How to change the Drive Coupler in a

   Whirlpool Manufactured Washer

 All top-load washers made since 1985 by Kenmore, Whirlpool, Kitchen-Aid, Roper and Estate have a direct drive coupling assembly between the motor and the transmission. This part fails after several years of use or from other factors, such as overloading, but is very easy to replace. 

Always unplug the machine before servicing!!

 How To Begin:

1. Open the control panel on your washer by removing 2 screws at either end. The top will then flip up & out of the way. 

2. Disconnect the lid switch harness (3-wires) from the top of the washer.

3. Use a screwdriver to pry up the 2 clips holding the top to the rear panel. 

Next, grasp the cabinet from inside the lid and pull it forward and up in one motion. The entire cabinet will slip free from the base and you can set it to the side to begin replacing  the coupler. 

The water pump has two spring clips which hold it against the motor shaft. These can be popped off by hand, or with a gentle pry of the screwdriver. (Do not remove the hoses or clamps) The pump will slide forward off the short motor shaft. You can then push the pump upward and out-of-the-way by folding back the hoses and wedging it above you. Next, you will see that the motor is held in place with two similar, but larger clamps.  

There are two screws securing these to the base of the motor, which you will remove. Pop these clips off. Then you can rotate them 90 degrees to remove them. I suggest removing the plastic wiring harness from the motor by unlocking the little clip holding it down. 

 
The motor can now be removed by wriggling it toward the front. Use the screwdriver blade to remove the old white plastic coupling from the motor shaft by prying under it gently. Facing you, on the transmission is the other plastic coupling, which you will remove.
In your drive-coupling replacement kit, there are three components:

(2) Couplings
(1) Rubber union

Place either of the two new white couplings on the transmission shaft with the teeth facing toward the motor. Use the 1/2″socket as a press, place it over the center of the coupling and tap it onto the shaft, taking care not to damage the three little prongs. Place the black rubber union over the prongs on the coupling you just installed. Now, tap the other coupling onto the rear shaft of the motor, prongs facing back toward transmission. The motor can now be re-installed, taking care to line up the three prongs with the remaining holes in the union. This can be helped by rotating the motor shaft slightly while holding it up to the coupling. Also, note that the four rubber caps on the motor mount must match up with the four indents on the frame. Once the coupling is engaged, apply the clips & screws to the motor. Hook up the wires, install the pump and you’re done!

Need a coupling? We have plenty is stock! 
Use this Part # 285753 

APPLIANCE ENERGY SAVING TIPS

• Unplug It — Turn off and unplug appliances and electronics that are not in use. Plugged in items still draw on your power supply even when turned off.
• Give It Time Off — Reserve using your washing machines and dishwashers until late evening, when temperatures are lower and there is less electricity demand.
• Line Dry It — Take advantage of the sun and heat by drying your laundry on a clothes line to keep the wash room cooler and save energy.
• Forget the Oven — Enjoy outdoor cooking or barbeque, and keep your kitchen cool during hot summer days.
• Pool Pump — Letting your pool pump run longer than 4 to 6 hours per day won’t significantly improve the cleanliness of the water, but it will significantly run up your electricity bill. Try setting it between 4 and no more than 6 hours. Also, an older power-hungry single-speed model may be costing you more money. Save even more with a two-speed or variable-speed pool pump.
• Central A/C — Set your air conditioner to 78° or warmer with the thermostat fan switch on “auto.” For additional savings, raise your thermostat to 82° or warmer when you’re away from home. Did you know you’ll get more out of your A/C by regularly cleaning or replacing your air conditioner’s filter? Closing drapes and shades keeps direct sunlight from heating your home and lowers cooling costs. Or instead of relying on your air conditioner, use a portable or ceiling fan to circulate air. It uses less energy and costs less money.
• Clothes Dryer — An overloaded or under-loaded dryer can make it more expensive to dry your clothes. Dry lightweight and heavy clothes separately for more energy-efficient drying. Always clean the lint filter before every load. Remember to dry full loads without overloading, and you’ll use less electricity.
• Portable Heater — A portable heater is a great way to make a small room more comfortable. Remember to turn it off when you leave the room. Choose a heater that’s been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and that has a tip-over switch. Make sure your heater is at least three feet away from curtains, chairs, firewood, walls and anything else that can catch fire. Don’t use an extension cord unless absolutely necessary. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it’s marked with a power rating at least as high as your heater. Keep children and pets away from heaters.
• Plasma TV — Did you know that a 60-inch plasma TV could cost up to $130 per year if it is on 5 hours per day, at $.12 per kWh? Compare that to an old 28-inch CRT (cathode-ray tube) TV that costs about $30 per year when it is on 5 hours per day at the same price. Add on a DVD player, game console or home theater system, and the annual bill for the plasma TV can go up to $200 per year.
• Electric Stove — Foods cook faster at a lower temperature if you use pots and pans with flat bottoms and tight-fitting lids. Pans that are bigger or smaller than the heating coil waste energy. You can also save money by using microwave and toaster ovens, slow cookers and electric skillets instead of larger ovens and stoves.
• Dishwasher — You’ll use less energy and water cleaning your dishes with a dishwasher than washing by hand. Run your dishwasher only when full, and use your dishwasher’s automatic energy-savings cool-dry cycle. If your dishwasher doesn’t have this feature, turn it off after the final rinse and let the dishes air dry. This can reduce energy usage by 40%.
• Refrigerator — Dirty coils on the back or bottom of your fridge can make it work harder than necessary. Check and clean the coils regularly, especially during the summer. Also make sure your refrigerator and freezer doors seal airtight. One way to check this is to close a dollar bill or piece of paper in the door. If it pulls out easily, your refrigerator may need a door hinge adjustment or a new gasket.
• Freezer — Frost in your freezer that’s more then 1/4″ thick acts as an insulator and forces your freezer to work harder and use more electricity. While auto-defrost freezers take care of themselves, they often use more energy

