How to Repair a Leaking Kitchenaid Mixer

Is your mixer leaking oil? Kitchen mixers have lots of gearing. Those gears require a lot of grease to keep things running smoothly. Over time, that grease breaks down and the oil will start to separate out and leak out of your mixer. It is food grade grease and poses no risk, but it can get messy and who wants their cookies tasting like grease. Luckily it is an easy fix.

All you will need to do this are two screwdrivers (slotted and phillips) and fresh grease. Be sure to purchase food safe grease.

Step 1: Remove Back Cover

First take off the back cover by removing the screw on top of the mixer. With the cover off, pull the power chord out of the slot.

Step 2: Remove Planetary

Next we remove the planetary. Use a screwdriver to pry off the drip ring. Careful. Depending on how bad your mixer is leaking, the ring may be full of oil. Then use a punch to drive the dowel pin out of the shaft. The planetary can then be gently pried off.

Step 3: Remove Housing

To remove the upper housing, first remove the five screws around the planetary gear. Then remove the four screws on the bottom of the housing. One of those screws will have a lock washer on it. Make a note of where it came from. With all nine screws removed, you can pry off the upper housing.

Step 4: Scrape Out Old Grease

Inside you will find a mess of old grease. Use something to scrape out as much as you can.

Step 5: Remove Gears

Once most of the grease is gone, you can pull out the gasket, center gear, hub gear, and shaft. Then separate the worm gear assembly by removing the three screws that hold it on.

Step 6: Clean Parts

Wipe all of the parts down with an old rag to remove as much grease as possible. Then soak and/or scrub in your favorite degreaser. I ran my parts through an ultrasonic cleaner in a heated bath of Simple Green. The upper housing was just sprayed down with Simple Green and wiped out because of the motor.

Step 7: Replace Gears

Now it's time to reassemble. The worm gear assembly can be replaced first. Then the shaft and center gear can be installed. Make sure to install the paper washers in the correct locations and replace the gasket.

Step 8: Grease

Pack everything in fresh grease. Try to add the same amount as you removed. Rotate the gears by hand to make sure the grease is distributed everywhere and things are moving smoothly. The hub gear can be greased and installed in the upper housing. Also pack grease around the motor gear in the upper housing. Add some grease to the planetary gear as well.

Step 9: Replace Housing

Place the upper housing on the mixer. Replace the four screws through the lower housing, making sure the screw with the lock washer goes in the correct location. Then replace the five screws around the planetary gear.

Step 10: Install Planetary

Slide the planetary over the shaft and replace the dowel pin to lock everything in place. You may need an awl to help line the holes up. With the planetary installed, move it by hand to make sure it rotates freely. Tap the drip ring back in place with a rubber mallet.