3DWTW4840YW0 Whirlpool Washer - Instructions

Washer stopped agitating. I removed the clothes softener cup on top of the agitator by grasping and pulling up, inside the agitator I removed the inner plastic cap by grasping the 2 finger tabs and pulling up. There was a plastic retainer assembly with spring instead of the 7/16 nut referred to in other posts. I used a long 1/2" ratchet extension to remove the plastic retainer assembly, removed the top half of the agitator and replaced the cogs, then replaced the agitator, plastic retainer assembly with spring, snapped the plastic cap back on, and replace the clothes softener cup.

First, I removed the (3) piece softener cup from the top of the agitator.
Then I removed the bolt from inside the top of the agitator.
The agitator drive assembly lifts out of the lower agitator.
A flanged plastic snap ring holds the (4) drive dogs into the drive assembly.
Use a small screwdriver to remove the snap ring.
Replace the (4) drive dogs, and reassemble in reverse order.

As far as repairs go, this one is really easy.

First take the top cover off, second using socket to turn the nut loose at the center, then removing the plastic holder which has four directional cogs in it, replacing them with new one.

We took off softner cap and then took off the agitator with a nutdriver and then pulled the top off and the central agitator that the cogs were in pulled it out took the cogs out and replaced them with the new ones . Then we put the agitator back on and tightened the nut and replaced the softner cap and we were all done.

To replace the dogs that cause the ratcheting motion:

I removed the softener cup by pulling straight up. (You've probably found, as I have, that the softener cup and the bleach dispensers are problematic: the softener cup must be cleaned with every use or the old softener liquid turns to glue, and the bleach dispenser mechanism plugs and distributes bleach onto your next load, ruining entire loads of clothes.)

Then I lifted the cap covering the retaining bolt by inserting a screwdriver alongside in the square holes provided, loosening it, and lifting it out.

Then I used a socket and a very long extension to remove the retaining bolt. I lifted the agitator straight up.

The next step can be a problem: I survived it (though I did strain my back). What's required, as you can see by reading the preceding letters, is to lift sharply on the upper agitator while holding the lower agitator with your bare feet or some soft shoes. What this does, at least on my model, is to break off the tabs that are fused together over the ratcheting-dogs, which are the focus of the repair. (These tabs hold the upper and lower assemblies together, moving the dogs assembly with the lower agitator.) In my case, one of the tabs broke off a half inch below the top, but that wasn't catastrophic and I didn't lose the rest of them, so when I reassembled the two halves still snapped back together.

One problem was that when I jerked the two assemblies apart, the parts of the dogs assembly went flying. Everyone had said to make sure everything went back the same way it came apart--for me there was no way to tell what that way was, but common sense tells you which way to reinstall the new dogs; they have to catch every stroke.

To reassemble, position the dogs with the retainer cup inverted. Then hold them upside down while sliding the upper agitator down over them. This holds them in place. When sliding the upper agitator down onto the lower, make sure the slots line up and use a smooth even pressure. Snap the two halves together, bolt the agitator back into the machine, replace the cap with the large o-ring (make sure you clean and/or replace the o-ing), and reinstall the softener cup.

Et, voila! You're back in business.

First I popped off the very top cap of the agitator. I then used a socket extension to access the mounting bolt in the interior of the agitator. Once the bolt was loose i pulled the agitator off and dropped out the middle piece. With this out i switched the 4 cogs with the old. I then held the agitator assembly upside down and placed the middle piece back in. The most difficult part was aligning the agitator back onto the bottom part. Screw it back in place and pop the top back on.

The repair was very easy, I took the top cap off the agitator and removed the recess bolt and pulled the agitator out of the washing machine,put the agitator on the floor and put my feet on the sides of the agitator and pulled the top haft apart,replaced the agitator directional cogs put back together work great

I popped the liquid detergent cap off of the top of the Agitator. I then removed the seal cap to expose the Agitator dog assembly and bolt. I removed the entire Agitator dog assembly and Agitator by removing the single 7/16? bolt. I pulled the old dogs out, put the new dogs in and reassembled the Agitator Assembly.

Works like new!!

Removed the agitator cap, then removed the plastic, spring loaded retaining part (needed a square head tool). Once out, the cog retainer came out, replaced all four cogs, and replaced in reverse. Easy as pie & took 10 minutes!!

That OK , easy.

Pulled up and removed the fabric softner dispenser. Then I pulled up and removed the cap barrier to have access to the screw. Removed the screw and pulled up the cloths mover. Tunrned the cloths mover over to remove the bearing cam to remove the broken agitator cogs and replaced them with the new ones. I held the bearing cam with my right hand and held the cloths mover with my left hand turning it slowly with my left hand and lightly pushing down with my right hand until the cloths mover made contact with the grooves of the shaft and it sunk down on the shaft. Replaced the screw and washer then the cap barrier , next the fabric softner dispenser. Took 10 min. to complete the job. Now my washer runs like new ! Plus, I have a happy wife!

First I removed the pop off cap at the top of the spiral shaped top agitator. Then reach down inside and pry off another pop off water tight cap exposing a 7/16 or 1/2 inch nut. A deep socket would probably be easiest but I didn't have one so a nut driver and luck got it unthreaded- it was pretty tight and yoiu have to hold the agitator from spinning while you unthread. Then the upper agitator asslembly lifts out and the cog assembly falls apart but it's only like 3 or four housing pieces and it only goes together one way to hold the four new cogs in place. reassemble and the machine works great again

I took out the fabric softener dispenser, then pulled of the plastic plate. There is 1 big bolt that has to be unscrewed in there. After that gets unscrewed, the whole agitator will pull out of the washer. I put the agitator on the ground, stepped gently with both feet on th bottom (mostly flat part). then I pulled on the top cylinder part, and the 2 parts separated. There is a little disk in the cylinder part that pops out. remove the top and replace the cogs. then put the disk back together. Push the two big main parts of the agitator back together...snap the disk back in and put the whole agaitator back in your washer. pop it back into place and screw in the bolt.....DONE! I have to replace these cogs about 1ce a year...it costs me about $5 and 15 minutes...but it keeps my waher running great!

Very easy repair. Popped off the top cap on the agitator with a flat head screwdriver. Then took a half inch drive socket set with the extender and removed the assembly where the cogs were housed. Inserted new cogs, put it all back together and the thing agitates like new. Simple. Saved huge dollars.

I also ordered a new agitator repair kit which had almost everything. I noticed that I the kit had shorted 3 of the 4 cogs. Once the missing parts were received I removed the agitator bolt from the middle of the agitiator with a rachet and socket. Amazingly, I read the instructions and followed them accordingly. I pulled removed the agitator and removed the dogs/cogs and placed the new one in the new dogs *Making "dog gone" (pun intended) sure they were facing the correct way, by comparing them to the instructions. I carefully seated them as per the illustrations on the instructions and replaced the center bolt in. placed the cap on top and started the washer. Then I had my cup of coffee. By the way..I'm a grandmother, so if I can do it.............!