Dennis, I have the same model mixer as yours, and I recently discovered such a leak on mine. According to other threads I've read, Kitchenaid says these units will leak grease if not run often enough. Unfortunately, I was under the impression that there was: 1. a separately enclosed gearbox inside the motorhead, and 2. that it was filled with oil, not grease. Neither of these are the case. Because of this lack of knowledge, and because I thought that it had leaked TOO much "oil" to run without damaging anything, I disassembled the motorhead, only to find out otherwise. Additionally, I removed the two big plastic plugs on either side of the motorhead which hold the spring-loaded commutator brushes in place. DOEST NOT DOETH ANY DISASSEMBLY of the motorhead if you don't have to.
Although I was extremely careful not to damage the electronic speed control components at the back of the motorhead, and also carefully re-installed the carbon brush assemblies EXACTLY as I removed them, the gosh-darned motor will not run now. So, clean up the leaked grease and let the motor run for about 5 minutes as a FIRST resort before you do as I did.
ANOTHER FINE MESS I'VE GOTTEN MYSELF INTO! Hindsight is always keener than foresight. Any helpful hints for me, anyone?
Chip
January 2006