I found this article @ Edison Internationals website.

Need new range knobs?

Faded numbers? broken? or just lost?
 All you need is the model number off your range/stove.

Click on the knob picture, enter model number, then point and click on your knobs…… that easy!

Will be shipped right to your front door in just a couple of days.

How to Make Home Appliances Last Longer

by:Heather Levin

During hard economic times, most of us want to get the most use out of items we already own. Naturally, this applies to appliances as well. With a little time and elbow grease, you can keep your appliances running in top form for years. This, in turn, helps you save money and prevents you from buying large appliances months or years before you need to.

So what should you be doing to make your appliances last? Let’s take a look.

1. Washing Machines

First, always make sure you check the pockets of your clothing as coins and other objects can, over time, damage or even break the drum in your washing machine. Even if these objects don’t make the drum stop working, a damaged drum can rip or wear out your clothing faster than normal. Even though it might seem like you’re saving water, or saving yourself the effort of doing an extra load, never overload your washing machine. This puts a strain on the motor, which will cause it to wear out faster.

When was the last time you checked you’re washing machine’s fill hoses? These are the hoses that fill your washing machine with water. They’re commonly made with rubber (rather than plastic or metal). As rubber ages, it begins to degrade and crack. If the pipes burst in the middle of a load and you’re not there to shut it off, the cleanup bill could top $10,000. It’s not worth taking chances here. If your washing machine’s fill hoses are getting old, be sure to replace them.

2. Dryers

It’s important to vacuum your dryer and the inside of the ventilation hoses on a regular basis. Lint builds up and clogs filters and hoses. When this happens, your dryer has to work harder and takes longer to dry loads. Over time, this wears out the engine faster as well. It’s also just as important to regularly check the dryer vent. This vent is designed to stay closed until the dryer comes on. However, the vent often gets clogged with lint. If it gets stuck closed, your dryer will have to work extra hard to expel the moist air. If it gets stuck open, your house is going to lose cold or hot air, depending on the season, and you’ll waste your efforts to save energy at home and make your home more energy-efficient.

3. Refrigerators

Your refrigerator has one mechanical part that’s fairly easy to access. This part is the condenser coil, located at the back of the fridge. Over time, dust and dirt build up on these coils. This buildup, in turn, impairs the coils’ ability to keep your fridge working efficiently. In other words, you need to clean the coils regularly, which will help keep your energy bills low. After all, your refrigerator runs 24/7, so it’s important that it’s as efficient as possible. To clean the condenser coil, simply unplug your refrigerator and pull it out. Then, vacuum the coils located at the outer, backside wall. If you haven’t done this in a while, you might be surprised at how dusty they are!

4. Dishwashers

It might seem redundant to clean your dishwasher, but it’s essential. Open up the dishwasher and look at the top of the door; this is the area that seals up underneath your kitchen’s countertop. Over time, this gets gunky. If you don’t clean it regularly, this will eventually impact how well the door is sealing in water and heat. If it starts to leak, you’ll have an expensive mess on your hands. It’s also important to regularly check your dishwasher’s spray arm. Sometimes food can get stuck in the nozzles or build-up from tap water can clog them. If your dishes aren’t getting as clean as they used to, check the spray arm first. You might just need to clean the little jets out.

Final Thoughts

It always pays to do preventative upkeep, like regularly cleaning your appliances. You use these machines often, and they need care just like your car and your home. Also, keep in mind that if an appliances does stop working, you might be able to fix it yourself. The Internet can be a wonderful resource for diagnosing a problem. And sometimes, like cleaning the jets on your dishwasher’s spray arm, the fix is easy to do on your own and can save you the expense of having a professional look at it.

