Hi Randy. I saw your comment about removing the upper housing by unscrewing two screws, one on left and one on right. I heard you mention this in one of your videos too. My 158.19131 does not have screws. You're supposed to pop it open with a screwdriver, according to the manual. But the manual schematics are hard to comprehend, and I feared damaging something so didn't try that method. Regardless, thought you'd like to know: This morning I used my fingers to try and lift the housing. It worked. But it worked too well. The housing broke free and went flying over the top of the machine. Made an awful clatter but there's no damage. MANY THANKS for your helpful and informative videos.

Thank you Randy! I just picked up a mini-Kenny 158-1030 and am so excited that I was able to see your videos . The machine is frozen ---- no idea how long it's been sitting😏. I oiled her earlier today, so now that I've seen your 3-part video I'm ready to tackle this seized vintage gem!!

Oh cool! My folks have an old Kenmore 158.1525 that they purchased in 1980. I didn’t think about oiling the motor or the idler pulley. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for this series. The pacing and explanations were perfect for a beginner. I'm glad you said to just oil the gear below the cams as another video said to add grease to it, but the manual just said oil.

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I have two Kenmores, one for over 40 years. I've just cleaned and oiled it in what I thought were all the logical places, but never knew to oil the motor or look for a place to grease the gears. Now I have a job ahead of me that will probably save their lives. So much to learn about these classic machines. With your help, we can rescue a few so they may continue to be by our side ready to do their job.

Thank you Randy for this series. I was given a Sears Kenmore and it was squeaky and barely moved. I bought a new belt and after watching the video and oiling all the moving things and troubleshooting by looking and listening the machine now sews quietly and flawlessly. You are such a help!

This is totally right! I have the Kenmore: 158 17501 series with the cams. It's about 26 years old and in excellent condition. And with your videos I will fine tune the oiling. My copy of instructions were too dark and could'nt see where the arrows pointed to. I instinctively oiled the shuttle race and whiped out the dark grease or powder you referred to as buildup. To remove the top was tricky so when the technician told me it was tricky I found out why. There are springs underneath cover and you must slide cover from left to right to engage the springs for the top to go in the machine.😅. It was a process and I stayed with it and it worked. That might help somebody!

Excellent info. Thank you so much. Very kind of you to share your knowledge on these fantastic machines. Cheers Scott 😎

Thank you for answering about my Kenmore sewing machine! Silly me I didn’t have setting on b which moves needle position over to zigzag. Don’t know what I was thinking! Needle was hitting plate, I fear I was trying too hard , not relaxed enough to sew. Costly but okay now, thank you for responding 👍

Thank you for these videos!

You are the best. Thank you!

Just saved me on my old pawnshop special 158.12150. Thanks!

Bravo! Great job! I really appreciate you showing me how to service lube my parents 158. 15251. It looks exactly the same as yours here. I have the original purchase receipt when Dad bought it. I spent a weekend of evenings following your direction on the series. It sounds like brand new now, just like it looks. Very smooth and quiet. I hit the front shaft with a couple drops of sewing machine oil every other session. The underside where the gear box is, I pushed the grease back into the gear because it was clear as factory new. Question, I have half a dozen greases, lithium, etc and everything for lighter lube including dry lubes. Is there any contact point besides that gear that can use a dab of grease rather than fine lightweight seeing machine oil?

Thanks so much!!

Thank you for the great info! How often is this maintenance work needed?

Hi, just discovered your channel. I own a 158 1802. I clean and oil regularly according to the manual. I ran across a website that went into detail of how the motor should be oiled. I've had my machine for 27 years (thrift store find) and have not had any problems out of it. I'd really like to know if I should oil the motor. It runs like a dream. Have never taken it in for service, not needed. Thank you for your videos.

I've watched your three videos on how to oil a 158. Thanks for the help. But I still haven't seen how you open the top housing to oil up there--you begin all three videos with the housing already open. Bought my first 158.19131 a few days ago. Would sure like to know how to access the upper portion of the machine.

I just inherited a Kenmore 158.353 with a model 605 motor. Any tips on getting it to a better condition?

I have a 158.1595281 and the idler pulley almost completely froze up. Upon taking it apart, I was surprised to see that there are absolutely no bearings in it. It doesn't seem especially worn, though. I don't know if someone previously oiled it with something like 3 in 1 and it turned into varnish, or if it was never oiled and that still happened. I'm also surprised not to find anything online, about someone else having the same problem or how they solved it. I sprayed wd40 in the hole and on the axle, and rubbed it down with a q-tip, and wiped it off as well as I can with a paper towel, and then I'm going to coat the axle in sewing machine oil and replace it.

