Somebody gave me this washer thinking it was a parts machine. When I got it back to the shop and looked it over, the bones were actually fine — the console wiped off clean, the motor looked good, the structural parts were intact. But when I tipped it over to look underneath, the bottom was packed with mud and crawfish chimneys. The thing had been sitting in a Louisiana ditch through a flood. I pressure-washed it, dried it out, and ran it through service diagnostic mode to figure out why it had been abandoned in the first place. Turned out to be two parts. Here’s the walk-through.
Watch the Full Diagnosis
Getting Into Service Diagnostic Mode
To get into this machine to retreive the service manual for testing, take off three screws: two on the main top panel and one on a small cover plate. Push the top forward and up. That lets you lift the top without pulling the whole cabinet apart. Once you’re in there, the service manual is taped to the front left corner of the cabinet. Follow the instructions to test all the systems of the machine. The service diagnostic mode is what tells you what’s actually wrong instead of you having to guess.
On Whirlpool-platform top loaders you’ll find one of two shift actuator types — the black one and the red one. They function identically, just different interface plugs. Either way, the diagnostic mode procedure is the same and it’ll exercise the actuator through its travel range so you can confirm it’s working.
How to Diagnose a Washer Agitator Problem
If the washer fills with water but the agitator doesn’t move properly, the failure is downstream of the fill valves and the pressure switch. Your suspect list is: shift actuator, or the splutch (splined clutch) that locks the basket or the agitator to the motor.
To narrow it down in diagnostic mode, command the agitate cycle and watch the agitator and the drum from above. In gentle agitate mode, you should see the agitator move while the drum stays still. In hard agitate mode, same thing — agitator moves independently, drum doesn’t follow. If you see the drum and the agitator turning together, that’s your tell: the splutch isn’t releasing the basket. The splutch is bad.
Confirming the Shift Actuator
While I had it apart, I pulled the shift actuator. The arm felt stiff — probably partially melted from the flood-and-heat cycle the machine had been through. The internal gear was binding. So I changed it too. The shift actuator is actually two parts in one: a mechanical arm that controls the shift lever on the clutch, and an electric eye (the tachometer sensor) that reads a gapped wheel inside the gearcase. Either half can fail. On this machine both halves looked compromised.
Entering and Using Diagnostic Mode
To enter diagnostic mode, the machine has to be in standby first — plugged in, all indicator lights off, and you haven’t pressed any buttons. If a light is on or the cycle is paused, the entry sequence won’t take. Reset the cycle selector knob by rotating it counterclockwise one full revolution (360°). Then within six seconds, do this sequence with about a half-second pause between each click: three clicks clockwise, one click counterclockwise, one click clockwise. Follow the service manual LED sequences to test each of the machine’s systems.
The Fix
I replaced both the splutch and the shift actuator. Both were cheap parts — under $50 combined. With those swapped in, the machine ran through a full cycle clean: filled, agitated correctly with the basket stationary, drained, and spun up. From abandoned-in-a-ditch to working washer for $50 and an afternoon.
What You Need
- W10721967 Splutch Kit (Whirlpool/Maytag/Kenmore) — Search on Amazon
- W10006355 Shift Actuator (OEM) — Search on Amazon
- Upgraded W10006355 Shift Actuator — Search on Amazon
- Fluke 101 Digital Multimeter — Search on Amazon
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through the links in this post. It costs you nothing extra and helps support the channel.
Before you spend money on a service call, work through the full procedure with my step-by-step guide: How to Diagnose Whirlpool-Style Washing Machines — walks you through service diagnostic mode, every LED pattern, and exactly which component to suspect for each test result. Available on Gumroad: harperknowles.gumroad.com/l/dygzx. Or browse all my repair guides at harperknowles.gumroad.com.
Rather have a pro do it? If you’re anywhere in central Louisiana — Oakdale, Oberlin, Elizabeth, Pitkin, Pine Prairie, and Glenmora — Harper & Knowles handles this all the time. Call (337) 831-6757 or visit harperandknowles.com to schedule a service call.
About the Author: Chip Knowles owns Harper & Knowles Washing Machine and Dryer Repair LLC in Oakdale, Louisiana. New video every Sunday at 2 PM Central on YouTube.