Whirlpool 388253 Neutral Drain Kit

My 17 year old Kenmore washing machine was driving me nuts !?! I had to bypass the lid switch to fully understand what was going on. Sometimes it would neutral drain, sometimes it would not. There is nothing worse than an intermittent problem.For the uninitiated, Neutral Drain means the washer will pump out all the water first. Then it pauses, and the transmission kicks into spin. So the motor and transmission do not have to spin out the weight of 70 gallons of water plus clothes. They only have to spin wet clothes. Kudos to the engineers at Whirlpool for coming up with this ingenious design that saves wear and tear.Every tech I have spoken to said that these old machines are definitely worth fixing, and I can see why. They are extremely well engineered and designed, and anyone with a little mechanical know how can repair them. I had already replaced the clutch last year, so I knew how to get the motor and transmission out of the machine.Taking the transmission apart was no worse than replacing a water pump on a car (done a few of those). There are plenty of YouTube videos that show how to do it. I decided to replace the oil while I had it apart, since it did not look good. So I cleaned all the parts with kerosene and examined them. I scraped off and cleaned the mating surfaces of the cover with alcohol. I used all of the new parts from the kit. I could not really see any noticeable wear on the old plastic parts, but they ALL got replaced anyway.I used 15 oz of 85W90 gear oil from the auto store. That is about all you can get into the case without overflowing. I think the machine is actually more quiet now. I ran a thin bead of black RTV gasket maker around the edge of the transmission and put the cover back on.I would have taken pictures, but I didn't want to muck up my camera with gear oil from my hands.So now the neutral drain works every time, and at about 2 loads per week, this machine should last years.Bob Savino, Bergenfield, NJ

Another "Amazon Prime to the Rescue!" Story! Saved our old Whirlpool washer and saved me a lot of money at a time when money was tight; now it works as good as new! Amazon Prime service got me up & running fast & much cheaper than any of my local parts warehouses could; every parts counter either wanted 4x as much or didn't have it in stock.Be aware, this is not a project for the faint of heart; it is some serious appliance mechanicking. Google for "Whirlpool Transmission removal video" and "Whirlpool Neutral Drain Kit video" and watch more than one of each to get a good feel for the work you are considering.Lots of rags and a 5-gallon drain bucket are MUST-HAVE items; also some heavy nitrile gloves if you have a significant other you want to get anywhere near anytime soon as the gear oil is STINKY. Also get some Silicone RTV sealant; what kind is irrelevant as this seal has very low pressure and heat loading. You can even use household caulk as long as it is the 100% silicone type.Get the gear oil locally; shipping kills you on this stuff and while Whirlpool does have a specially listed part number, they also list 50W to 90W gear oil (or similar multi-viscosity) gear oil as an approved substitute. You'll need 1/2 of the quart bottle this stuff usually comes in (15 oz is the specification; don't worry if you put in the extra 1 oz that makes it 1/2 quart) to fill the transmission.When removing the transmission, check for and replace any missing bolts or bolts with threads goobered up; this family of washer has a tendency to work these bolts loose and chew up the threads, especially if someone else has had it apart at any time before you. Reinstall the transmission bolts with LokTite to prevent them backing out.You may be inclined to just replace the big gear that's stripped out; DON'T. You need to remove everything and drain the oil; the bottom of the transmission will have a layer of thick gunk and teeth from the gear that you need to clear out/wipe clean to prevent the same failure from happening again right away.Also recommended at this time is the Whirlpool 285352 Oil Seal kit for the input shaft; if it hasn't already started to leak, it will soon and when it does it will turn the motor drive coupling (Whirlpool part # 285753A if yours is chewed up and you need one) rubber into marshmallowy goop.And lastly, also at this time (because removing the transmission is the major headache part of the job) you really should replace the basket clutch (Whirlpool part # 285785); cost is about $8 for the kit and it will never be easier to replace than right now when you're already doing this job. I've seen argument back & forth over whether this can contribute to the transmission failing, but the bottom line is if your transmission is worn out, the clutch probably is too, whether you realize it or not.Replacing this along with rebuilding the transmission will ensure your drum spins up to full speed during the rinse and spin cycles, and that it does so as quickly as possible. This ensures the best cleaning action, and that it wrings out as much water as possible in the last spin cycle. This reduces dryer time considerably, and dryer time is where the greatest amount of wear occurs on your clothes.Good luck, and happy fixing! The Whirlpool direct-drive family of washers are a 50-year appliance if you keep them serviced; they eat the Energizer Bunny's breakfast (and get him clean again after your little monsters have mauled him to death and used him for a Kleenex) for long life!They are TOTALLY worth the time it takes, as pretty much every wear part in them is in the post above, so they're EASY To keep running forever!

Excelente calidad y precio!