ALW540RMC (PALW540RMC0) Amana Washer - Instructions

Needed part. Ordered Part from PartSelect Friday afternoon and figured I'd get it the following week. No big deal. Part arrived at my doorstep next morning before noon. UNBELIEVABLE SERVICE. Not requested, but it was there. So I fixed the machine as soon as I got it. I wish every company had this kind of service. I've already told my friends. It just can't get any easier than this.

To replace the belt:
First, unplug the appliance. No sense in poking and getting zapped.
Remove any water from the tub, if there is some, by running the washer through the end of the rinse cycle. This is the point of extracting water through the water pump.
Remove the bottom, front access panel by taking out the two screws at the bottom and sliding the panel down and out. It is held in place by metal clips at the top. So, it has to "unsnap" at the top.
Next, remove (by pulling out and up to disengage its hook) the left front stabilizer spring from the bottom of the outer tub. Pry it out with a screwdriver blade under the hook enough to release it from its hole in the frame. Once released, slide the hook along the lip of the frame towards the back of the washer and out of the way. Makes it easier to get back in if it is still stretched some. This allows it to be out of the way in order to remove the motor.
Disconnect the hoses attached to the discharge pump. Be sure to have a couple of towels handy for any water left in the lines. Place the towels directly under the hoses before disconnecting. Set the hoses to the side of the washer cabinet.
Loosen and remove the back (when looking at the motor from the front access) two bolts holding the motor support frame to the frame supporting the transmission.
Next, locate and remove the top two bolts holding the motor frame to the tub frame. Be sure to support the motor as the last bolt is removed so that it does not fall down.
Tilt the motor slightly to the left. Locate the wiring harness at the top left side of the motor. There is a plastic clip in the middle and on top of the wiring harness. Push down on the clip as you grasp the harness. This will release the clip's grip at the back of the harness and allow you to pull it out. Set the harness back behind one of the nearby tension springs to keep it out of the way.
Once the harness and bolts are removed, tilt the bottom of the motor towards you and pull down and out to clear the outer tub frame.
With the motor out, fiip it over and locate the three screws holding the pump in place. Using a #25 torx head screwdriver, remove the screws. The pump will now separate from motor. Visually check that the pump does not have an obstruction. Manual check by spinning the pump by hand. It should move freely.
Before installing the spin belt, clean the motor pulley of any residue.
Remove and replace the idler arm spring. Leave the spring attached to the arm only. Do not reattach it to its anchor point on the motor frame.
Install the spin belt, making sure that the belt is on either side of the pump's rear leg. (Rear leg being the leg 90 degrees counterclockwise to the pump outlet port.) Be sure that the idler arm pulley is able to apply pressure to the belt.
Reverse steps to put the pump, motor and springs back in place. Be sure to plug in the wiring harness before the motor is place back into position.
Tip: Leave the idler spring off until after the spin pulley is wound onto the helix pulley. You can reach around the motor from the right side and grasp the pulley. Spinning it slowly as you feed the belt will make it easier to get it back on.
Last, plug in the machine and give a Tim Allen ARH, ARH, ARH, Ugh?

pull front cover off of machine, disconnect motor wiring harness. Remove 4 sheet metal screws holding motor / pump assembly to frame. Remove both pump hoses (caution - have towels and a bucket at the ready). Pull unit from machine. turn upside down on bench and replace components. Reverse for installation.

First always unplug appliance.Then I shut off the water.I took the front off the washer.Saw the idler was the problem.Ordered parts and new belt.Removed motor assy,and removed pump.Checked impellors and pump bearing.Installed new parts for idler.Installed belt.Re-installed pump to motor,then re-installed entire assy.Turned on water and ecectricity.Ran complete cycle to test.Re-installed front cover.

Sunday night - removed old valve and hose 15 min went online, found & ordered part - 15 min - part showed up Tuesday afternoon, replaced defective valve 15 min - did laundry! Couldn't have been easier or less expensive!

Disconnect power and water, opened up front end by removing four self-tapping screws, removed the electric motor assembly from frame of machine, replace pump and belt and reassembled.

Unpluged electric, diconnected dicharge hose from wall drain, disconnected water lines from rear of washer and at wall hose connection, removed lower front panel, removed large front panel, disconnected hoses at motor(put towels at hoses to catch water leakage)THEN-took washer to the garage and tuned up side down. Removed front two tub springs, removed (4) motor bolts, removed electrical harness from motor, remove and replaced new brake pads. NOTE:brake pads need to be somewhat driven(pushed hard) into brake pad slots. Also it was easier to install the rear pad by removing the 4" knock-out at the side of the washer. Somehow reinstall the knock-out to keep mice and animals from entering the interior of the washer. THEN- reinstall all items in reverse order. Any one mechaniclly minded can replace the brake pad. My wife and I saved lots by doing the replacement myself. THE END. Good job Gary Final note:besure to intall the drive "v" belt around the 2" pulley wheel.Very important.

remove agitator then remove center bolt from hub, match bolt with longer bolt so that gear puller will work. install bolt and gear puller and twist top of gear puller until hub is removed. remove old seal ,use sand cloth or emery cloth to remove all deposits from shoulder. make it shinny, use some dawn dishwashing soap to line the inside of the new seal at the bottom and slide into place.take a piece of 2" PVC about 4" long and slide over the top of the seal and tap with a rubber hammer until seal is seated firmly on shoulder. look to see that there are no gaps with a inspection mirror or a make-up mirror.If their are no gaps ,install the hub and tap on the new hub with the rubber hammer. the hub will not seat all the way down so use the old bolt to pull it down, now take out the old bolt and install the new one, this is because the new one has lock tite on it ,your done!

Removed the old hoses and screwed on the new hoses.