Refrigerator maintenance for maximum efficiency

Does it seem your refrigerator runs longer then it use to? still cools fine, but just seems to run longer cycles then normal!

Air flow!!!! refrigerators need good, unobstructed air flow to work to its highest efficiency.

evaporator and condenser coils need to be clear of all obstructions to perform to it highest potential.

Let’s go through a couple of procedures that can help keep your fridge running Efficient and Cold.

All you will need is warm soapy water, wash cloth, shop vac and a “condenser brush” (found at your local hardware store for about $6.00)

slide your fridge away from the wall. (up plug electricity). in the rear, at the bottom of you fridge you will find an access panel.

remove to expose condenser coils. with your shop vac and brush clean coils, side walls and all areas around compressor and coils.

next you want to make sure all air flow vents inside your fridge and freezer are clear of obstruction.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve found bread wrappers, baggies, and other junk covering up all the airflow and return vents”

you can’t breathe with a baggie over your vents! neither can your fridge….

lastly,  clean your door seals and where your seal meets the frame with warm soapy water. Do this routine maintenance twice a year to keep your fridge “breathing good” and ensure it’s running at its maximum efficiency potential.

Pete, the repair guy

You should clean your dryer exhaust vent from the dryer, all the way to your outside vent at least once a year!
With moisture and lint, that vent will become lined with lint in a mater of months.
Left unclean, It’s a fire just waiting to happen!
Pick up a dryer lint kit from us, or just about any hardware store near you.
It’s very easy to use. It can also be used to clean your refrigerator coils.
“Two birds with one stone”!

Check out this video!

Steps to Clean a Dryer Vent
(written by Adam Bjurk)
Pull the dryer out, unplug the electricity and shut off the gas. Don’t get rough with the dryer, especially if it’s a gas-powered machine. Open the dryer door, grip the inside with both hands and gently bring it back 2-3 feet. My dryer is a gas machine (just like me) but it didn’t have a shut-off valve. If you know how to cap gas lines, go ahead. You’re better off calling your gas company and having them bring your home back up to code. Also, when older gas lines get jostled around, they should be replaced anyway. The newer lines are better: far more leak proof.

Detach and clean all dryer vent hose behind the machine. You’ll usually need a screwdriver for this, but mine was so loose (reckless) that I just pulled it off. To clean dryer vent hose, use a vacuum or, better yet, an industrial vacuum. I used a vacuum and dryer vent cleaning brushes, which you can find at any hardware store.

Clean the dryer vent hole behind your machine as well as the lint trap. Grab your flashlight and make sure everything is clear. You may find a goblin-sized wad of lint, parts of socks, and other hazards. Your dryer may feel a bit awkward as you insert the vacuum hose, as you might at the proctologist. Be sensitive and reassuring. Next clean your lint trap (in the door or on top of machine). It should be cleared before every drying, but lint also gets trapped in the crevices. Your vacuum will work, but a dryer vent cleaning brush is better for this job.

Vacuum and wash the area behind the dryer. Keeping this area clean is paramount to fire prevention. You probably have worked up a pretty good mess by now. Again, an industrial vacuum works best. When washing the floor and wall near your dryer vent, only use a very small amount of soap. Soap residue is a magnet for lint. It makes for a sloppy, disgusting mess like the one I found behind my dryer.

Clean the dryer vent tubing leading outside. My dryer ducts travel a whopping two feet before reaching the outdoors. Yours may go into your basement and across the entire span of your home. Rigid vents can simply be pulled apart. Clamps with semi-rigid vents are easily unscrewed. It’s just a hassle. Dryers really should be next to walls. Shorter dryer vents are more efficient and, to a smaller degree, safer.

Clean the exterior vent. A dryer vent cleaning brush works best for this, but you can use a duster or even your hands. Just make sure the vent is in no way obstructed by lint or debris. Make sure the vent shades (if you have that style) swing freely.

Reattach and tighten all vents. Make certain that all parts of the dryer vent, from the machine to outside your home, are air tight. This will make your dryer safe and efficient. Plug in your dryer and turn on the gas. Run your dryer for a few minutes to expel loose lint in your dryer vents. Carefully move your dryer back into place without crushing the dryer vent or molesting the gas line. You have now learned how to clean a dryer vent properly. Bow to your sensei!

This is a good video that shows you how to remove the cabinet of a Whirlpool, Kenmore or Roper washer to make accessing parts much easier.
hope it helps ya.

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I use this Parts Supplier on my Website. I think you will find they have better prices then anyone else on the web!

Check them out…..

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All your Appliance DIY questions answered

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