KELC500THT0 KitchenAid Washer Dryer Combo - Instructions

I'd noticed for a while that our 15-year-old Kenmore washer was filling slowly, but when it started to take 30 minutes to fill to the "medium" level, I knew something was really wrong. There was plenty of water pressure, so I replaced a hose that was loaded with minerals and cleaned the filter (also clogged with minerals). But that didn't help! So I ordered a new water inlet valve, and replaced that. There's nothing tricky about the repair -- the hardest part is opening and closing the washer, for which I found instructions online. (Even so, it's the most time-consuming part of the project.) The result is the washer now fills as fast as when it was new. Just for fun, I took apart the old valve and expected to find it encrusted with minerals, but it looked fine, so I'm not sure where the actual breakdown was. But since the part only cost $25 -- less than a service call, for sure -- I was very happy to use a half hour of my time and keep the machine going a while longer.

The old catch on my dryer door was gone and I was keeping the door closed using tape. I ordered the part and it arrived with no hassles in about 5 days. The repair was too easy. I just popped the new catch in place. It took all of about 30 seconds to complete using no tools. I wish all home repairs were this easy.

It was so easy, that my wife did it the day we got the part before I got home from work. She wedged it out with a flat head screw driver and then pushed the new door catch assembly in with her thumb. Pretty simple, thanks for having parts like this available to the public!

Unplugged power cord and disconnected water lines; note which is hot/cold. Washer was then tipped on its front. Discharge hose was disconnected. Washer was then rolled over onto its back as this would put the pump on top for much easier removal.

Pried off two clips attaching pump on motor using a flathead screwdriver. The rear clip was done by touch. Unplugged wiring plug from motor. Using an adjustable wrench (socket set would have worked better), remove two screws holding 2nd set of clips attaching motor on transmission. Then pried off clips.

Removed old coupling from transmission shaft and motor shaft, plus middle 6 hole widget thingy.

Installed new parts on transmission shaft and motor shaft with fingers pointing towards each other. Using a small hammer, tapped the parts onto each shaft. Placed 6 hole widget thingy on the transmission part, and then rotated motor so motor part would fit in remaining three holes.

Replaced clips to hold motor on transmission and reinstalled screws holding clips.

IMPORTANT: Replace motor wire now. I forgot to do this and after the tub was filled with water, realized that, and since the pump was also disconnected, could not get the water out. Had to get wife to hold washer up while I crawled underneath to reattach motor wire. Learn from my mistake!

Attach pump onto motor and replace clips. Double check everything is back in place.

Roll washer onto front side. Attach discharge hose. Tip washer back upright. Reconnect water. Reposition discharge hose and plug washer into power.

First try it smelled like something plastic was burning, but I think that was the old part shavings getting ground away.

Remove the main bolts that hold the gearbox in place, pull the gearbox and shaft out. You will see the brake shoes and drum--the large spring is a struggle to replace. Getting it out was not hard. The biggest struggle I had was replacing the brake shoe spring after replacing the shoes. I ultimately compressed the spring in a vise, then used safety wired it, then placed it between the shoes, then cut the wire to relaease the spring.

1) Unplugged electrical cord
2) Removed hot/cold water hoses
3) Took drain hose from laundry room recepatcle
4) Moved washing machine to area where I could lay it down on its back (very important for easy fix)
5) Found (easy accessible in my case) water pump with an inlet and outlet water hose held on with spring clamps.
6) Removed each of the two clamps with pliers and each hose by twisting loose
7) Remove two metal clips holding pump to motor housing
8) Slide pump off shaft - removal is finished!
9) Reversed process for installation, making sure to gently align pump housing when the pump is aligned with the shaft
[probably took less than 15 minutes]

Follow the advice given in the partsselect website. However, while removing the blower, my hand slipped into the housing and cut my thumb. Connected the wires to the junction box on the motor but didn't realize that the contacts would hit the drum when reinstalled. The original junction box was at a 90 degree rotation relative to the new box. When trying to test the breaker tripped. Using the multitester I found out that I burned out the thermal fuse, and froze the door switch. I replace both those parts and started the dryer and could hear a grinding sound. Inspection revealed that the housing of the motor was rubbing against the drum. Removing the drum yet again, I rotated the housing and replaced the drum. The dryer was finally working well.

