How to replace the motor assembly on a Whirlpool washer

Is your Whirlpool washer leaving your clothes unspun and your patience fraying at the edges? The culprit might be a worn-out motor assembly causing a breakdown in the spinning and agitation cycles. Fear not, because we have a quick, cost-effective solution you can handle yourself, complete with a step-by-step how-to video just below! Dive in and restore your washer to its full functionality today.

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The motor assembly on a Whirlpool washer is responsible for powering the various functions of your Whirlpool washer. Over time, the motor assembly can wear out, develop faults, or experience mechanical issues, leading to problems with spinning and agitation cycles. Replacing the motor assembly can resolve these issues and restore your Whirlpool washer.

The good news is that replacing the motor assembly is a relatively straightforward task that you can tackle on your own, saving both time and money on professional repairs. The repair should only take a few minutes, depending on your level of experience and familiarity with appliance repairs. Let’s get started with the replacement of the motor assembly on your Whirlpool washer.

Watch here: How To: Whirlpool/KitchenAid/Maytag Motor Assembly WP21001950

The information in this article may not apply to your specific appliance model. We recommend consulting your manufacturer’s documentation or contact us with any questions.

What you’ll need

• Short flathead screwdriver
• 1/4” nut driver
• 3/8” nut driver
• Ratchet with extension
• 3/8” socket 
• Putty knife 
• Pliers

Safety precautions

• Always power off and unplug your appliance or switch off the circuit breaker before attempting any maintenance or replacement work. This keeps you safe by preventing any risk of injury from electric shock.
• Turn off the water supply at the outlet before beginning repairs to any appliance parts that hold water. Have towels ready for any residual water in the system when removing parts. 
• Wear insulated work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts, pinching hazards and debris.
• Don’t test wiring with a multimeter for live voltage if you’re unfamiliar with how to prevent short circuiting when testing. 
• When working with wires, avoid touching any exposed wires or terminals. If you need to touch a wire, use a non-conductive tool or wear insulating gloves to prevent electrical shock.
• Take your time and don’t rush while working to prevent accidents and personal injuries.
• Work in a well-lit area so you can clearly see and access the interior parts.
• Clear your workspace of clutter and other obstacles. Keep children and pets away from the work area.
• Never work on internal parts with bare wet hands. Make sure the work area is completely dry.
• Check your user manual to see if there are specific installation or safety instructions for your part or appliance. 
• Be gentle when handling or removing parts. Excessive force might damage the appliance or cause injury.
• Wear safety glasses when working with chemicals, dust or cleaning large debris to prevent injury. 
• If the appliance has recently been used, give it plenty of time for any heating parts to cool down before working on it. 

Replacement steps

Removal

1. Tilt the washing machine back and secure it on something stable.
2. Locate the drive belt, which is located under the washing machine.
3. Rotate the transmission pulley counterclockwise while pulling out on the edge of the drive belt to remove it from the pump pulley, motor pulley, and transmission pulley.
4. Once the drive belt is detached, carefully tilt down the machine.
5. Use a putty knife to press in and release the two tabs that secure the top of the washer.
6. Lift up the top and place it against a sturdy object.
7. Identify the two screws that hold the front panel in place and use a 5/16 inch nut driver to remove them.
8. Tilt the front panel forward, lift it slightly, and remove it from the machine.
9. With the front panel removed, you will now have access to the motor, which is located in the lower right portion of the washer.
10. Use a short flat blade screwdriver to remove the two screws that retain the plastic motor cover.
11. Remove the motor cover.
12. Use a quarter-inch nut driver to remove the two screws that secure the ground wires.
13. Press in the two tabs on the side of the wiring harness clip and disconnect the motor wiring harness.
14. Use a ratchet with an extension and a 3/8 inch socket to loosen and remove the two bolts that hold the motor to the washer chassis.
15. Remove the motor assembly from the washer.
16. Use a pair of pliers to remove the motor tension spring by pulling it in from the base of the motor and detaching it from the base plate.
17. Using a 3/8 inch socket, remove the two nuts that hold the motor to the motor base plate.
18. Remove the base plate from the motor.
19. Remove the remaining parts of the slide assembly from the motor, including the glide pad assembly.

Installation

1. Take the glide pad assembly from the old motor housing.
2. Install the inner portion of the slide assembly on the mounting studs.
3. Separate the two parts of the glide pad assembly and insert the rubber insert into the new motor. Push in the plastic glide.
4. Reinstall the motor base plate.
5. Position the outer parts of the rubber mount assemblies on the two motor studs, ensuring that the ridge on the nylon slide fits into the base plate.
6. Thread on and tighten the two nuts to secure the mounts.
7. Reinstall the motor spring by fitting one end into the base plate and positioning the other end to fit into the motor.
8. Set the new motor into the washer cabinet.
9. Reconnect the motor wiring harness.
10. Position the new motor into the opening in the washer cabinet and thread in and tighten the two retaining bolts.
11. Use a quarter-inch nut driver to thread in and tighten the screws that secure the two ground wires.
12. Reinstall the motor cover and tighten the two screws.
13. Put the front panel back in place, ensuring that the two tabs on the bottom align correctly, and then tilt it forward.
14. Thread in and tighten the two screws to retain the front panel.
15. Carefully lower down the top of the washer and push on the front edge to engage the two retaining clips.
16. Tilt the washer back and position the drive belt on the motor pulley and the pump pulley.
17. Put the belt on the edge of the transmission pulley and rotate the pulley clockwise to pull the drive belt into position.
18. Carefully lower down the washing machine.
19. Reconnect the power cord. Run a test to check for any problems with the newly installed motor assembly.

Additional information

Thanks for reading! We hope this guide helped you replace the motor assembly on your Whirlpool washer. 

If you still need some replacement parts, grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com. We offer over two million parts and most orders arrive in two business days. If you need some help with finding the right part or placing an order, you can contact our team at 1 (877) 477-7278.

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