Kenmore 19365 Computerized Sewing Machine - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Hi,

I would prefer Kenmore, enmore makes perhaps the largest selection of mechanical machines. The very cheapest Kenmore sewing machines, like the Kenmore Mini (*est. $100) and Kenmore 15208 (*est. $120), stick with a four-step buttonhole, and have just six and eight stitches, respectively. The Kenmore 15212 (*est. $150) and Kenmore 15218 (*est. $170) both have a one-step buttonhole. The cheaper Kenmore 15212 has 12 stitches. The slightly more expensive model has 18 stitches, including a smocking stitch, overcast and elastic stretch stitch in addition to the basics. Both Kenmore sewing machines are good, basic models, say reviews. Both have just a 90-day warranty, however. Bear in mind that Kenmore sewing machines are made by different Asian companies each year, resulting in varying degrees of quality; this also explains the low prices. Some users report difficulty with tension and light fabrics.

Let me know,if needed further assistance.

Hope i helped you.

Thanks for using ' Fixya ' and have a nice day!!

here's a link for a manualhttp://sewingmachinemanual.net/Sewing_Machine_Manuals/Kenmore/Kenmore_385/Kenmore_Model_385-19365_instruction_manual.htm

if you have a speed control on the machine & you set it & the stitches are not staying constant, then the machine needs to be serviced

If, I were you I would take my machine to the Sears sewing machine department and ask the salesperson how to do these things. They are usually very helpful, and if you need a manual they can order it for you. Do not be afraid to ask for help because just remember the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked.

More than likely it is your top threading that is not right. Try seating the thread in the tension discs. To do this, rethread, now with the presser foot up, pull the thread, it should feed smoothly. 'After this, put the presser foot down, it should barely move. Hope this helps.

Never heard of that but it worth a try to get some Schmetz or a universal one.

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/39648142-kenmore-385-19153-385-19153690-sewing-machine

If you email me I will attach timing instructions
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Contact sears

Hi - you might have a dirty bobbin case, or need a new one. IAfter awhile, little teeny dust bunnies can collect in your bobbin case and cause your bobbin tension to go wonky, especially if you use cotton thread. If you happen to have an extra bobbin case, try using the new bobbin case to see if that solves the problem. Otherwise.....

• Remove your bobbin case and take out the bobbin. Find a small, stiff brush like the one that came with your machine and stand in very good light. Brush out the inside of your bobbin case, and push one or two bristles of your brush into any opening you can see. If you see any trace of dust but you can't get it out, use tweezers to gently pull the dust out. Now look at the outside of your bobbin case. In the small opening where you insert your bobbin thread into the bobbin case, there is a small piece of metal with screws in it the lays over the bobbin case. Brush that area carefully, and again, insert one or two bristles under than piece of metal and into any other small opening where the bristles will fit. Try sewing again. If you are still getting loops, take out your bobbin case with the bobbin thread still inserted and grab the bobbin thread with two fingers. Let go of the bobbin case - sort of like you are holding a yo-yo. If the bobbin case starts to drop as soon as you let go, your bobbin tension is loose. If the the case doesn't move, gently snap the bobbin thread you are holding and see how far the bobbin case moves down toward the floor (you might need to try this a couple of times, the bobbin has a nasty habit of flying out). When you do the snap, the bobbin case should move down about two inches and stop. If do not know how to adjust the bobbin tension, either check your manual or take the machine in for service.
• If you haven't already, it's a good idea to remove the thread plate that sits under the needle and clean that area out with your brush. Also, get a really good flashlight and check the area where you insert your bobbin case. Gently turn your fly wheel and look inside the hook area - remove any dust or bits of thread.
  

In general, you should oil your machine as indicated in your manual as often as directed. You should change your needle every 10 hours of sewing - or each time you start a new project, and you should take your machine in for service every one or two years - even if you only use it once and awhile.

Hope this helps, Ginny

Hi - first, check your manual to see if the error is described somewhere. Follow the instructions. If the manual tells you to take the machine in for repair, try a couple things first.

Often when your needle starts to shudder, the thread is caught on something somewhere along the sewing path. Turn off your machine, change your needle, take all of the thread out of the machine and rethread it. Then remove your bobbin to make sure that there is nothing stuck in the bobbin case, or in the area where you insert your bobbin into the machine. Look around the sewing area to see if something looks out of place.

After you insert a new needle and rethreaded your machine, and before you turn the machine back one, try using the wheel to make a few stitches manually. Watch your sewing thread to make sure it is feeding evenly. If the needle does not move up and down correctly, or if you hear a grinding or bumping sound, you probably need to take the machine to be repaired. Otherwise, turn your machine back on. If the error message is gone, try sewing slowly for several inches - if all seems well, increase the speed a little at a time. If anything seems off to you while you sew - stop sewing immediately and look very carefully to see if you can find a problem.

