Grant,

It depends on if the machine as built-in stitches. As an example, the 600 has built in stitches. The 603 has no built in stitches so it needs the cam. The 604 is a straight stitch only so of course it doesn't take cams. With the higher number T&S machines the numbering is about the same, for each one that has built-in stitches and there is one that doesn't.

Cathy

I have so much to learn.
Thank you.
~G~

Ha - I doubt if anybody ever learns it all. There is so much.

Where is Nancy?

If I ever do learn it all, would that make me a "Know It All"? :D:D:D (Ain't going to happen!)
~G~

There are 'know it alls' that don't know much... I don't know if it is possible to know everything about sewing machines - I just don't see how. I think I learn something new every time I mess with one. There are so many. Lately I have been fooling with Kenmore machines. WOW they might all look alike but they sure are not alike. I have one that Joe couldn't fix either. He was in town yesterday. I have a Kenmore that runs in reverse. It seems to be a spring missing or something. It does not spring back after reverse. There is nothing to pull the mechanism back where it should go. I wondered if there was a capacitor. There is a little black thing on the electric line to the motor but the reverse doesn't swing back in place. I wish it did work - seems like a very nice machine. I'm thinking it is a 158.15160 anybody out there got one?

It sounds to me that it is something pretty straightforward that is wrong with it. Like a broken return spring. The black thingie is probably there to reduce "noise" on radios and TV's of the day. I think it is too old to have anything like an electronic reverse. I am betting it is a noise suppressor. Also, motors don't go in reverse. Feed dogs do, to get reverse. I did have a machine similar to yours but don't remember how it was configured.
I have had some Kenmore machines that I liked and one that I just hated. Also, I don't remember where I saw it but the Kenmore model number is in the number you gave but it is not hard to figure out. It is the first 3 or 4 numbers after the decimal point. And you leave off the last number. So, your model number is 1516. You had 158.15160. I hope I understood this right and am saying it in a way that can be understood.
I found a manual for a machine similar to yours for free. http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...e-user-manual/
Sorry that this is on a T&S page.
~G~

Miriam,

Please recheck and confirm the complete model #; IE: 158-#####.

Joe

Joe, Can you confirm that the information on the serial #'s I gave about how to find the model # is correct? I cannot find where I read that. I don't want to mislead anyone with false info, but that is what I remember.
~G~

Grant,

Lots of Kenmore manuals and info there, but their index page of partial model numbers makes it all but impossible to find what you want.

I'll book mark it for reference but since they didn't include the source numbers 158-, and the complete model number 17560 it's just too much work to dig through each .pdf to see what it's really for.

The first two or three numbers are the source code, and the model number is the entire string of number after the - or . . If you drop some of the numbers you might get the base model, but not your machine.
Necessary or no, I always use the entire number.

As far as dating Kenmore machines I have found a list that has the model numbers and the years that number was made ........... BUT I CAN'T FIND IT ..... ARRRGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Joe