Assist with Washer Repair Instructions

I'm not your typical ignorant girl that is afraid to get her hands dirty or is unable to follow instructions.

Only thing is - doing a search for what my problem is keeps pulling up other results....
as well as trying to get to the pump to check for a blockage....is giving me a little frustration.

I have to go to work this morning, but I'd love some advice how to get the back panel off of an older model Whirlpool Heavy Duty Extra Large Capacity washer - the only number I saw off the back is 3357978...but I think that may have been rent a center's inventory number. There's no visible sticker from the manufacturer to help me figure this silly thing out.

I did get the top panel lifted (unscrewed the two screws on the bottom of the console)....but I can't even manage to get those holding clips off so I can pull the washer forward.

Problem with it is....

It will agitate, but will not go into spin cycle...(I can't tell if it would rinse or not, because the tub is full of icky water.)

I know there's a chance it's a clutch issue as well - but I just want to check the pump, since it's such an older model....and my kids throw all kinds of crap in there by accident. (tissues in pockets, money, hot wheels, grass, dirt, chunks of mud and then some of the older towels may have a piece of it come loose and get stuck inside the pump.)

I just would rather wait on spending 200 on a used washer, or on a repair for such an old machine.

I have tools.
I have smarts.

Lets see if we can get this thing going.

(now if you know about sprinkler systems....send me a PM. I've got an issue with mine, that occurred after the puppy got the lid off in the back yard and chewed up the connecting caps.)

Thanks so much,

Angie
texasjohn1965's Avatar
Check the safety switch for the lid.
ok, I will when I have time....time is in high demand lately. real life work, provider work, errands, doctor, contacts for kiddo....just all over the place it seems lately.

but it's just gonna start smellin awful here soon.


I did manage to take a pic of the clips I was trying to undo so I could get to the pump....but I'm not sure how to get them off. I should probably have taken that pic from a different angle - but it is what it is.....and they are IN THERE GOOD.


I also found the model number. (a shorter person would have seen it sooner.)

ang
Attached Images File Type: jpg 2011-05-24 15.09.58.jpg (111.6 KB, 114 views) File Type: jpg 2011-05-24 15.09.20.jpg (202.5 KB, 115 views)
  • Rigin
  • 05-24-2011, 06:47 PM
I just did this to my whirpool washer, you don't need to remove the back. It's a huge pain if you do. Remove the top control panel and don't disconnect the wiring. Once you pull that up and set it over the back, under where it sat you will see two long metal clips, one on each side. Pop those clips out and the whole front cover will be able to be pulled off. Set that aside and below the tub portion you will see where the motor connects to the tub, what normally goes bad about 90 % of the time is a small round white plastic collar that connects the tub and the motor. The original is plastic with some rubber a new one which costs roughly 20 bucks will have a metal sleeve in the center so it won't break.

Does the washer make a grinding sound when it trys to spin?
  • Rigin
  • 05-24-2011, 06:49 PM
Sorry didn't see that last pic, that is the clip. Pop those out and the cover should pivot forward out of the way.
Before you try to take the whole thing apart - Often times the motor won't engage the spin cycle because the timing mechanism has failed (the selctor knob you turn to start the washer) - Identified as part #9 below.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/pa...7131#d28197131

It is a fairly easy repair. You pop the old one out and plug the new one in. Hope this helps....good luck.
Yea I agree with Ed the timing selector is probably gone bad. Once the timing is malfunctioning the machine doesn't know when to to rinse or spin it will just agitate. To fix it you have to find a compatible part from a parts warehouse that carries Whirlpool parts. That might be easier said than done sometimes. Depending how old your machine is. If your machine is Ten years old most likely they will have to special order it the cost can be rather high just for the part. I won't even give ya a quote but I doubt over 75 bucks. To fix it. if you have never installed one of these talk to a technician first. Pick his brain to see if he'll tell ya how to do it. Don't attempt it blindly. I'll give ya this if it's filling up with water and agitating it's not the pump or motor, but rather what Ed had already sugested, the timing mechanism which tells the machine to spin or rinse. Just keep in mind where all the wires went or you'll blow a fuse. Now Git-R-Done.
Someone was doing the leg work for me on that model washer - and whether it's the timer or some other part - it's gonna be around the 150 mark to repair.

I can get a working used one for that much exactly from the same place I bought my used dryer about five years ago. (and I replaced the heating element in that when it went out. Easy peasy.)

Plus - an added bonus - they will take the busted one away! Good Riddens. No busted crap wanted here.


Then, down the road - I can start looking for the red set of front loaders with pedistools that I REALLY REALLY want badly. (Love red. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. Even my kitchen aid mixer is red......and my pots and pans and lots of other stuff. )

So at least I have a goal with all that - and one main goal is NOT to rent one, at all.