washing machine will not spin

[david walter]

I am having trouble with a Whirlpool washing machine which will not always complete the spin cycle. I often have to reset it several times to get it to spin. I notice that the outlet hose is very long and has been routed under the kitchen cupboard. I have tried rerouting it but this does no do the trick. Should I shorten it?

[hj]

If you have to reset it then it must be out of balance. Either the problem is the wash is all accumulating at one point in the tub causing vibration, or the springs are broken or getting weak and allowing too much movement during the spin cycle. Neither one should have anything to do with the drain hose. If by resetting it, you mean you have to restart the spin cycle because there is still water in the tub, then that could be a pump problem, or a hose problem.

[david walter]

When I reset it to spin only it usually spins without any trouble on all speeds. Also it seems to pump out at the various stages of the cycle. The drain hose is about a metre long which means that it is fed under the cabinet. I have cleaned the filter and it is clear.

[david walter]

Just to add another point it completes its cycle but does not spin. Starting the programme again at the spin point does cause it to spin sometimes.

[jadnashua]

Transmission shot?

[Rancher]

Time to call the Maytag repairman.

Rancher

[geniescience]

http://www.applianceguru.com and fixitnow.com may have your answer.

david

[david walter]

I checked again this morning and ran a normal programme. Machine did not spin but just tumbled on the last part of the cycle. The washing (not a very hevy load was still wet. I reset the dial to S and turned on. It then pumped but little if any water was exhausted. After tumbling it went into spin, low revs at first and then higher.
Can anyone advise please as it is only a few years old and performs well otherwise?

[jadnashua]

Some use a drive belt...if so, it could need tightening or replacing.

[MG]

Some use a drive belt...if so, it could need tightening or replacing.

Older models. The newer ones (ours is a 1996, could be older ones than that which use these) use a hard plastic coupler with a rubber bushing between the drive motor and the transmission. The couplers wear out eventually by design so the motor / transmission doesn't go out as often. Pretty inexpensive part too - I replaced one for $12.

[geniescience]

it is a complex problem, not clear what to fix, until you troubleshoot. Open the machine casing and pull out the schematic, and then start using your multimeter as per the directions in the schematic, one step at at time.

Parts changing repair people might skip all this because they could order the three most likely things to be wrong, and just start replacing them until one makes it work.

In a recent machine there will be a speed control board that contains most of the electronics.

Read up at that web site I linked to above. You can order parts through them too, I believe.


david.

[david walter]

Geniescience

Thank you for your help. Firstly it is Whirlpool model 99 0029 029400. I have investigated further and found that it is the spin after number 10 that seems intermittent. We usually use a programme number 8 so that is why I considered that it was a general fault. I find that on the dial there are 3 spin sections. It seems that when we run from programme 1 to 7 the subsequent spin is OK. Similarly after programme 11 to 12.

My first thought that it may have been he drain hose, or the run of the drain hose may thus be incorrect.