I have a Whirlpool washer that quit spinning/agitating last night. It
still fills with water and still makes a noise like it's trying to
spin/agitate, but it sounds like a gear or something is out of line
and the motor/gear is just lightly touching the gear to actually move
the tub and center post thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what the issue might be? Is it an
easy repair for a homeowner? Do you have specific part #'s and where I
could buy sucha part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I'd like
to try to repair myself instead of paying someone else a $100 to
repair a $400 machine.

On Feb 20, 11:03 am, wrote:
I have a Whirlpool washer that quit spinning/agitating last night. It
still fills with water and still makes a noise like it's trying to
spin/agitate, but it sounds like a gear or something is out of line
and the motor/gear is just lightly touching the gear to actually move
the tub and center post thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what the issue might be? Is it an
easy repair for a homeowner? Do you have specific part #'s and where I
could buy sucha part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I'd like
to try to repair myself instead of paying someone else a $100 to
repair a $400 machine.

Quite possibly transmission. Doable, pita, if so probably not cost-
effective unless can get used one relatively cheap. Rebuilt one (GE,
but essentially identical to Whirlpool) years ago but probably
wouldn't choose to do it again given cost of parts and level of effort
other than the swap.

If motor and belt ok (will it pump/empty?) then that's about the only
other mechanical connection if it isn't electrical (that is, doesn't
try the cycle).

On Feb 20, 12:54 pm, "dpb" wrote:
On Feb 20, 11:03 am, wrote:

I have a Whirlpool washer that quit spinning/agitating last night. It
still fills with water and still makes a noise like it's trying to
spin/agitate, but it sounds like a gear or something is out of line
and the motor/gear is just lightly touching the gear to actually move
the tub and center post thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what the issue might be? Is it an
easy repair for a homeowner? Do you have specific part #'s and where I
could buy sucha part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I'd like
to try to repair myself instead of paying someone else a $100 to
repair a $400 machine.

Quite possibly transmission. Doable, pita, if so probably not cost-
effective unless can get used one relatively cheap. Rebuilt one (GE,
but essentially identical to Whirlpool) years ago but probably
wouldn't choose to do it again given cost of parts and level of effort
other than the swap.

If motor and belt ok (will it pump/empty?) then that's about the only
other mechanical connection if it isn't electrical (that is, doesn't
try the cycle).

I think the motor is ok because it sounds like it's working fine, it's
just that nothing is happening inside the tub. I wanted to post
something here before I took apart the machine, so I don't know if a
belt or something else is wrong that would be clearly visible to the
eye. I plan to look tonight, I'm hoping it's just something off a
track or a cheap repair I could do. Doesn't seem worth it to get a
reapir man to come out. Thanks for the response.

I found a gearcase online at www.partselect.com

http://www.partselect.com/ModelFrame...l&Type=&Mark=4

PS341974
Gearcase (Complete) (Gearcase) Compare At: $154.28
Your Price: $128.57
You Save: $25.71

Is this what you mean by the transmission?

Thanks.

On Feb 20, 12:08 pm, wrote:
On Feb 20, 12:54 pm, "dpb" wrote:





On Feb 20, 11:03 am, wrote:

I have a Whirlpool washer that quit spinning/agitating last night. It
still fills with water and still makes a noise like it's trying to
spin/agitate, but it sounds like a gear or something is out of line
and the motor/gear is just lightly touching the gear to actually move
the tub and center post thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what the issue might be? Is it an
easy repair for a homeowner? Do you have specific part #'s and where I
could buy sucha part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I'd like
to try to repair myself instead of paying someone else a $100 to
repair a $400 machine.

Quite possibly transmission. Doable, pita, if so probably not cost-
effective unless can get used one relatively cheap. Rebuilt one (GE,
but essentially identical to Whirlpool) years ago but probably
wouldn't choose to do it again given cost of parts and level of effort
other than the swap.

If motor and belt ok (will it pump/empty?) then that's about the only
other mechanical connection if it isn't electrical (that is, doesn't
try the cycle).

I think the motor is ok because it sounds like it's working fine, it's
just that nothing is happening inside the tub. I wanted to post
something here before I took apart the machine, so I don't know if a
belt or something else is wrong that would be clearly visible to the
eye. I plan to look tonight, I'm hoping it's just something off a
track or a cheap repair I could do. Doesn't seem worth it to get a
reapir man to come out. Thanks for the response.

I found a gearcase online atwww.partselect.com

http://www.partselect.com/ModelFrame...0&ModelNum=LSR...

PS341974
Gearcase (Complete) (Gearcase) Compare At: $154.28
Your Price: $128.57
You Save: $25.71

Is this what you mean by the transmission?
...