Turned off water and pulled power plug, Then unscrewed hot and cold hoses from washer.
I took off the top control by undoing the 2 screws in front and then the two screws on the back plastic latches. Mover it forware and took off the 2 screws on the bottom of the back which came up and off easily. Undid the two screws holding the Water valve to the back and undid the water outlet tube and the wireing. Replaced with new valve and reattached tubing and wires. Screwed back on and reattached controls.
Actually was very easy even without repair manual to the washing machine.

Used toothpick for a year to push switch acctuator far enough to engage switch. Broke my foot and found time to order part thru PartSelect. Went from cast to boot and received part 2 days after ordered. Had difficulty with foot and getting to switch. Went back into PartSelect and figured out how to dis-assemmble panels thru the diagrams. Time on my job doesn't, just that their service and expertise that is available to everyone is there to use. Broken bones or not, I will always get my parts and advice from PartSelect. Thanks to PartSelect.

I had a little difficulty at first, trying to remove the back of the unit. I then figured out that the repair was to be made by leaning the washer back and removing it from underneath. That became really easy as the bottom is open.I had to remove one nut and then the agitator from inside, then tilt the machine back, disconnect the two hoses from the pump, remove three bolts and lower the motor/ transmission assembly. Then I had to disconnect the motor from the pump ( with two snap on clips) and remove the broken plastic coupling. The new coupling had a metal insert that seems to make it stronger than the original piece.I then just reversed the procedure to put it together again and it worked fine. The part was shipped immediately and I got it sooner than I expected so I greatly appreciate that. Overall it went well, and by the way, it was my daughters washer and she was happy as well.Thanks, Roger

My wife reported that the dryer was not working. I checked it and it seemed to work fine. This went on for about a month or two. Every time I checked it, it started just fine.

Well, she threatened to go buy a new dryer, I took her more seriously. I thought perhaps a thermal protection was the cause. But when I dug into it, I learned that when those trip out, they are permanent (have to be replaced).

I finally noticed loud humming sound the motor made at start-up, when it failed to start turning on one occasion and eventually tripped out the motors thermal protection.

I ordered the new drive motor form PartSelect.com.

Replacing the motor was fairly easy if you like to take stuff apart. One thing that I had not anticipated was that the two foam gaskets on the exhaust duct were dry rotted. I went to my local part supplier to get them. They did not have them in stock. :( While I was there, I asked how much the motor was, they wanted $50 more than PartSelect.com :D

I put it back together without the new gaskets, and it runs like new. I ordered the gaskets from PartSelect and will add them when they arrive.

My wife is happy again, she can bust out the laundry in one day; it had been taking here all weekend.

I learned to take her at her word.

First off unplug the machine then turned off H/C water supply and removed hoses, laid the machine on its side, removed 3 motor supp. bolts, loosened drum pulled out shaft and clutch assembly was right there. Also replaced coupling while it was apart. And to think, a svce company wanted 179.00 just to walk in my door and diagnose the pblm. Then, parts and labor were extra. Thanks for the help/advice, piece of cake!!!!!!!

