How to replace the drive gear (Frigidaire #09956650, no longer available 12-98) in Kingston model 60 timer motors, to correct timer 'no advance'.

1) To verify that this timer motor's drive gear is broken, try to turn the motor's output gear. If the gear is broken, the motor will turn in both directions. If it's good, most of these will turn freely only one way. 

      Note: I've been fabricating these little gears out of brass, and they're doing really well. More on those here.

2) Removal of the entire timer from the machine is usually not necessary to replace this gear. In most machines (some of the Maytags were exceptions), by removing the two timer motor mounting screws and the two motor wire quick-disconnects (terminals labeled "TM"), the timer motor can be removed while leaving the timer mounted in the console. Don't be intimidated by all those timer wires; you don't have to deal with them, only the two black motor wires.

3) With the motor on the workbench, make a mark on one side of the case to ensure that it's reassembled correctly. A magic marker will work for this, but I like to scratch a line or two down the side with a sharp knife. A scratch won't rub off.

4) To open the motor, I used to grind the peened portion of the mounting posts off. But I've found this to be unnecessary. Just grab each post with a wire-cutter and bend them outward until they tear free. This severely bends the ears that they mount through, but they're easily flattened with vise-grip pliers (a 1/4" drill bit will cut the rivets off, too).

5) Be careful at this point that the portion with the gear train doesn't come open. The gears do not need to be removed, and if they fall out, things can get "hairy". We only need to access the rotor section of the motor. 

6) Carefully lay the two pieces holding the gear train aside and slip the small rotor gear off the rotor shaft. Be sure you find and scrap the two small "dogs" that broke off this gear. If they're left inside the motor, they will cause problems.

7) Slip the new gear on the rotor shaft (I like pull the rotor out and apply just the smallest drop of turbine oil to the shaft first, using a needle oiler - but don't lose the tiny plastic washer underneath) and hold the sections of the motor back together. It's at this point that you can re-flatten the mounting tabs. Make sure your marks align so things go back together correctly.

8) I used to use new mounting posts - they came with the original kits - and went to the trouble of riveting them in place with a center punch and vise-grips. But the last hundred or so of these I did, I learned this wasn't necessary. If the deformed tops of the posts are "cleaned up" a bit so they fit back through the motor tab holes, they work fine. Just use a wire cutter to clean the rough edges off, and you can reuse the originals. The two mounting screws hold everything together nicely and the "rivets" aren't needed. 

It can be a little tricky to hold the motor sections together while holding the screws aligned through the posts, then starting them into the timer's screw holes, but after you've done a couple dozen of these it gets fast and easy <grin>. I've never used one, but the hand of a helper might be helpful here.

9) That's about all there is to it! Once the motor's screwed back in place, your timer should advance normally for many years.

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