Kenmore 158.1802

Betsy and I got distracted last  Saturday.  I went over to organize some of my Kenmore attachments so that I could figure out which I should keep and which I should sell.  I tried out a double cam in her Kenmore 158.1802.  It did not work.  So then we set to trying to figure out why.  We spent all day on the dang thing.   The machine would run JUST fine in all of its built in stitches but when we put in a double cam, it would only sew backwards.  It looked like it wanted to go forward, but it wouldn't.  I thought it just needed heat and oil.  We tried that.  Betsy got out the big screw driver, which scared me.  She also was very willing to run the motor with machine innards exposed and stick her fingers in there. Not me.  She practices primary care.  I need my hands for, well, exams and procedures. (Those of you who know what I do to earn my living will know what I mean.  The rest of you, I promise it is legal).  We kept wondering about this piece right here.  We called Ray White who confirmed that we were focusing on the right part.  We finally loosened those two set screws and moved it back on the rod.  That yielded a forward stitch but not a forward/backward stitch.  But at least it was going forward and the other stitches still worked.  But we felt like we were almost there. We gave up when we were too tired, finally had some tea and planned the sewing classes.
 
The next day, Betsy could not resist.  She got out a service manual printed for someone with 20/5 vision.  She must have had a magnifying glass.  But she fixed it.