We have a Kenmore washing machine that recently developed a problem.
The load was out of balance a bit, and instead of shutting down (isn't
that how it's supposed to work?) it started banging violently and I had
to run in there and open the lid to stop it.. since then, it's worked
ok, but has developed a unhealthy whirring sound whenever it's
spinning. The agitation works ok (and sounds normal), and it still
spins.. but it sounds like the motor is really struggling and something
in there is not matching up properly, kind of like a pair of gears that
aren't aligned right or something. I don't know a damn thing about
washing machines, so am at a loss on what to look for. I gather this
machine is direct drive and that there aren't any belts to worry about.


Basically, I'm wondering if this is a motor/transmission issue, and
if it's worth digging into at this point... if the repair bill is
likely to be high, I'll just retire it and pick up a new one.

THanks!