Can you show us how to open the front bacj cover of sewing machine .I have singer2112 .I am stuggling with its front knob .

I have a 158.1913 and have owned it since we brought it home from Sears in 1977. I love it! However it is starting to jam up. I found your oiling demos which definitely helped but my husband was not able to remove the base in order to oil underneath. Do you have a demo on how to remove the coverings?

I cannot loosen the dial to use the bobbin winder. Any ideas?

Great video, thanks! I was wondering if you also oil the handwheel shaft for a 158.1941? It doesn't have a screw on the outside of the handwheel like this model does.

Guess what I am doing for my wife on Christmas day? Hahaha!

Randy, Thank for these videos! May God Bless you for your service to us! I have a 158.13180 and oiled everything you pointed out, even stopping videos to get each place. Prior to oiling my zigzag knob has been a bear to turn, while the stitch length knob turns like a breeze. I took the machine out of the cabinet, turned it upside down on my lap and oiled the backside of the knob, any moving areas nearby, etc. It is still very hard to turn. (Prior to you oiling lessons, the zigzag stitch, itself, wouldn't work.) Now it's working, though skipping stitches. The zigzag knob is the only thing that hasn't changed, almost needing 2 hands to turn. Any ideas? Thank you!

Thank you for your videos, Randy. I have a Kenmore Convertible, Model 1680 that I can't figure out how to get the bottom off to oil. Seems like it has weird screw thingies that I can't use a standard screw driver on. Can you help, please?

Thanks for your 3 part kenmore oiling videos. I followed your directions on my 158.17550 and it has been running pretty well, sounds nice and happy. Thanks so much. I'm still having an issue with the machine not feeding the fabric through. I have to manually pull or nudge the fabric,, almost like the feed dog is not operating. The feed dog lever is at "U" and I can see it moving the way it should. My stitch length is set for the longest possible, but still the stitches are small, determined by how much I pull. Moving parts connected to the feed dog have been oiled several times. Any videos on this issue?

Randy , Does the 158.17850 machine only go at one speed when sewing? The bobbin winder goes very fast which is perfect. I was just given this machine and I followed all of your oiling video except taking off the bottom and the handwheel. I will not touch those areas. Thank you for all your time!! Please advise, Bev

hey i have a kenmore, but i dont know what model it is and the lady who we got it from has passed and i dont know how to use it, can you help me. it looks like yours but has different features

Randy I have a Kenmore 158.16900. I really want to open the gear box and take a look at the old grease. Maybe add new or just redistribute the old stuff does the old grease wear out? Also are todays grease’s better than the grease of years ago. And Randy what size are the screws that go thru the bottom of the case plate that holds the sewing machine while ypu transport/carry the machine? Thanks Mike

I can't thank you enough for these videos! You've saved me so much time, effort, and frustration. But after oiling my machine I'm still having zig zag probs. Tried to find your Facebook group to share a video but I've had no luck. Your email address isn't in your "about" info..... help!

Wish you'd shown how to remove the bottom. I've taken out the 5 screws, but it's still hanging up at a little nub over on the left near the bobbin area. I'm afraid that little nub is going to break off, and can't figure out how to remove the bottom plate because of that. Mine is a 158.15251. (All 158s are not alike!)

I made the mistake of getting oil on the belt pully's on the right hand side. Now the shaft is slipping and it wasn't before. How can I fix that? I have some degreaser.

Hi Randy! Great video. I just got a similar machine (Kenmore 1040). It sat unused for a few years apparently. The lower belt is slipping and not engaging. Do you have any recommendation for parts I can tighten? Is it worth replacing? The belt has thread through the middle. When I opened the side panel for the first time, some of that thread was separating from the rubber teeth. Has the belt reached the end of its life?

…how do I take off the bottom?

Hi, my my feed dogs go up and down, but not back and forth?

Hi Randy..back again w my 158.75020 (I think that's it). Well I got everything well oiled including the clutch which wouln't move before. Got feed dogs moving front to back but the thread tension lever & the feed dog switch still do not move. My motor is on the outside. I hope I didn't over oil. This had been sitting a long long time. I may have gotten oil on the belt. Do I need to replace belt? Should I remove black gear box cover and oil in there? What with? If I over oiled, should I just let it sit and dry up?? Last ?, do you have to have cams to stitch a straight stitch (I don't think so but would that be why the take up lever for thread isn't moving? Thx so much!

What did. you say at minute 2 about the needle clamp

randy what be wrong with your kenmore sewing went it spin and and run slow

This video's oil right.