How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP6024038 / WPW10757217 Circulation Motor

First (father & son) we disconnected water supply line from hot water feed and drain line from garbage disposal, both under sink. We killed power to the dishwasher circuit. We pulled dishwasher out, got it up on blocks for easier underside access, put down some old towels, and disconnected supply line, drain line, and electrical connection. Because of symptoms (no water circulation & lack of typical sounds) and the fact that dishwasher was 15+ years old, we suspected the pump motor. Found a replacement pump motor on AppliancePartsPros.com for $130 + $9 shipping. From links on the pump motor page, double-checked it was correct part number for our KitchenAid model. Also watched the replacement video which was expertly done and passed on critical info on how to swap out the suspected bad pump motor. With all connections off, we were able to flip dishwasher upside-down (after removing lower rack per video). Following video instructions and tool recommendations, we got the suspect pump motor removed. Sure enough, the output drive shaft was seized and there was a fine, metal dust present. Looks like an internal bearing seized up. Ordered the new pump motor. Shipping was fast, just 2 business days. Once received, reversed the procedure and had no problem getting the new pump motor in. It was pretty much an exact replacement (though a little lighter and a different PN from the original). Had to have dishwasher pushed in at least half way to have enough slack on supply line and drain line to re-attach under sink. Put in some dirty dishes and ran through quickest cycle (light wash). Success! Made it through a complete cycle with sloshing water & typical sounds. Dishes clean. Total investment = $139 (with shipping) + about 2.5 hours. Take that over spending ~$650 on a new dishwasher any day. MJ Charlotte 

I don't normally take time to respond to such requests. However, I feel this exception is necessary. All my research pointed to a number of items as the cause. I did a diagnostic on each, and found that the noise should have been in the motor. After talking with your customer service representative, I ordered a new motor. When I installed it, the noise prevailed. First, there was absolutely no question or resistance in accepting a return of the motor. Second, it seemed that the intake valve might be the problem. I spent over a half hour on the phone with your representative, and finally agreed to re-inspect the chopper assembly which your tech presumed to be the problem area. In fact, when I did so, I found a foreign object wedged between the blade an screen. Once removed the washer worked perfectly. Not only did this prevent me from ordering another part that would not have solved the problem, but gave me a great feeling about working with your company. I am old enough to remember when most companies put the customer first, and I'm happy to see at least one still does. 

I looked on line and two items that they felt should be replace was the drain pump and the circulation motor. Our friend told me that since you got it apart, I should also replace the water inlet valve. I did all of these replacement part within 1 hour and put everything back. Now it works like brand new. It is very easy to replace those parts. 

Followed your video step for step and it was a breeze. Last time (15 years ago) a dishwasher pump stopped I had to call a repairman and found out that the repair would cost over $300. (So I bought a new one) This time I decided to give it a shot myself. Your entire process is great. From the video that tells you the size of the bolts you have to take out (so you can get the right sized socket first try) to alignment of the pump. I spent 40 years improving manufacturing and wholesale distribution firms and I'm a Kaizan black-belt so I know of what I speak. (As a repairman I'd be raked average). I'd be pretty hard pressed to make any improvement recommendations..... Just one - Can you spend a little more time on the diagnosis of problems? (i.e. pick the top 5 most common failures and indicate the symptoms) I assume the engineering staffs of the manufacturers (like whirlpool) have fairly deep statistics of failures, why not use that as a starting point? Rarely have I seen a more effective use of technology and customer service (even though I selected standard shipping - the pump was delivered the next day) 

I purchased and installed a new motor. 

Replaced the circulation motor after cleaning and checking the food chopper, which did not resolve the issue. Installation was a breeze after watching your Repair Video: How to Replace Circulation Motor #W10239404 My Whirlpool dishwasher is 7 years old and now runs like new. 

After cleaning out the disposer for the 6th time, decided I had not found the source of the issue. Looking more closely, some of the drive pins on the pump hand been worn off and would not fully engage disposer forks. This caused the disposer to intermittently work and eventually clog. I removed internal spray bar, down to get to the disposer assembly and removed this component. Powered off, detached water and sewer and removed entire dishwasher from cabinet. Placed dishwasher face down on a towel. Removed bolt on plastic shield which also attached to the pump. Rotated pump out, cleaned output screen and reassembled with new pump. Installed back in cabinet and installed disposer assembly to insure proper engaging of drive pins. Reassembled and powered up! Works great. This was pretty major surgery and not for the unskilled. 

First I checked the chopper, and it was broken. So I removed it completely, but the whine was still there. So I pulled the circulation motor out and found parts of the chopper in the impeller. I hopefully re-installed motor, but it was still whining just as loudly. I should have bench-tested the motor (center 2 pins are 120VAC) before wasting time re-installing, as it is really loud on the bench. I guess the remnants of chopper messed up the motor. So bought a motor and chopper and all is good now. 15 year old washer. The videos from ApplianceParts Pros were super. My version did not have the rear bar to remove, but it did not matter. And the motor seal was different, but worked fine. Of course, the machines in the videos are dry and clean, unlike reality. So I shop-vac all the water out and put a lot of towels down. You need star bits to get the chopper out, beyond normal tools. 

I hoped the problem was just something jammed in the chopper, but it turned out that I needed a new circulation motor (it also comes with a new impeller). The Appliance Parts Pro video about this repair was very clear, and I was convinced I could do the job myself. I ordered the part and it showed up the next day (wow! I'm just two states away from the warehouse, but still, that's fantastic for less than $7 in shipping for this part). The repair was just as easy as the video depicted--it took less than 60 minutes from start to finish. An appliance repair shop quoted me $150 labor, and the part would have been more expensive, too. 

The first thing I checked was the food grinder to make sure it was not clogged and was still working. It was not obstructed and working properly so I narrowed it down to the motor and pump assembly. It was very easy to pull out the dishwasher and tip it up on its top to be able to get to the part. Make sure you have 1/4 inch drive set with a 6 inches extension because the one bolt that secures the motor is not easily accessible. It took about a half-hour to complete the repair.