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Louie -

I have been really preoccupied on another front lately, however I had sense enough the other day to look at my old 1992 Whirlpool Laundry Parts catalog about this. As I mentioned before, I had never really thought about these cool little dryers and how their miniaturized parts are "the same but different".

In my catalog, it shows both blowers, so this 'new' blower has been around for more than 20 years --- that's longer than the original. It describes both as being 7" blower fans, and since the motor shaft hasn't changed, it would make sense that the new blower would fit the old installation. THe new part's fins are curved or curled as compared to the old one, so perhaps it would improve the dryer's efficiency? That would be an interesting test actually.

There was one new blower on eBay last time I checked in the new version, and as John said, he has lots of used original ones. I LOVE re-purposing used parts that are perfectly good, but on certain projects I like using new stuff. Either way it sounds like you have good choices at your disposal.

To me, it looks like Whirlpool goofed in not linking the new blower part to the old one. Many call that "Subbing over". Whirlpool was at one time very good about subbing new parts to old ones so although the original part was NLA, SOMETHING was available that would allow the appliance to continue being used.

Check online prices for that new blower with other companies, they may beat your parts guy's price.

Good luck with whatever route you take!

Gordon
 
Slightly off topic, but here's a story about part subs

In the world of Kenmore washer agitators, there have been something like 8 or 10 different agitators in the original belt-drive models, but there were literally perhaps 100 different part numbers for these agitators. Tiny revisions like the addition of the "mini-fins" on the original Penta-Swirls gave the P.S. a new part number, as did a change in color from gold to white. As well, there were several changes made to the polypropylene Super Roto-Swirl, one to the sealing surface at the agitator cap, and a couple changes to the centerpost of the agitator on the underneath side. These changes caused new parts numbers to be made as well, but in these cases, the old parts all subbed over to the newest version available.

Currently, even the handful of different Straight-Vane agitator part numbers sub-over to the final version of the Roto-Swirl, so that the legions of S.V. equipped machines will still show as having an agitator available if a customer so desires.

One case where Whirlpool goofed, as I mentioned above, involves the two generations of the Penta-Vane. This agitator came out in 1973 in the original gold color. It was usable with or without an extension for the softener dispenser, and this agitator continued unchanged until summer 1981, even in gold.

In 1981, a new version of this was engineered to be white, and it had two changes made to basic agitator. First, a weep hole for air bubbles was added to the agitator skirt. Second, the little fins underneath were added to be used with the basket-mounted filter models. Other than the color, the agitator was otherwise identical to the original. When the original gold version was finally out of stock, it should have subbed over to the white version, but it never was. Thus, some poor Johnny Q Customer somewhere probably went shopping for an agitator for his 197x Kenmore with Penta-Vane and came up empty, when the white versions were on shelves and still available.

The changes in the Roto-Swirl and Straight-Vane were much more significant than these two Penta-Vanes, but those agitators subbed, whereas the P.V. didn't. Clearly, this seems like an oversight by Whirlpool as these two agitators fit in any large capacity machine from 1973 on with no issue.

I am not saying that WP royally screwed up, but this is how oversights can happen, and I think that may have happened with the compact dryer's blower wheel as well. A test of the new blower in an older model would be a fun project.

Gordon
 
<span style="font-size: medium;">I highly suspect the new ones would fit as well Gordon, even be slightly more efficient as you suggested. I bet Whirlpool/Kenmore didn't sub over their parts because they want you to buy a new replacement appliance.</span> Thanks for all the info Gordon, I really appreciate it.
smiley-smile.gif
 
Just wanted to add one possible theory for not subbing over could be because these dryers were only a small percentage of the full size dryers sold and thus the part number fell under the radar. Who knows.
 
Kenmore Dryer Update:

<span style="font-size: medium;">I decided to leave the pulley that came with the new motor. After careful inspection, the pulley is the same circumference of the old motors pulley. It is however slightly wider by one ridge. </span>

 

 
Next, first test of new motor...

<span style="font-size: medium;">Will I blackout NYC? Will I knock out power all the way up to Toronto? Join us next week on the same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. </span>

[this post was last edited: 5/18/2013-04:45]
 
New Motor and pulley in a Compact 24" WP built Dryer

Nice installation job Louie, it does appear in in your pictures that the old and new motor pulleys are about the same diameter. After you get these machines running check the RPMs of the drum and compare them to the other dryer and more importantly with a real load of laundry run the dryer with the door open both at the beginning of a drying cycle [ wet clothes ] and at the end of a drying cycle when the clothing is dry and see if you are getting the correct tumble patterns. If the drum is tumbling too fast it can result in slow drying and wrinkled clothing.
 
Final Kenmore Dryer Reassembly:

<span style="font-size: medium;">YIKES! This is serious!</span>
 
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span>

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Final Kenmore Dryer Reassembly:

<span style="font-size: medium;">First drying test, 3 wet towels. Tumbling seems OK. </span>
 
 
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[this post was last edited: 5/22/2013-00:33]
 
Final Kenmore Dryer Reassembly:

<span style="font-size: medium;">Test drying of towels, now dry. </span>
 
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span>

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
 
huh......

I have a Kenmore thats even diffrent than that. Mine, according to my catalog is from 1978. I only paid $9.99 at a local trift store...=)

maytog77++5-23-2013-02-50-49.jpg
 
Don't want to start a whole new thread for this...

 

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">The </span><a name="start_45817.674836"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lady Kenmore Compact Dryer, Mod. # 110.88090800 has stopped heating. Everything else works fine. Any suggestions where to look first?
</span></a>
 
Non Heating KM 120 Volt Dryer

Look first at wire connections in the heater circuit, then at the 2 control thermostats, then a bad heater contact in the timer or centrifugal switch on the motor and lastly an open heating element. The 120 volt dryers almost never had a heating element failure unless a bobby pin fell on to it, Louie is that very likely around your home, LOL.
 

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