How to Check Pump Pulleys on Washing Machines

Unplug your washing machine’s power cord from the electrical outlet.

Pull your washer about 1 foot away from the wall behind it. Lift the front of the washing machine to expose the belts on the bottom of the machine. Let the washer rest against the wall behind the washer and have an assistant hold the washer to keep it from falling to the floor.

Reach beneath the washer. Grab the belt wrapped around the motor pulley and the pump pulley. Stretch the belt slightly to pull it off the pulleys on the bottom of the machine. Lower the machine back to the floor.

Press in on the two spring clips beneath the right and left sides of the washer’s top panel with a 1 1/2-inch putty knife. You can find the clips along the horizontal seam between the top and front panels of the washer. Raise the top panel and let it rest against the wall behind your washer.

Take out the two Phillips screws from the top right and left side of the front panel. These screws hold the panel to the washer cabinet. Pull the panel off the cabinet and set it aside. Some washer models may require you to remove two screws from the bottom front panel, then pull the front panel off the washer to access two screws holding the top panel to the sides of the washer cabinet.

Find the washing machine pump at the front right or left of the washer cabinet. The pump has two hoses attached to it, an inlet hose and a drain hose.

Look for the hose clamps holding the hoses to the pump. The clamps have two ends that stick up from the clamp. Squeeze these ends together with pliers to release the clamp’s pressure on the hose. Slide the clamps back onto the drain and inlet hoses.

Place an old towel over the pump. Wiggle the hoses off the pump. The towel will catch any water left in the hoses.

Remove the bolts holding the pump to the floor of the washer with a socket and socket wrench. Lift the pump from the washing machine floor.

Turn the pump over. Hold the pump in one hand and attempt to turn the pulley with your other hand. If the pulley doesn’t turn freely, will not turn or takes effort to make the pulley turn, the pulley is frozen, and you must replace the pump.