3LWTW4840YW0 Whirlpool Washer - Instructions

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.

basically pop off the top spindle cover, reach in and pull off the water cap from the agitator cog cover, unscrew the bolt holding the cog holder and pull the agittator assembly up and off the machine. Remove the piece holding the gogs in place and replace cogs making sure to put them back in the same direction as they came out. Turn the agitator upside down and stick the piece holding the cogs in and snap it in. Replace all components in reverse order they were removed, and there you are. Works great.

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.

After removing the pressed in cap inside the agitator i removed it from the machine with a socket wrench. Then it did not take long to figure out that the two peices snapped apart. then one look at the cogs (referred to as dog ears) i knew they where stripped and where the problem. Icanceled the service call and order the parts myself from this site. So it was very easy and i'm not sure how much money i saved but the bragging rights went along way with the wife, Thanks.

Go to youtube and watch how to repair washing machine agitator. It is so easy. did the repair. Now it works, less than $20.00 to fix. Now I don't need to buy a new washing machine. Maybe it will make it another 15 years.....

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.............!

I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE VIDEO AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. It was very easy.

repair was really simple. If you can get it apart, you can fix it. the parts fit perfectly.

I basically followed the video that was available on Partselect.
I had trouble getting the top of the agitator separated from the lower but I used a length of 2x4 and gently tapped this with a hammer (so I wasn't hitting the plastic directly with the hammer, never a good idea). I few taps around the perimeter of the upper agitator and it came apart. The rest was quite easy. I replaced the seal since it looked pretty worn when I first removed the inner cap.

The repair went smoothy except for removing the screw that holds the upper agitator part from the bottom agitator. Once that was removed all went smoothly. Considering my washer is 17years old, I guess I should be happy that was my only problem. I followed the directions of the repairman in the video that was provided by the web site. Most of my parts matched his parts :). My husband was very proud that I repaired the washer and was able to diagnose the problem. Thanks for helping me save some $$$$. I'm pleased and am very happy to have solved the problem on my own. My husband teases me about hanging a shingle. Thanks, Zina

I unscrewed the top cap by hand and used a socket wrench to remove the main center unit.
the rest was very straight forward.

Using the IPB I removed the upper assembly to gain access to the cogs. Turned the assembly over and incerted the new parts and reassembled the pieces in reverse order.

I took a socket and removed the agitator bolt and cover which exposed the cogs. I cold see the cogs were stripped. I changed them and everything works fine.

I watched your video, followed the instructions, and
in 20 minutes I had a new washer! The repair man estimated the cost for repair at $150, but I didn't want to spend that much money on a 20-year-old washer, so I ordered the agitator repair kit, cost $12, and it arrived the very next day! I did exactly what the video indicated and within 30 minutes my washer was agitating like never before. Thank you so much for the video instruction, it was fantastic.

The top portion of the agitator was not turning so that laundry could be drawn down in the wash tub. The problem was 4 little cogs that where worn and would not catch on a gear/cog portion of the bottom portion of the agitator. the cogs where about $10 delivered and it took about 25 min. to install (from top of washer). The old cogs, I also repaired by taking them out and using a hacksaw to redefine the grooves on them. They are still working, so I will hold on to the new parts until needed.