washing machine won't empty or spin
 

I have a 3 yr. old whirlpool washer that will not pump out or spin.
Any ideas as to what may be the problem?

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

On Jun 7, 6:44*am, badaddidude wrote:
I have a 3 yr. old whirlpool washer that will not pump out or spin.
Any ideas as to what may be the problem?

First thing I would do is check the lid switch.
If that is OK, it's probably the pump that is clogged or not working.
And in turn that is why it's not spinning, because it will only spin
when the water gets pumped out.
You probably have an external pump which is easy to get at and check.
Here's a good site that can give more details.
http://www.repairclinic.com/0001.asp

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

badaddidude wrote:
I have a 3 yr. old whirlpool washer that will not pump out or spin.
Any ideas as to what may be the problem?

Top or front loader?

Do you hear the motor running?

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

The problem with this washing machine failure is that you cant work on
the machine until the water is out of it. *You cant pull a full
machine away from the wall, it's too heavy. *Thats where the nasty
part comes in. *

If it's like most top loaders, you don't need to pull it from the
wall. The front panel can be easily removed by sticking a putty knife
on each side between the top of the front panel and the top panel to
release the tabs. Then lift the front panel off the bottom pegs and
you should have access to the pump.

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

I have bypassed the lid switch and drained the water (even though it
tasted terrible!) (I'll never fart in my underwear again!)
The machine agitates but the motor only hums when it is time to drain
or spin. I cannot see what actuates either the pump or spin modes. Is
it internal to the motor?

On Jun 7, 7:38*am, Mikepier wrote:
The problem with this washing machine failure is that you cant work on
the machine until the water is out of it. *You cant pull a full
machine away from the wall, it's too heavy. *Thats where the nasty
part comes in. *

If it's like most top loaders, you don't need to pull it from the
wall. The front panel can be easily removed by sticking a putty knife
on *each side *between the top of the front panel and the top panel to
release the tabs. Then lift the front panel off the bottom pegs and
you should have access to the pump.

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

badaddidude wrote:
....
The machine agitates but the motor only hums when it is time to drain
or spin. I cannot see what actuates either the pump or spin modes. Is
it internal to the motor?

A relay throws in the clutch.

If it hums like it's stalled, probably have something like a small sock
or similar object that got over the tub and sucked into the pump intake.

Disconnect the inlet hose and check for obstruction.

--

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

On Jun 7, 1:28*pm, badaddidude wrote:
I have bypassed the lid switch and drained the water (even though it
tasted terrible!) (I'll never fart in my underwear again!)
The machine agitates but the motor only hums when it is time to drain
or spin. I cannot see what actuates either the pump or spin modes. Is
it internal to the motor?

On Jun 7, 7:38*am, Mikepier wrote:



The problem with this washing machine failure is that you cant work on
the machine until the water is out of it. *You cant pull a full
machine away from the wall, it's too heavy. *Thats where the nasty
part comes in. *

If it's like most top loaders, you don't need to pull it from the
wall. The front panel can be easily removed by sticking a putty knife
on *each side *between the top of the front panel and the top panel to
release the tabs. Then lift the front panel off the bottom pegs and
you should have access to the pump.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My door switch broke but to complete the circuit I had to connect the
wires together, just disconnecting the switch may not give power.

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

On Jun 7, 4:12*pm, ransley wrote:
On Jun 7, 1:28*pm, badaddidude wrote:





I have bypassed the lid switch and drained the water (even though it
tasted terrible!) (I'll never fart in my underwear again!)
The machine agitates but the motor only hums when it is time to drain
or spin. I cannot see what actuates either the pump or spin modes. Is
it internal to the motor?

On Jun 7, 7:38*am, Mikepier wrote:

The problem with this washing machine failure is that you cant work on
the machine until the water is out of it. *You cant pull a full
machine away from the wall, it's too heavy. *Thats where the nasty
part comes in. *

If it's like most top loaders, you don't need to pull it from the
wall. The front panel can be easily removed by sticking a putty knife
on *each side *between the top of the front panel and the top panel to
release the tabs. Then lift the front panel off the bottom pegs and
you should have access to the pump.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My door switch broke but to complete the circuit I had to connect the
wires together, just disconnecting the switch may not give power.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Does this machine reverse the motor polarity/direction to go from
agitate to pump out and spin??? I am pretty sure that the Maytag
family of machines do this, but i have not worked on Whirlpool family
of machines for several years.

washing machine won't empty or spin
 

On Sat, 7 Jun 2008 17:58:00 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Jun 7, 4:12*pm, ransley wrote:
On Jun 7, 1:28*pm, badaddidude wrote:





I have bypassed the lid switch and drained the water (even though it
tasted terrible!) (I'll never fart in my underwear again!)
The machine agitates but the motor only hums when it is time to drain
or spin. I cannot see what actuates either the pump or spin modes. Is
it internal to the motor?

On Jun 7, 7:38*am, Mikepier wrote:

The problem with this washing machine failure is that you cant work on
the machine until the water is out of it. *You cant pull a full
machine away from the wall, it's too heavy. *Thats where the nasty
part comes in. *

If it's like most top loaders, you don't need to pull it from the
wall. The front panel can be easily removed by sticking a putty knife
on *each side *between the top of the front panel and the top panel to
release the tabs. Then lift the front panel off the bottom pegs and
you should have access to the pump.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My door switch broke but to complete the circuit I had to connect the
wires together, just disconnecting the switch may not give power.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Does this machine reverse the motor polarity/direction to go from
agitate to pump out and spin??? I am pretty sure that the Maytag
family of machines do this, but i have not worked on Whirlpool family
of machines for several years.

My experience is with Whirlpool 20 years old and older, but I know
they used the same design for decades, and maybe still.

If so;, there is a solenoid that moves a rod under the tub, and when
moved, it pumps out and doesn't agitate. It generally doesn't start
spinning until most of the water is out, but when I once had a pump
problem, it would try to spin earlier.

On that one occasion, because it wasn't pumping out, I narrowed it
down to the pump! AFter replacing the pump, when I went to put the
machine back, I pretty much concluded that the outlet hose was kinked.
Also after cutting open the old pump, I found nothing wrong with it. I
could have bought a new hose, but I put the old one in an awkward
position, where it splashes a bit when pumping out, and it's worked
fine for several years.

However when mine didn't pump out, I think it did spin.

(Now it won't spin unless I give it a push first, and I presume that
is because the belt is 29 years old.)