I removed the screws holding the control unit down, removed a couple at the rear,
Disconnected the electrical clip that plugs into the top, under the control unit.
This allows enough slack to pivot it ( the control unit) upside down and get it out of the way enough to remove the spring clips that hold the top to the back.
Popped out the two clips that hold the back to the top.
Pulled the back out, up until the plastic soap dispenser , (which is attached to the back) hits under the lip of the top.
This does not allow enough room to get to the valves.
I finally figured out you have to lift the entire top up high enough to clear the back while pulling it ( the back) out.
Disconnected the hose clamp, electric connectors, installed the new valves into the supplied mounting plate replaced the valves .
Re -connected the hose and electric connectors and re assembled the back.
The only problem I had was when one of the spring retainers that hold the back to the top popped off and fell inside the unit, which forced me to remove everything including the back bottom screws, which caused the sides to pop off, the mounting ears , which are attached to the back,
Took some finesse but finally retrieved the spring clamp and finished everything back together.
It was a bit tricky keeping the plastic gaskets between the back and the sides from falling inside as I reassembled it.
But all is well, and would have been more difficult without the expierence written by others who posted, on the site.
Thank you to all, for the help.
I hope my efforts will help someone else.

**** Remove power cord from the wall****

As said earlier, you will need to lift the top. Drop the two screws holding the lint shoot and pop the top by sliding a screw driver into the corner on the front. Lif tthe top and rest against the wall behid the unit. remove the two (4 total) screws at the top and bottom of the front door assembly.
Place sometin under the front portion of the drum. At this point you'll see the need to clean everything! :) Slide the belt off and around the drum, (take note of the routing it takes.) Remove the drum by gently pulling it towards you. Set it aside. Clean more. :) (It is nice to have a vacuum handy.) At this point you really need to get to the rear of the system. So I tipped the top back down, and spun it around. Removed the rear panel and cleaned some more. (15 years of a lot of lint in there!) Then you'll need to remove the rear cover on the left side, covering the blower impeller. Get read for a whole lot of debris. Vacuum again. So now you have the motor exposed in the front and rear. You need to remove the impeller by turning that clockwise to loosen it. The trick is holding the shaft in place from the front at the same time. I used an old rag and wedged it into the impeller edges and worked it around until it jamed up. Once the rag was wedged pretty good, I went back to the front spun the shaft. Then you can remove the impeller by hand. Vacuum more. You may get by without having to remove the lint shoot completely, but I did just to clean it up more. I did have to remove two screws in the upper corner near the top of the lint shoot. (Basically the hold the back in place.) I took a few notes at this point about the wiring harness. Used a heavier screw driver (standard), You can push down on the clips that hold the old motor in place. Then work it out the front. Clean more. The new motor is not an exact replacement slightly differnt but the instructions with it were ok. Follow them for the correct wiring. You will need to remove one wire and cut and recrimp a spade lug or two. I used ty-wraps to secure the lines back in place. Look closely at the diagrams and make sure you set the motor down in the same direction the instructions say, if you twist it slightly it will sorta lock in place where it needs to be. Re-install the hold down clips to the front and rear of the motor. Clean up your impeller, and reinstall it too. Then basically reassemble the dryer...tracing your steps backwards. This isn't really difficult, it just takes time and as you can see, you will/should clean as you go !

I was hopeful it was the belt. But, I had no idea how to get to it. I used the model no. and looked on line for pats and schematics. That gave me a sense of what to do. I started at the rear and removed the back panel. It was like peeling an onion because then, I wasn't sure what to remove next. So I just kept removing nut head screws until eventually I had loosened the sides, removed the top and discovered the front lifted up and off (no screwed attachment.) There's grounding wire that must be detached. Don't forget to re-attach. Without proper grounding you could be electocuted! I was careful to remember how it was attached. To get to the pulley, which is on the front, I had to remove the drum. I found the snapped belt. The pulley is held in place by tension from the belt so, once the belt goes the pulley detaches. I tried to find the belt locally the following week but was unsuccessful. I found the part on-line and had it in four days. It was tricky getting the belt and pulley in place. I persevered.
The parts ( I replaced the fliter that needed replacement for years too) came with installation instructions. Its possible I did not have to disassemble as much as I did. Oh well! Although I'm fairly mechanical, I'm still pretty proud to have been able to do it and save the cost of a repairman.