Whirlpool WPW10445062 Water Valve Tubing Coupler OEM Part

Used Live Chat feature through the AppliancePartsPros.com to verify the exact part I needed. Ordered the part one day and received it the next. The new water line connector was a separate piece from the water inlet valve assembly. The old bracket on the assembly held both valve and connector. I broke the old leaking connector piece from the bracket. There was a tab which had to be cut off the old remaining bracket, and a tack weld spot that had to be smoothed down. This is what took all the time for my repair. After that was complete, I connected the water line from the water inlet valve to the back of the new connector (pressure fitting, not a threaded fitting like the old one). Attached the now 2 piece bracket (new water line connector and water inlet valve) to the back of the frig with 2 screws. Reconnected the water line to the new connector and turned on the water to check for leaks. No leaks, so replaced the cardboard cover in the back and slid refrigerator back into place.

I replaced the connector with a new one. The biggest challenge was that the mounting bracket on the new connector was different than the one on the original connector. A tab on an adjacent bracket had to be weakened with a hacksaw and bent out of the way. Tools used: nut driver, pliers, hacksaw, and utility knife.

I tried to remedy the old connector using Teflon tape but after so many attempts I called it quits and finally cough out $40+ includes shipping and was able fix the problem in a few minutes. I found this site thru You tube and I am very satisfied with my transaction. The item arrived the next day. Make sure you contact Fedex and leave them a message saying that you want your package left at the front door or else they will not leave your package and has to be sign off by someone in the house hold. I'm sure I'll be spending more $$ if I called a guy from whirlpool. I end up grinding off a little part of the metal bracket to make it seat flush to inlet valve bracket. Not a big deal.

Turned off water and disconnected inlet and outlet hose. Replaced connector with new one. Reinstalled hose and turned water on.

Very simple fix but takes a couple tricks. First you will find that the mounting plate for this part is connected to the mounting plate of the valve assembly. You have to twist the 2 plates back and forth like scissors to loosen them enough to put a screwdriver between the plates to pry them apart. On my fridge, the plastic tubing reduces down to a smaller size and there was not enough of the right size tubing to cut it and have enough left for the new fitting. So you have to know how to disconnect the tubing. That is done by pressing in the plastic ring around the tubing all the way towards the fitting body. The ring is light blue in this picture, on my old valve I think it was grey. After pressing the plastic ring all the way, the barbs holding the tube are released and the tube can be carefully pulled out. Other than that, it was very quick and easy. Took about a half hour and that included vacuuming all the dust inside the back of the fridge and cleaning the floor since I have not moved the fridge in years.