Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers - Kenmore 3000-media motor?

Hi everyone. I'm new at this, so bare with me. The other day I noticed that the RH in the house was droping, but I can hear the humidifer (Kenmore 3000) on the furnace running from upstairs. So I go down the basement to check things out. I take the media pan out and discover the usual colored water in it and media pad hard as a rock. After cleaning the pan out, replaceing the media pad (I had a spare on hand) and putting every thing back together, I figure that was the problem as to low RH. After a while (hour or so) I notice no improvement in RH. Back down stairs to check it out again. Everything appears to be working, whats up? Well to make a long story short, I finally figure it out that the media wheel is not rotating but the media motor is running.
I went on line at sears.com to order a new Media motor and 2 more replacement media pads. 24hrs later, I go to check the order on their web site to see if everything is going alright--NO media motor!! After 2 to 3 hrs on the phone with with a dozen or more people, I'm told that they do not carry the Media motor (Part# 355859-01) anymore and the manufacture doesn't make it a replacement!

Does anyone know where I can get one, or do I have to throw away an other wise perfectly good whole house humidifer?

Thanks in advance: Ken

Have you called Sears to see if you can get it from them? Call the service parts line.

I tried to look on line, came up empty. Looks like you will have to retire it.

Thanks for the reply-Jay

I thought that I had covered all bases with Sears on trying to find that Media motor. Today, I decided to call all 'Three' of the "Service Centers" in the Great Lakes State. I found 3 at one store(84 mi.) and 2 at another(60mi.) and 0 at the third store. I ordered one over the phone today and I'll see what happens with that. If that order falls though, I will drive the 60 mi. to the other store and pick one up in person, as she informed me that she was looking at two on the shelf.

Will keep you updated. Ken

:) Update!

I got a New Media Motor sent to me by the Sears 'Flint' Parts store, finally! I just got it today and I'm back up and running. My thanks to those of you that replyed: Ken

Glad to see that you are up and running now.

I am hoping you could share with me which Great Lake State service centers had the media motor still available. The part number is 355859-01 it is for a Kenmore "3000" central humidifier model 303.938004. I also live in Michigan and when I called the Flint service center 810-732-7117 and was told the humidifier was no longer supported I relayed that a posting on the internet had suggested there may still be a part or two sitting in inventory at a repair center. The Sears person agreed it was possible and supposedly did a nationwide search but didn't turn up the part.

It is possible I am SOL for the part via Sears, but a Google search turned up a 24V motor ($45) and transformer ($26) option at http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com/humidifiers/part-info.php?part=35585901 Has anyone had luck with this route?

My motor is actually okay but a gear is shot, are there other options out there?

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Don