Hi, you shouldn't need to change the tension on your machine. But it's always a good idea to make sure it is set correctly. Look in your manual for the recommended tension setting, and make sure that is where your tension is set. If you don't have a manual, the default tension setting for most machines is between 4 and 6.

If you are suddenly getting loops when you sew your seams, it is usually caused by one of three simple problems. The most common is that your machine is not threaded properly.

But, when your sewing machine suddenly goes "wonky" - try these step

1. Raise your presser foot and rethread your machine. Always remember to raise the presser foot when you thread your machine! When you raise your presser foot, the tension dials are released; when you lower the presser foot, the tension dials close around your thread. If you happened to leave your presser foot up when you finished sewing yesterday, the thread could have slipped out of the tension dials, so when you started sewing today, you got loops. And, sometimes, your sewing thread can shift out of position along the thread path and you can't see it. Trust me on this - I often need to rethread while I'm sewing, and I have an expensive machine! If your machine is new to you, it is always a good idea to refer to your manual the first few times you thread up - it is really easy to miss little things, even for advanced sewers.
2. If you are still getting loops after rethreading your machine, remove your bobbin and reinsert it. Make sure you know which way your bobbin need to be inserted. After you re-insert your bobbin, sew another sample seam. If you are still getting loops...rewind your bobbin (you can put your bobbin where you normally put your sewing thread and wind the bobbin thread onto a new bobbin). Never wind more than one color on a single bobbin. When you look at the thread in the bobbin, it should be straight a tight. Yesterday, I wound a bobbin, and the thread was kind of wavy and loose. Don't know why, but it happens.
3. Change your needle.
4. Check your manual - most manuals have troubleshooting tips in the last chapter. If you don't have a manual for your machine, search on google. You might be able to find one online.
   
5. If your machine is new, try calling the manufacturer or check their web site. They might have troubleshooting techniques specific to your machine.
   

If this doesn't help, please write again and describe your problem in more detail. Did you buy a used machine? Do you have your manual? Did you start a new project or continue working on the project you started when the machine was working correctly? Hope this helps! Ginny

If you are asking how to drop the feed dogs, the lever is located underneath the free arm bed on the back side of the machine. So you must first remove the free arm bed. To drop the feed dogs, push the lever over to the side. To raise them back, push the lever the opposite direction, back where they were originally. You will not actually see the feed dogs move until you turn the handwheel toward you. I hope this helps. I do not know how old your machine is or anything. I believe mine is about 5 years old or so. Good luck

You have to key in the number for the stitch on the stitch panel

This generic tension setting guide will walk you through attaining the correct balance of tension for any machine.

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Ensure that all is clean and free of lint jams....now for tension troubleshooting .......

This solution is for tension problems...if you cannot form any sort of stitch, the issue is quite different, so please let me know if you need a different problem solved.....

It is quite long, but just work through each section in order.
The "knotting up" can reveal a lot. If you have loose threads on one side or the other, the tension on the opposite side will be the culprit.

QUICK SUMMARY FIRST:
Ensure sharp new needle,
Thread guides and Bobbin are Clean & Clear of lint
Set Top Tesion to 4 ....then....
Balance Bobbin to suit.

TOP THREAD TENSION:
If the looping threads are on the underside as you sew, it is the top tension. Top tension ought to be between 4 & 6 (this variation to allow for the different weights of fabric in your
projects).

IS YOUR NEEDLE SHARP ?
If you are using a needle that has seen quite a deal of work, or you suspect it may be blunt, change it for a new one !

TOP TENSION & GUIDES:
Make sure that when you thread the machine the presser foot is up so the thread goes between the discs and not to one side, top tension between 4 and 6, and that you have threaded through all the guides, including the last one, usually on the needle arm, just above the needle clamp.

It may be there is lint trapped between the discs, this will keep them slightly apart and reduce the actual tension, sometimes dramatically.

If tensions appear correct, and the thread is definitely in the channel between the discs, but still too loose and looping, try raising presser foot and remove your thread.

Now, with a 2" (50mm) wide strip piece of fabric 8 - 10" (20 - 25cm) moistened with methylated or denatured spirit, gently insert the fabric strip and clean between the discs with
a see saw / to and fro action.

In the worst cases, gentle use of a needle to pick & remove the jam may be necessary, but be very gentle and make sure the tension is set at Zero and the presser foot is raised, (to
disengage tension plates).... do not gouge or score the plates, they need a polished surface to work correctly.

