Help me fix my washing machine

[dgaddis]

It's not the lid switch. I checked it with a multimeter and it was working, but went ahead and bypassed it anyways.

It's a Whirlpool washer, pretty basic top loading machine, about 7yrs old. When we open it up it's full of soapy water. The agitator works (at least when I've looked in at it), but when it gets to the rinse cycle it doesn't drain it just keeps agitating, and then doesn't spin, and when it's "done" it's still full of soapy water.

Moving the knob to a rinse cycle will kick it off and make it drain. Sometimes when it gets to the spin cycle it will spin, sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, I just keep trying different spin cycles until it does finally spin.

When it's not spinning, but should be, it makes noise that sounds like it's trying to agitate.

When we have the problem, when it gets to the rinse phase it doesn't drain or add any water, just keeps agitating.

Any idea?? Do we have to go buy a new one? I'd rather just fix this one if possible...

Help me vSalon, you're my only hope!

[christian]

You have a cracked drive coupling. It's about $13. Sits between the motor and the gearbox. If it were badly cracked it wouldn't spin at all but with a smaller crack it could, if it's just loose on the drive shaft, especially with a light load.

The Whirlpool direct drive machines are easy to fix.

[EricKeller]

occasionally the gearbox will blow out, which is a bit more to replace, but as christian says above, it's most likely the motor coupling. There are utube videos on how to replace it, but it's easy. If you go to an old-time appliance store, they'll start walking towards the bin where they keep the pile of couplings before you finish telling the tale. They sold this type of washer for years

[maunahaole]

Do a little google and you can probably find the DIY instructions on how to fix it. This will include an instruction on how to ID the model of your machine. Chances are there is an appliance part house in your town, otherwise mail order...once you have the correct p/n it should be easy. Biggest challenge will be getting the lid back on the machine.

[Peter Polack]

I don't think it's the rubber coupler because dgaddis says the tub doesn't drain. I think it's the master knob which causes any relays or contacts to close and turns on the pump to drain the tub.

Checking the coupler should be easy. Lay the machine on it's front and the motor should be visible on the bottom. If you see a lot of rubber dust then yes, the coupler is broken.

You may get lucky; many of those master switches have a lot of plug on connections. Check both the end connected to the switch and the other end where it connects to the motor/pump. You could have a bad crimp or broken connection. Sometimes merely removing and reconnecting a plug or tap will clean the contacts sufficiently to restore things to working order.

[christian]

When I had a broken coupler, it wasn't the rubber donut, it was a radial crack in the motor-side driver. Even though the pump was working to expel the water, it drained much much slower than usual. I suspect that the rotation of the tub helps drain the water and without that it drains slower.

If it's a crack in one of the plastic drive units, there won't be any rubber dust, but you should be able to move the driver more than desirable on the input or output shaft.

Either way, you can surely fix this. Let is know what it was!

[dgaddis]

I'm not convinced it's the motor coupler. It almost seems like the timer switch/knob is bad. But, from all the Googleing I've done it seems like the two most common problems are the lid switch followed by the coupler.

After I posted the OP I kept messing with it trying to finish a load of laundry. I put it on the rinse cycle and it did nothing. Tried a different rinse cycle and it added some water and then agitated, and continued to agitate through the spin cycle until it hit the off position, no drain, no spin. So I reset it to spin, nothing happened, tried a different spin, and then it drained and spun finally.

A good friend of mine's dad is the manager at the local appliance repair/parts store, I'm calling them when they open, he'll know what it is I'm sure. I just want to get it fixed and get on with my life haha, I've got a lot of stuff to do this week and wasted last night dealing with tracking down our new insurance prescription coverage info and fiddling with the washer. I've still got several sets of wheels to build, grass needs cutting, back yard needs some work, wife's car needs an oil change, etc etc. I'd like to ride sometime too....

Thanks for the advice! I'll report back when it's working again.

[BShow]

...I just want to get it fixed and get on with my life haha, I've got a lot of stuff to do this week and wasted last night dealing with tracking down our new insurance prescription coverage info and fiddling with the washer. I've still got several sets of wheels to build, grass needs cutting, back yard needs some work, wife's car needs an oil change, etc etc. I'd like to ride sometime too...

I have nothing to add here other than your comments here sound like the story of my life. I feel your pain.

[dgaddis]

I have nothing to add here other than your comments here sound like the story of my life. I feel your pain.

We don't have any kids...I don't know how people with little ones get anything done. I guess that's why they're so tired all the time?

[Clyde]

I have a Speed Queen that was showing some issues in completing a cycle. Pulled off the master dial switch, cleaned the multiple contacts, and voila it works. Ordered a new one from the 'bay for $48 cause it's gonna happen again I know it! This is the main switch that controls load size, on/off etc. Good luck. Google helped me out on this one.

[dgaddis]

I have a Speed Queen that was showing some issues in completing a cycle. Pulled off the master dial switch, cleaned the multiple contacts, and voila it works. Ordered a new one from the 'bay for $48 cause it's gonna happen again I know it! This is the main switch that controls load size, on/off etc. Good luck. Google helped me out on this one.

Yep. Called the appliance repair shop and Marty agrees that it's likely the knob. Picking it up on the way home, probably get a motor coupling too just in case...

[Tom]

I know these machines are pretty simple but I am amused that it's the same situation with this one - name the brand or model and the people with experience pretty much know what it is before you start relating symptoms. I have one from Sears and before I said I had to tip it 45 degrees to make it spin the tech was getting a clutch assembly from the pile of six he carried in his van at all times. He said that this particular model's Achilles heel was the clutch design and that's all he ever seemed to do with them.

[marley]

We don't have any kids...I don't know how people with little ones get anything done. I guess that's why they're so tired all the time?

you make sure you have a good partner - I am amazed how much my wife handles - bills, food shopping, meal planning, making dinner 5 nights a week, kids (2) school, sports and music schedules, registrations, payments, summer camps etc......now I am wondering what my contributions are....

[BShow]

We don't have any kids...I don't know how people with little ones get anything done. I guess that's why they're so tired all the time?

I'll tell you. We do have kids and those of us with kids, don't get anything done. That's why my home is in such a state of disarray and half my bikes are in pieces. My clean laundry is piled so high on the machines, that if one were to malfunction it would take a week to gain access to it. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Tired is normal.

[BShow]

you make sure you have a good partner - I am amazed how much my wife handles - bills, food shopping, meal planning, making dinner 5 nights a week, kids (2) school, sports and music schedules, registrations, payments, summer camps etc......now I am wondering what my contributions are....

Dude. Hang on to her.

[nahtnoj]

What's wrong with the nearest creek?

[Jonathan]

We don't have any kids...I don't know how people with little ones get anything done. I guess that's why they're so tired all the time?

My kids do a lot of that shit now. Life is so much better.

[dgaddis]

New timer switch = good to go

Hurray for clean underwear!

[Mabouya]

I have to say, when my Whirlpool washer finally goes out it's going to be a major test of my handy-manhood whether I decide to try to repair it myself or just call the folks as Lowes and have them bring me a new one and take the old one away.

Right now I think I'll probably try to fix it, but to date it's given me over 12 year of faithful service. If I do repair failure #1, who knows how long it will be until #2 crops up...

[bigbill]

When my washer finally quits I'm going to use parts of it to build a track bike and break the hour record.