Something is up with my washing machine

**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 12:49 PM

Stops working half way through the rinse cycle and water wont drain. Suggestions?

**KahanaReef** · 02-22-2015, 02:59 PM

Just today my dryer stopped heating

I'm going to start off by replacing the thermal fuse and cycling thermostat and keep my fingers crossed.

I use these guys for parts. They have decent trouble shooting and even some video on certain repairs and so far, really fast shipping too.

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**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 03:00 PM

Thank you, Ma'am!

**KahanaReef** · 02-22-2015, 03:04 PM

Hopefully it is an easy fix. Their prices, both sites, are very reasonable too. I've been lucky so far with my major appliance repairs. I hate having to 'call the guy' when I know I can figure it out myself

**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 03:06 PM

The washer is from one of those refurbished places around here and I have a warranty until August. They will come out and service it but not open on Sundays. I was hopin it was an easy fix but doesnt seem that way

**KahanaReef** · 02-22-2015, 03:07 PM

Ah... Looks like you'll be making a call tomorrow then

**pajeff02** · 02-22-2015, 04:36 PM

Does it have a rotary switch for the wash cycles, or is it push button?

**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 05:18 PM

Rotary

**pajeff02** · 02-22-2015, 05:28 PM

Try pulling the switch assembly out -- on our old washer the contacts were worn and as the switch rotated and it would not go to the next cycle. Been too long to remember the details, but I am fairly certain I fixed it with a piece of electrical tape to move the contacts together.

**0rion** · 02-22-2015, 05:47 PM

top load? Make sure the door switch isn't loose or the door isn't fully depressing it or something. Most likely the switch on the panel though. Have you tried to manually advance the knob so it'll drain and spin? Must be that kinda week. I have parts ordered for our front load maytag. Never ever buy a maytag front load washer and as best I can tell from researching them don't buy any residential front load washer. This will probably be our last. We've had it 3 years and the bearings went out. Replaced the bearings but when the bearings went the first time they all but destroyed the shaft. Lasted 3 months this time. Going to do them one more time and after that it's new washer time. Can't buy just the shaft....have to buy the whole basket and then the bearings are part of the rear tub assembly.......$328 for both. I get the bearings on ebay for $15 but what a damn job.....have to tear the washer completely down to nothing to get the tub out. I'm just buying us a little time to do some washer shopping and when this set of bearings goes out we're getting a new one. For the $600 an entry level front load washer will buy you that same $600 will buy a pretty nice top loader.

**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 05:49 PM

I have tried to manually advance and nothing...

**0rion** · 02-22-2015, 06:05 PM

you can take that switch apart and look at it....they're fairly simple machines really. Unplug it first because it will knock the shit out of you if you get into the wrong wire........ask me how I know that little tid bit of info.

Other things in the house will knock the shit out of you too.......dishwasher comes to mind right off the bat. Been lit up by ours more than once.

**kenro23** · 02-22-2015, 06:07 PM

Damn man! Glad people like you endure the pain for the rest of us

**pajeff02** · 02-23-2015, 02:52 AM

Sounds like the contacts. If I recall, the switch is ramped and as it spins past the set of contacts it presses against a spring loaded arm closing the connection to trigger the next cycle. It is stupid simple and if this is the issue very easy to remedy.

***SMWS6TA*** · 02-23-2015, 06:26 AM

Funny thing...having issues with our washer too. For some reason it drains when it wants to. It's a side loader and my wife has to listen for it to hit the drain cycle and she then goes and giggles the hose, then it starts to drain. Other wise it doesn't.

I'm thinking either the hose may be clogged or a valve might be getting stuck. Anyone else have had this type of issue?

**0rion** · 02-23-2015, 06:39 AM

I would think if it was a clogged hose you would only have to do that once and it would flush out whatever was in there. Makes more sense that the valve is sticking or hopefully just a loose connection. Take the back panel off of it so you can see that valve and next time just tap that valve and see if it starts draining. There could be a safety switch on that back panel you'll have to defeat in order for it to run with the panel off. There's a switch on the kick panel of ours and then another on the rear panel.
Does yours have a kick panel on the front so you can get to the drain screen? Some do and some don't. When was the last time you cleaned that screen? May start there first. Those drain screens collect a ton of shit.

***SMWS6TA*** · 02-23-2015, 06:42 AM

Humm...didn't think of that I'll look into that first.

**0rion** · 02-23-2015, 06:54 AM

I'm starting to second guess the location of that valve......it's either right off that rear panel in the back or lower left off the pump in front of the washer. I was thinking it's the one hanging down from the top rear but I'm a little unsure now. I'll let you know in a few days. Part is going to be here today and after I get all of our laundry done I'm going to tear into it again. In case you wondered....this is how far you have to tear one down to do bearings.

Ridiculous.

**CJREX** · 02-23-2015, 08:03 AM

How old is the machine?

If it's more than a few years old I won't even work on one, I'll trash it and go get a new one.

My last washing machine I repaired was like a domino effect, replace one part and then 2 months later something else fails.

After investing a couple hundred dollars in parts and too many hours in time only to find the next item that is about to fail, I'd rather just cut my line.

Too many other things vying for my time to waste it on the washing machine.

It seems that most appliances nowadays are built with planned obsolescence in mind, built just well enough to get past any warranty.

Best use for an old washing machine. Fun starts at around :50

**0rion** · 02-23-2015, 09:41 AM

I agree....with this bearing issue I started doing a bunch of reading trying to figure out which were the brands to stay away from and which ones would last. I quickly learned there really are no front loaders that will last. They all have bearing or spider issues. Most of it goes back to the materials they're made of. On our maytag (which internally is the same as whirlpool I found out) a bad seal is what caused the first bearing to go and it's a very common issue with that model. The LG's have spider issues. The "spider" attaches to the back of the drum and has the shaft on it that goes through the rear tub assembly. I saw a couple pictures where that spider was completely eroded away and breaking off in chunks. If you look at how our maytag is built....it's a shitty design and has 2 undersized bearings that carry a shit load of force on them. I just think I'm done with front loaders after this one.