BOBBIN TENSION:
Far less common, but if the loose threads are on the top, it is bobbin tension that is loose, it too may have lint in the spring and be giving a "false" tension.

I would not recommend fiddling with bobbin tension without good reason, it may end up with missing small screws and spring pieces, however, you can take the needle plate off to clean
the hook race area (where bobbin case sits)

...this is just good housekeeping, my wife does this every time she replaces the bobbin....

just take it out and clean the bobbin case and the fixed metal hook race with a small brush to remove lint. If there is a significant amount of lint, use a vacuum and small brush to get the worst.

Then wipe all this area with a cloth or cotton bud (Q tip) moistened (not soaked) with methylated spirit, especially if there appears to be fine dirty deposits....oil and lint combine to conspire against you.

If it seems likely that you ......really ....do .....actually .....need .....to adjust the bobbin case, first check there is no lint trapped in the metal spring where the thread is tensioned.

TOP LOADER:
Drop-in Bobbin case will look similar to this image with the tension screw in the middle of the metalwork....

...the other screw at one end is holding it all together, so beware....it is not a tragedy to undo the whole lot and clean it, but very gingerly and lay the bits out in sequence and orientation, or you risk tearing your hair out !

FRONT LOADER:
....this is a bobbin case from a front loading machine and works in a very similar fashion to the top loader with drop in bobbin, again, if you dismantle it, take care so you can put it all
back properly.
FINISHING UP
GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT:
When you are certain there's no trapped lint in top tension or bobbin, set the top tension to 4 and the bobbin tension to a point where you just begin to feel resistance.

Try using good quality thread of contrasting colours so you can more easily spot the changes.

Set your zigzag to one width less than maximum (eg. 5 of 6 ...or... 4 of 5 etc) and sew a sample for a few inches and check the result.... adjust the bobbin tension screw very little at
a time, perhaps 1/16 of a turn.

You may find you are playing with this balance for some little while and if you are putting the needleplate on and off each time begin to think it cannot be correct to do this.....BUT....it is,
and eventually, you do get a "feel" for the correct tension and then it happens quite quickly.....as a user you won't be doing it very often unless there is lint built up (or are there small hands at work around the house !?!?!)

OTHER ISSUES:
If you live near the ocean as we do, salt air can play havoc with metalwork inside and out, so to help minimise this, keep a few small packets of dessicant (silica gel) in your machine
case....no case ? then make some sort of cover !

Same applies in any damp or humid environment, keep your machine dry and dust free.

Budget for a proper full service every couple of years (more often if heavily used) and if you don't use your machine for a few years, be aware that old oil will dry out and combining with
dust and form a "clag" like glue (another reason for some sort of cover, even a teatowel !)

FINALLY, A WORD ON THREAD:
If it is worth spending the time, energy and money on making something that you would like to give lasting enjoyment......use quality thread, .......it may seem to cost a little more at the
time, but the results, ease of use and added longevity will be worth the extra, and as a bonus, your tension troubles may be fewer and further between, because there is a more consistant diameter with good thread, and less compensating to be done by your tension plates and less thread breaks !

If you want any more help with this, just post back here, or, drop a line through the "Contact Us" page at www.bargainbox.com.au
Don't forget to mention the problem and your Fixya name !

is it possible that your power source is actually 50Hz and not the standard 60Hz (US)?

Here is a 155 series model service manual and it doesn't list one https://sewingdude.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/kenmore-158.15511-service-manual.pdf Nothing in this search either. https://www.google.com/search?q=Kenmore+158.1355080+sewing+machine.+fuse+location You need a good man with a digital multimeter to diagnose. Don't just replace things like motors on a guess. They can be tested. It may also be the foot pedal which is where your power comes from. What type of bulb did you put into cause this?? ..

You can try to find the manual for your Kenmore model c970 555624 by following these steps:

1. Visit the Kenmore website at www.kenmore.com.
2. Click on "Customer Care" at the bottom of the page.
3. Click on "Manuals & Guides" in the "Quick Links" section.
4. Enter "c970 555624" in the search bar and click "Search."
5. If the manual is available, it should appear in the search results. Click on the manual to view or download it.

If the manual is not available on the Kenmore website, you may need to contact Kenmore customer service directly to request a copy.

Hello! I found a website that offers a free download of the manual for your Kenmore 385.81716 sewing machine. You can find it here: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/150291/Kenmore-385-81716.html I hope this helps!

The '385 129' is the important bit. The suffixes are often due to different branding or sales outlets or parts of North and South America.