Yep. Unless they've really modified the way they're made (and I've
not had one of more recent vintage than 15 yrs or so, so it's
certainly possible, but have had nothing but GE for nearly 40 yrs so
know them reasonably well), there's only the one drive belt and if it
pumped the water out the motor and belt are ok so there's nothing else
mechanical in the drive mechanism as the agitator/spin cycle are all
enclosed in the one gearcase.

It's no major issue to change one out if you're reasonably adept w/ a
few tools, but it is something more complex to actually rebuild the
gearcase. That's what I would recommend against having done so a time
or two -- they just never did last the same and, in particularl, the
seal on the shaft was problematic when replaced and parts were easily
the price of the case itself pretty quickly.

Depending on the age and other condition of the washer, may be better
investment to replace it instead. That's a call you'll have to make.
I'd call around the used appliance places first, usually not hard to
find decent gearcases pretty cheaply ime.

On Feb 20, 3:46 pm, "dpb" wrote:
On Feb 20, 12:08 pm, wrote:





On Feb 20, 12:54 pm, "dpb" wrote:

On Feb 20, 11:03 am, wrote:

I have a Whirlpool washer that quit spinning/agitating last night. It
still fills with water and still makes a noise like it's trying to
spin/agitate, but it sounds like a gear or something is out of line
and the motor/gear is just lightly touching the gear to actually move
the tub and center post thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what the issue might be? Is it an
easy repair for a homeowner? Do you have specific part #'s and where I
could buy sucha part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I'd like
to try to repair myself instead of paying someone else a $100 to
repair a $400 machine.

Quite possibly transmission. Doable, pita, if so probably not cost-
effective unless can get used one relatively cheap. Rebuilt one (GE,
but essentially identical to Whirlpool) years ago but probably
wouldn't choose to do it again given cost of parts and level of effort
other than the swap.

If motor and belt ok (will it pump/empty?) then that's about the only
other mechanical connection if it isn't electrical (that is, doesn't
try the cycle).

I think the motor is ok because it sounds like it's working fine, it's
just that nothing is happening inside the tub. I wanted to post
something here before I took apart the machine, so I don't know if a
belt or something else is wrong that would be clearly visible to the
eye. I plan to look tonight, I'm hoping it's just something off a
track or a cheap repair I could do. Doesn't seem worth it to get a
reapir man to come out. Thanks for the response.

I found a gearcase online atwww.partselect.com

http://www.partselect.com/ModelFrame...0&ModelNum=LSR...

PS341974
Gearcase (Complete) (Gearcase) Compare At: $154.28
Your Price: $128.57
You Save: $25.71

Is this what you mean by the transmission?
...

Yep. Unless they've really modified the way they're made (and I've
not had one of more recent vintage than 15 yrs or so, so it's
certainly possible, but have had nothing but GE for nearly 40 yrs so
know them reasonably well), there's only the one drive belt and if it
pumped the water out the motor and belt are ok so there's nothing else
mechanical in the drive mechanism as the agitator/spin cycle are all
enclosed in the one gearcase.

It's no major issue to change one out if you're reasonably adept w/ a
few tools, but it is something more complex to actually rebuild the
gearcase. That's what I would recommend against having done so a time
or two -- they just never did last the same and, in particularl, the
seal on the shaft was problematic when replaced and parts were easily
the price of the case itself pretty quickly.

Depending on the age and other condition of the washer, may be better
investment to replace it instead. That's a call you'll have to make.
I'd call around the used appliance places first, usually not hard to
find decent gearcases pretty cheaply ime.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks, I'll take a look tonight and see if I can visually see the
problem with the gearcase, hopefully it will be an easy fix.

On Feb 20, 3:29 pm, wrote:
....

Thanks, I'll take a look tonight and see if I can visually see the
problem with the gearcase, hopefully it will be an easy fix.

There's really nothing you can see/tell by looking at the gearcase --
it's like looking at the outside of you car transmission -- there's an
input and an output shaft all in a nice shiny housing.

What you can do is verify the motor is driving the input and nothing
is coming out the other end. Be darn careful not to get anything
precious caught in belt or the agitator while exploring, of course. W/
O the belt or in neutral, you should be able to rotate the drive and
tell if engages. To really get hold of the output shaft of course
requires pulling the agitator which gives access to only the very
short splined section at the top. The spin cycle drive is on the
lower end of the shaft where the drum bolts onto the flange (w/ three
cap screws). If you've not taken one of these apart, there are two
clips on the front about 8" or so from each corner that release the
top. Takes a screwdriver or other thin wedge to release them. From
then on, it's pretty obvious what follows what...