Whirlpool Appliance Parts
Whirlpool Washing Machine Parts Resource
RepairClinic.com Help Video - Washer Drain Pump Replacement Video
- Parts You Need for Your Whirlpool Washing Machine
- Expert Advice on How Whirlpool Washing Machine Works
- Tub
- Central Agitator
- Motor and Pump
- Fill Valve
- Timer and Selector Switches
- Clutch and Brake Mechanism
- Motor Coupler and/or Belt
- Expert Maintenance Tips for Your Whirlpool Washer
- Maintenance Calendar
Whirlpool Washing Machine Parts
Is your Whirlpool washer broken? Is it showing signs of trouble?
Visit our parenters at RepairClinic.com for all your Whirlpool washing machine needs.
RepairClinic.com has an extensive diagnostic library of text and trobleshooting videos and can assist you in properly trobuleshooting the problem you are having with your appliance. Whether your washer is having electrical, plumbing, hardware, or other problem, our partners at www.repairclinic.com will help you find the solution.
Expert Advice on How Whirlpool Washing Machine Works
Whirlpool washing machines come in two major styles: front loaders and top loaders. The tow styles have common characteristics but also a number of differences in the way they operate.
Tub (or Inner Tub)
Tub is the place where the clothes are loaded to be washed. The inner tub has hundreds of small holes that allow the water to flow through to an outer tub. The outer tub is solid and holds the water. Top loading machines have an agitator that is placed at the center of the inner tub. Front loading machines spin and allow gravity to do the work as the clothes tumble and bounce. Front loaders do not have agitators.
Central Agitator
The agitator, on top loading washers, pivots clockwise and counterclockwise, plunging clothes through the water so that they will be washed clean. The clothes move from the top of the tub to the bottom and then back to the top again. This motion allows the detergent and the water to reach every part of dirty clothing, to loosen the dirt and wash the clothing clean.
Agitator Repair Kit and Related Parts
Motor and Pump
In top loader washing machines, the motor is what drives the agitator and creates the movement during the wash cycle. The pump, in both top and front loaders, is what removes the water from the tub and lifts it out to the drain.
Motor and Control Module and Related Parts
Fill Valve
The fill valve, also called a "water inlet valve" is an appliance part about the size of a coffee cup. This part controls the entry of hot and cold water into the washer. The fill valve has three major components: 1. a hot-water solenoid, 2. a cold-water solenoid, 3. a mixing valve body. The water inlet or fill valve is located at the spot where the hot and cold water from the house is hooked up to your washer.
Timer and Selector Switches
It is usually the timer switch that is the largest dial on your washing machine's main control panel. Some switches are mechanical devices similar to a simple clock; other switches are electronic devices with a digital readout. The timer runs by providing electricity to all the components of your washing machine at the correct time and for the correct length of time.The Start switch is most frequently breakable part of the timer knob. Different washers have different knobs or selector switches. Whirlpool selector switches let you adjust your machine to a number of different settings. Some of the settings are: water temperature, spin speed, timer cycle, etc. For the most part, though, the washer completes the cycle that you selected on the timer, regardless of how you set the switches and knobs.
Clutch and Brake Mechanism
Washing machine motors can start and reach their full speed in a second or less. This can be too fast for many of the components the motor drives. Because of this, most washers use an automatic clutch, to dampen the effect of the motor starting up.
On some washing machines, the clutch is designed as a combination of the drive belt slipping temporarily on a pulley and then gradually tightening up. On other washers, the clutch uses a drum-and-pad combination of components, like something that you would find in a car. When the lid is raised on a top-loading washing machine, some functions cease to operate. The drum is brought to a rapid halt and because of that the spin cycle stops on all washing machines.
Motor Coupler and/or Belt
Some Whirlpool washing machines connect the motor directly to the transmission by using a coupler connection, without a need for a belt at all. The coupler looks like a rubber disc placed between two plastic sprockets. It is half-an-inch thick by one-and-a-half inches in diameter. Other washing machines use belts to connect the motor to the transmission or to the pump. A belt is a black, rubber, rope like component. It is frequently a loop of about twenty four to thirty inches long. It provides a "weak link" in a washing machine. If the tub or the agitator were to become jammed, the belt is likely to fail. The belt failing would preserve the transmission and other critical components.
Expert Maintenance Tips for Your Whirlpool Washer
Water-Fill Hoses
The rubber water hoses that originally came with your washing machine may leak or burst as they get older. A good preventive maintenance practice is to check the hoses for any sign of wear. Sometimes a small blister forms in the rubber of the hose, and this could cause it to break or rupture. Whirlpool manufacturers recommend replacing these hoses every 5 years or so. RepairClinic.com recommends replacing the rubber hoses with high quality stainless steel fill hoses. Staleness steel is more durable and longer-lasting.
Leveling
When your washing machine is not perfectly level it can rock back and forth, bang loudly, and even begin to move across the room. This is not a good thing for your washing machine's long term health. Another problem is that the washer can damage anything in its proximity. In order to find a solution, use the adjustable front and/or back leveling legs on your washing machine to adjust the unit to the proper height. Then, tighten the lock nut against the body of the washing machine to keep the leg from rotating.
Most washing machines have self-adjusting rear legs. The rear legs can be set by tilting the entire washing machine forward onto its front legs, with the rear legs three to four inches off the floor, and then setting the machine back down. Most of the time the legs will adjust automatically. If they do not, you may need to tilt your washer forward and hit on the rear legs with the handle of a hammer to loosen them. This procedure is easier to accomplish if you have a powerful helper.
Surface Cleaning
Washing machine surfaces usually have either a painted steel or a porcelain-coated steel cabinet. It is safe to use a little dish detergent and a damp rag to clean its surface. For more difficult stains, you can safely use some non-abrasive cleanser, especially if the surface is porcelain.
You can find everything you need for your Whirlpool washer at RepairClinic.com.
Maintenance Calendar
Check washer water fill hoses for cracks, blisters, corroded fittings and leaks. Cracks are a sign of aging and a breakdown of the rubber. Blisters signal a rupture in the inner lining of the hose, which means the hose may burst at any time. Corroded fittings mean the hose has leaked or is leaking now. If you don't replace the hose, you may find the corroded fitting is virtually impossible to remove from the faucet when you need to remove it. Replace the hoses if they have any of these conditions. (Washer water fill hoses generally need to be replaced every three to five years, regardless of whether there is a visible defect.) For even more peace of mind, use stainless steel fill hoses.
Check that the washer is level and sitting on a well-supported sub-floor. A leading cause of washer failure and customer complaints is a washer that bangs around unbalanced for many loads.
Check to be sure no water is dripping into the washer when it's turned off. If water is dripping in, even just a little, it's a sign the water inlet valve is defective and should be replaced.
