messing about with the speed plate/governor, I'll try again tomorrow.  I'll inspect all the gears while I'm at it.

We're all learning a lot from you about perseverance, G.
Cheering you on and hoping success is just around the corner.

The whole family pitched in for the ungreasing and regreasing--husband, son (14), self and daughter (4) who helped by holding the flashlight and putting rubbish in the bin.  My nails are still a bit black but we got it apart, cleaned, and regreased.

After putting it back together--we're pretty quick at it now--and plugging it back in, it was still not moving much but at least it was a lot quieter.  The kids disappeared and the husband and I started messing with the speed plate again.  After a lot of tightening and loosening, we realized the motor casing itself was moving a little when turned on.  A closer look revealed two screws holding it in, with what looked like marks where a nut should be, but no nut.  A couple days when the son and I took it apart, we discovered a nut on the table after finishing.  But we hadn't taken any nuts out so we disregarded it (but saved it in case).  This nut was put on to one side of the casing and then IT WORKED!

IT WORKS!

Yay!! Congratulations, G!!! Teamwork at its very best!!

Great job! Well done everyone chipping in.

(Btw that gear with the chipped teeth is normally known as a helical gear, the smaller brass gear on the motor shaft is the worm gear.)