The Virtual Repairman's Appliance Help

wagondude · Apprentice DIYer Joined: 01 May 2011 Posts: 5

I have a Kenmore Eite washer that took a dump this weekend. I came home from a weekend trip and my wife told me that the machine didn't drain. First thought was a bad pump. I pulled the diagnostics sheet out of the panel and attempted to run the nuetral drain/spin test. The motor would hum, but no drain or spin. I also found that it would not agitate. Putting a jumper in the lid switch connecter made no change. With the pump removed from the shaft, I can rotate the shaft easily in one direction and make the agitator move. In the other direction, it moves freely for about half a ratation, then requires some force to confinue the rotation that then turns the drum. Would this point to a Clutch or brake problem? Thank you in advance.

Edit: I dropped the motor and removed the coupling. then reinstalled and hooked up the electrical. The motor only hums but will not start up with out assistance (spins easily in both directions by hand). Capacitor, motor, both? I plan on replacing the pump as I am seeing beginning signs of seal failure and the coupling has enough slop in it that I might as well replace it as well.

Virtual Repairman · Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:19 pm Post subject: washer

Since you can turn the tranny's drive lug manually and even get the tub to move, we know that the drive train is OK. Your problem willl either be a bad timer(control board) or a bad motor. Since it's almost impossible to open those timers anymore, technicians rely on voltmeters to check voltage that the motor contacts when the motor is energized. The hum you hear means something is getting power , but we need to precisely measure the voltage which is provided thru the timer. The control board also controls the Neutral side of the line, so you may see 120 volts to the motor, but only with your meter leads across the white and the blue wires will you see the actual voltage from the timer as it activates the motor in spin.

Another method is to examine the motor switch contacts visually by removing the single screw on the cover and lifting the cardboard cover to expose the centrifugal switch and motor contacts. Any signs of black residue on the underside of the cover or scorched contacts on the motor will reveal a defective motor. This is not to say that your timer has not also been affected by the excess current draw from the motor.

Be sure the pump itself turns fluently...drop the pump and see if a large screwdriver will turn the shaft easily. If the pump is binding, it can certainly cause motor issues.

wagondude · Apprentice DIYer Joined: 01 May 2011 Posts: 5

OK, I did more checking and the diagnostic page is leading me toward the control board. is the timer built into the board on this model?

Virtual Repairman · Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 5:53 pm Post subject: timer question

I agree with you that the control board is bad, most likely. There is a tech sheet in the control panel which will help you confirm this. The correct control for your model is show below for your ordering convenience, and my sources always allow a return if it does not fix the problem.

Control- click pic

wagondude · Apprentice DIYer Joined: 01 May 2011 Posts: 5

Finally got ahold of a good meter. Checked voltage at the motor at the control board. High was 107.8 VAC, Med was 14.3 VAC, and low was 74.4 VAC. The tech sheet says all should be 110 VAC and to check continuity of the motor windings. Motor windings checked out ok at the control board and at the motor connector. I also verified the wiring harness from the motor connector to the connetors at the control board. I found no open circuts. the voltage at the blue and white wires at the motor was: High 107.8 VAC, Med 107.9 VAC, Low 112.7 VAC. What should I check next?

Virtual Repairman · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:01 pm Post subject: motor

By what you are telling me, the motor must be bad. If something has the correct voltage and won't run, it is defective.

wagondude · Apprentice DIYer Joined: 01 May 2011 Posts: 5

The voltage at the board should be 110 VAC for all speeds by the tech sheet. What would cause the low voltage for the med and low speed readings?

Virtual Repairman · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 6:42 am Post subject: low voltage

A bad board would cause low voltage, the same thing I have been telling you since we started this little discourse Smile

wagondude · Apprentice DIYer Joined: 01 May 2011 Posts: 5

The wife decided I was taking too long to get it fixed. she called a service tech out. He put in a new moter and capacitor. Five minutes int the test cycle the new motor went "pop" and let out a big cloud of magic smoke (he comented on the shaft feeling a little tight). Since he didn't have another motor, we decided to put the old one back in. The machine is working again. I wanted to let you know in case some one else gets the same symptoms.

Virtual Repairman · Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 3:15 pm Post subject: washer

I'm not sure we have proven anything here, so having this post remain for posterity probably won't happen Smile

A new motor went "poof"...what exactly did that teach us?