On 11/3/2010 8:49 AM, Alls Quiet wrote:
Someone gave me a twenty-year old Sharp Carousel in cosmetically
perfect condition. The inside even smells new. The AC stuff and bells
and whistles are working. The turntable coupler (very tiny plastic
square plug that sits exactly center and connects the glass turntable
and turntable spindle to the underbelly...allowing the glass to
rotate) is broken. A replacement sells online for $10 shipped. I
searched to see if microwaves are worth repairing but couldn't find
anything, so I thought I'd post here.

Would a broken $10 coupler indicate problems with the microwave that
can't be seen? Thanks.
I'd remove the glass turntable and put a pyrex measuring cup of cold
water into the oven near the coupler and put the oven through a few
tests to make sure it is otherwise working normally. If so, I'd get the
part.

I had to replace a coupler a number of years ago on a 12 year old
Panasonic microwave that got heavy home use but was otherwise working
fine. I suspect that after years of use, the expansion and contraction
of the plastic from heating and cooling eventually caused a microscopic
flaw in the structure of the plastic to crack. Replacement for me was
as simple as gently pressing the new coupler straight down on the motor
shaft. The oven lasted another 3-4 years. I thought I had made a
decent investment.