WDTA50SAKT0 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Overview

I called an experienced plumber, who balanced and installed my new dishwasher properly, using the brackets I ordered from Parts Select, after an INEXPERIENCED plumber had tossed the factory-provided mounting brackets out with the shipping carton. Relief!

Popped out old wheel housing. Popped in replacement with a little help from a flathead screwdriver. Easy.

After pulling the dishwasher out, I was able to determine the leak was occurring around the plastic nuts on the end of the heating element. I removed the heating element and saw that even though there were washers on the ends that protruded through the backside of the machine, they really weren't sealing the holes the element was sticking through. Looking at YouTube videos on the installation procedure, I noticed the element being installed had a sort of metal grommet permanently affixed to each end and the rubber washers were between the grommet and the dishwasher body. I ordered the new part and saw this to be when I received the new part. This grommet allowed the washer to seal the hole, once the plastic nuts were installed on the backside of the dishwasher. This seems to have stopped the leak. I don't know how the original part ever worked correctly, since the washers freely sat on the element with nothing to force them up against the body of the dishwasher and seal the holes. It may have been leaking long before I discovered the problem.