MDB8979SFZ2 Maytag Dishwasher - Instructions

This product comes in a bottle with a brush like Liquid Paper. It goes on incredibly easy. A second coat might be needed. I wanted to prevent rust from setting in so I covered the scratches and dings. The paint is a little brighter since my washer is 10 years old but it still looks great.

Followed a video, pretty straightforward. Be sure to clean all the area. My husband used cotton swabs to clean all the gunk.

With the new unit just went into place. The only disappointment was that I had to replace the whole sprayer arm as a whole unit. It would have been more cost/environmentally productive just to replace the small plastic retainer nut.

Super simple.
Remove all screws around the stainless metal shroud inside the door. DONT remove the hinge screws.
Torx bit required.

Unplug detergent dispenser and place outer door assembly aside. Dispenser has small clips holding it in, top, bottom and sides I believe. Push these in, dispenser falls out into dishwasher.

Insert new unit, reverse all steps. Done.
Dont for get to reattach the wires!

I replaced both upper rack tracks because the spot welds on one of the factory tracks failed after 18 months. The welds just rusted away and let go. The other track appeared to be close to failure so I replaced both of them. This repair is actually quite easy, but in order to change the tracks, you must pull the appliance out at least a little more than halfway in order to reach the screws that hold the tracks in place. There are four such screws on each side -- they are fastened through the exterior face of the tub. Here is the process:
Use a 1/4" nut driver to remove the bottom front (kick) plate from the appliance. There are two screws, one at each end. There should also be two screws fastening the dishwasher to the countertop. You'll need to open the dishwasher door to see these and remove them. At the bottom of the dishwasher again, you might need to screw the front (2) leveling feet in to lower the dishwasher and provide clearance. Once done, just (gently, slowly) pull the appliance out of the cabinet. Check to make sure your power wiring, drain hose, and water supply hose are all long enough to do this. If necessary, disconnect any of these that are too short. if your power wiring is short, as mine was, you'll need to disconnect the circuit breaker, then remove the junction box at the lower front right side of the dishwasher, then disconnect the power and ground wires.
Once out of the cabinet, use a 5/16" nut driver to remove the four screws holding each rack slide in place and remove the track. The rubber mounts will come out with the track (new tracks include new rubber mounts). Clean any residue from the track mounting area inside the tub before installing the new track. This whole replacement process should take a total of 3-4 minutes per side.
To finish up, just reverse the process. When sliding the dishwasher back into place, make sure the fiberglass insulation stays in place completely around the outside of the tub.
Because the tile on my kitchen floor does not continue under the dishwasher (tile was installed after the cabinets), it was absolutely necessary to turn in the leveling feet to get the appliance out. Since this also makes it very difficult to get a wrench around the plastic feet, I used a very small socket (3/16"?) on the top of the leveling feet stems. This makes it really easy to turn the feet.
I the appliance designers had engineered things better by fastening the tracks from inside the tub, this would be a 5-minute job. But it's still not bad at all.

Remove two screws at top that fasten dishwasher to cabinet. Slide dishwasher out to expose the two links that attach the door to the springs. Fit the new links to the springs and door.

Installation was very easy. The online video was excellent and clear.
Thanks

I watched the video and this was the easiest repair ever. Took longer to disconnect and reinstall than it did to change out the pump. Highly recommended watching the video

Removed bad wheel sets using screw driver to help pry broken part loose. Then just snapped in replacement. Took less than 5 mins. Now it works great.

Shut the power to the dishwasher off. Pulled unit out from under the counter top and raised the left hand side up for easy access. Disconnected the wiring, undid the clips, turned counter clockwise and removed. Reversed the order for installation and Connected the power. Ran several cycles successfully. Problem fixed. Burnt out water pump. Good as new if not better so far. Easy item search, Fast Shipping, Quality Part, Fair Pricing. Thank You Partselect.com

This kit comes with the link cords and the balance wheels. I only needed the cords. I undid the set screws under the counter edge and slid the Dishwasher out from under the counter. One of the links had a broken cord and the spring had snapped to the very back of the space and was a bit hard to find. I used the good side as a guide to see how to thread the cord correctly. I did not replace the wheels since they appeared to be in good shape and looked like they might be a bit more difficult to replace than just the cord. For a second I thought I had ordered the wrong part because the new cord's attachment point at the hinge did not look exactly like the originals but the new design worked just like the original. I did need one other person to help stretch the spring and hold the door in the best position so I could attach the cord to the hinge. It's working perfectly now and I saved the wheels in case I need them later.

I removed the old gasket. Cleaned the surface under the old gasket and began pressing the new gasket into place. Make sure the gasket is pressed all the way in to properly seat it in the groove. Didn't use the tube of gasket sealer and it worked perfectly no leak,

it was ok if I would have been sent the correct part, but you sent me the wrong part # and I had to go to the post office and mail it back. the part was not the same number as my order and completely wrong, still waiting for my refund and shipping charges. So you have failed me.

Was a cinch just watched the video whole procedure took an hr or so

Make sure you have everything you need before you start. The upper rack adjuster broke when the left track failed and needed to be replaced. Although only the left side track failed, the right side would have soon enough.

This repair was fairly simple. First, toggle the circuit breaker off and turn off the water supply under the sink. Remove gray plastic covers to expose and remove Phillips head screws on each side of inner door frame then remove plastic kick plate before sliding the dishwasher out roughly 20”. The insulation needs to be folded back (tab release back bottom corner) to expose the four rack fasteners on each side. A small socket bit (I used a slow speed hand drill) makes quick work of removing old tracks but make sure one hand is inside on the track to catch what’s left of it. Replace both tracks (the second will fail) arrow pointing up using the fasteners you removed. Reset the insulation and make sure water, drain and electrical connectors are all in good order before sliding dishwasher back and fastening side frame screws to adjoining cabinets (tip: use painter’s tape or similar to keep screw head connected to screwdriver). Replace plastic caps and the kick plate. I had to replace the upper rack adjuster before reinstalling the upper rack on the new tracks. Check the bottom filter and reservoir for any plastic bits or ball bearings and remove them before turning power and water back on. Enjoy not having to hand wash dishes again. For me, about 40 minutes.