If fine dust is collecting inside the outer cloth bag of a Kirby Heritage or Legend, or the bag keeps blowing off under fan pressure, the mini emtor is usually the reason. It is the molded housing at the base of the outer bag that clamps to the machine exhaust neck and carries the fill tube, and it is the joint that has to stay airtight for dirt to reach the bag instead of the bag cavity. This genuine Kirby part restores that seal.
These machines are commonly thirty to forty years old and still working, and the emtor is a part that ages badly: the plastic goes brittle where the bag strap pulls against it and cracks. Owners and repair shops replace it either on its own, when the symptoms above appear, or as part of fitting a new outer bag, since the emtor is the anchor point the new bag and fill tube attach to.
Use cases
- Dust is escaping into the outer bag cavity instead of going into the disposable bag
- Outer bag keeps blowing off the emtor when the machine runs
- Emtor is cracked, brittle or has lost its seal
- Fitting a new outer cloth bag and fill tube during a restoration
- Vacuum repair shops rebuilding vintage Kirby uprights
Field notes
Check all three parts of the seal before deciding what to buy. Dust escaping into the bag cavity comes from a split fill tube, a missing emtor gasket or O-ring, or a cracked emtor, and replacing one while another still leaks will not fix the symptom. On machines that have sat in storage for years, the old emtor often sticks and needs spraying around the joint before it will twist off.
Fitting is straightforward. Slip the emtor through from inside the bag, screw the fill tube onto the threaded neck, then secure it with a cable tie pulled tight with pliers. A dab of liquid detergent eases assembly, and rotating the tie end to the side stops it chafing through the bag fabric later.
Specifications
- Genuine Kirby OEM part 181185 / 181185S
- Molded Lexan polycarbonate housing
- Fits Kirby Heritage, Heritage II (2HD), Legend and Legend II
- Threaded neck accepts the separately sold fill tube
- Shipping weight approximately 1 lb
Frequently asked questions
What does the mini emtor actually do?
It is the boot that joins the vacuum exhaust outlet to the fill tube inside the cloth bag, keeping the dirt path sealed so debris goes into the disposable bag.
Will it fit a G3, G4 or Sentria?
No. This is the housing for the 2HD through Legend II machines. Generation series models use their own emtor part number, so do not fit this one to a G-series Kirby.
Does the fill tube come with it?
No. The emtor neck is threaded and the fill tube is a separate part, so order it alongside if yours is split or worn.
Why is dust ending up inside my cloth bag?
The usual causes are a split fill tube, a missing emtor gasket or O-ring, or a cracked emtor. Check all three, since replacing one while another is still leaking will not solve it.
Is it hard to fit?
No. It slips through from inside the bag, the fill tube screws onto the threaded neck, and a cable tie pulled tight secures it. A dab of liquid detergent makes assembly easier, and turning the tie end to the side keeps it from chafing the bag.
Discount Cleaning Products keeps genuine Kirby parts available for machines decades past their production run, with US-based support from people who know these models. Tell us the name on your machine badge and we will confirm the correct emtor before you order.