I figured that the best thing to do is buy an adapter for the standpipe and now no more overflowing.

removed the front of the washer, removed the motor and pump. Reinstall new pump.

First I tried to lift the lid on the top of the washing machine. I eventually realized this model doesn't open up from the top. I removed two screws on the very bottom of the front panel of the washing machine. Then pulled gently downward to release the front panel from the two clips holding it in at the top. Once the front panle was removed, I found I could easily access the drain hose and disconnect it from the pump by loosening the clamp screw. (Be aware, there is still water in the hose and pump that will run out onto the floor; I had a bucket close by and tried to catch most of this water, but its somewhat futile.) There are two additional hose clips one underneath the tub, and one on the back panel of the washer that hold the hose away from other mechanical parts. Once the hose is freed from those clips it could be removed from the washer by feeding the hose out the back panel. The new hose was then inserted and fed down inside the washer, attached to the pump, tighten the hose clamp screw, clip the hose to the other two clamps so it is out of the way of other parts, reattached the front panel and you're done!

One other note about PartSelect.com...A few days after ordering my part, I had an "International Transaction Fee" show up on my debit card statement. I panicked thinking my card number had been stolen only to call my bank and find out PartSelect is based in Canada.

I called Lucky Buy when I realized it was more than the drain hose.
I asked if they would install for the same $55 if I got the parts online for less than their price & they said yes.
Once the parts came, they came back (Initial call was $20) for the $55 part replacement call.
At one point he said he had to leave & came back in 20 mins with the pump sawed off (into pieces - it was frozen on the base!)...
He also installed a new belt (Also ordered here for less than their quote!) +
I got braided steel hoses and (3) sets of screens (I'll start changing them annually!) ~
The washer now fills AT LEAST 4x as quickly with new hoses & screens!
The clothing comes out MUCH LESS DAMP with the new belt!
+ it is FAR QUIETER with the new belt!
We're in HEAVEN over here! :-)
ONE THING:
One that first load after the repair, I noticed the water level (Set, as always, to XL) was over halfway UP the side of the agitator's fabric softner dispenser, but thought MAYBE I was "misremembering", but nooo, I don't think I was because LOTS of water spilled out the MIDDLE FRONT BOTTOM once it did the cycle...
(This did not happen when he tested it before leaving - on the SMALL cycle (Which we NEVER use)...
SO!
QUICK FIX:
We set the water level to "LARGE" and all's been fine ever since! :-)
Anyone know whick part we need for the water to stop UNDER the bottom of the fabric softner, like it used to?

I am VERY PLEASED to have found this site and Lucky Buy - I am _SURE_ I saved WAY OVER $100 total (Parts & Labor) & my 15-year old machine is AS GOOD AS NEW NOW (almost - that leak's got to GO! :-)

First, I printed all the diagrams on the Partselect site so I would know how things went together.

I removed the two screws at the bottom of the front panel and removed the panel by pulling the bottom out allowing the top to come off he retaining clips. I then used pliers to remove the two springs holding the front of the washer tub to the base. Then I removed the spring that attached to the idler arm and the motor. (I also took digital pictures of everything in case I forgot the routing of the belt, the location of springs, etc.) Next I loosened the clamps holding the inlet and outlet hoses to the pump. The water loss was minimal as my washer was still functioning, but I could see that if the washer died with a full tub, there could be a lot of water. I then slipped the 2 hoses off the pump. Next I removed the four bolts holding the motor/pump combo from the frame. I unpluged the electrical connector (on the top left side of the pump....it has a locking tab on top that must be depressed to remove it). Then tilt the bottom of the motor/pump combo up and forward to allow it to come out of the machine. Please note the routing of the belt for replacement later.

The pump has 3 screws (torx) that attaches it to the motor. In most cases, it seems the pump will seize to the motor shaft due to the heat of the motor over time. Since the pump is bad anyway, I simply chiseled it off the motor shaft using a flat blade screwdriver and hammer. It is tempting to put the screwdriver between the motor pulley and pump, but this will only bend the pulley.......I know from experience. It will take several good whacks but eventually the pump will come off. In my case the pump had leaked enough that the end of the motor shaft was slightly pitted and corroded. I took a file and cleaned up the end so the new pump would slide on properly. I also put a small amount of machine oil on the motor shaft and wiped it good just to make the pump easier to mount. I then slide the pump on the motor shaft, replaced the 3 torx screws (make sure you have the belt in the right position.....one run of it goes inside the pump mounting stud.) I then reversed the process.....remounted the motor/pump combo, reattached the power connector, replaced the belt on the pulley beneath the drum, reattached the idler tension spring, reattached the 2 hoses and clamps, and reattached the 2 drum holddown springs. I then inserted the top of the front panel on the two clips and tilted it back down into place and replaced the 2 screws at the bottom front.

All in all, it was very easy..........taking only an hour or so. My belt was still in good condition, but I could advise you to go ahead and replace the belt while you are in there. It also could be practical to replace the pulley on top of the pump, as it is easy to bend. I did bend mine, but managed to straighten it back out.

After completing the repair, the washer works perfectly with no leaks.

Removed front panel; loosened hose clamp at pump; removed existing drain hose. Easy part.
Installed new hose at pump and tightened hose clamp. Somewhat difficult.
1. Your hose design should be solid flexible rubber hose instead of corrugated type. Had rough time snaking hose to the pump.
2. Your future designs should have rubber hose or hard piping to the exit hole on the back panel and terminated in a male fitting, then connect flexible hose from fitting to drain line. Similar to "hot & cold " water connections.
3. For future customers- care should be taken installing the "black" portion ; it kinked on me 2 or 3 times because you have to keep rotating the entire hose to keep the "black" portion straight.