Washer won't advance to drain and spin

9 years ago

My washer died with a full load tonight. It agitates fine, and I can use the knob to start/stop the cycles, but it dies when it is time to drain. I figured a baby sock was probably clogging the pump, so I pulled and squeezed out the clothes, and with my husband used gravity to drain the water out the back door. Then we opened the cabinet and took off the pump, and nothing is inside. Water freely drained from the hose leading from the washer itself, and when i poured some water through the outlet hose from the wall, it also flowed freely (and our drain snake did not encounter anything). The pump itself allows water to pass, and there is nothing visible inside as it is, or when I turn the spinner with a poking device. I ordered a new $10 pump from amazon, just in case there is something jammed in the back that we can't see.

Bt after not finding a clog, I worry that the timer is broken. This is a more expensive part to replace, and from what I can tell the only way to check is with a multimeter (which I don't have). If the timer were broken, would I still be able to start and stop agitation with the timer knob?

Should I go ahead and order the part and wait until it arrives to have someone come out and install it? Should I hire someone to come diagnose the washer before ordering a part, then try to install it myself or have the guy come back to do it? We need this machine back in operation asap, as we have a baby in cloth diapers! Eek!

Thanks for your opinions; we are new homeowners and this is our first appliance failure.

Comments (10)

KacyM
Original Author
9 years ago
I forgot to mention that drain and spin fails for every cycle (normal, delicates, etc.). I just added that to my search and see that it is unlikely to be a timer problem in that case. Other ideas please? Thanks so much!
markb
9 years ago
Since no one on this forum has a magic mirror to peer in to your laundry room, you'll need to provide a bit more information, such as the brand and model number of your machine.
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Possibly the safety lid switch is the problem. The switch typically (on older machines) does not come into play during fill and agitate phases of the cycle. What the machine does at the start of the "rinse" phase of the cycle is drain the wash water, then a short spin. The actual rinse sequence is a fill and brief agitate (typically indicated as a dot or asterisk on the timer). There is no "water solenoid on the drain side" on these machines. The motor is reversible. It runs one direction for agitate, reverses direction for drain/spin. Assuming the machine in question isn't a very early specimen of the direct drive design, it does a neutral drain by way of some cams presetting in the transmission during agitation. The motor pauses for a few seconds after agitation (wash or rinse), then reverses direction which shifts the mechanism into neutral drain (no agitate or spin). After a timed drain (typically 2 minutes), the motor pauses again for a few seconds to allow the transmission to "drop" from neutral into spin mode, and restarts in the reverse direction so spin can proceed. Drain itself is controlled by which direction the motor runs. In the agitation direction, the pump forces the water back into the tub. In the reverse direction, it pulls the water out of the tub and to the drain. The machine will always drain whenever the motor runs in the reverse direction (unless the pump is clogged). The lid switch is tied into the "reverse" wiring of the motor to prevent the machine from running in spin (or drain) with the lid open ... thus if the lid switch is bad or not actuating, the machine will agitate but not drain/spin. Either the actuator on the edge of the lid which pushes down the switch when the lid is closed has broken, or the switch itself is bad. Visually observe if the actuator is intact. If so, press the switch down with your finger or suitable object. The switch should make a faint click when pressed. If it does not, or it does but the machine still doesn't drain/spin, then the switch itself is probably bad. Or the motor is bad for running in the reverse direction. Or the timer is bad for sending current to the motor to run in the reverse direction. But I'm betting the lid switch, it's a fairly common occurrence, is not an expensive fix, and is a DIY job for a competent handyman.
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hvtech42
9 years ago
Brand? Model #? Also a more detailed description of what exactly happens when it comes time to spin would be helpful. Is it completely silent? Do you hear a noise? etc. There have been so many different designs from so many different companies over the year that operate completely differently. If you hadn't used the word "agitate" I wouldn't have even known if it was a top or front loader. It's hard/impossible to troubleshoot this stuff without basic information like that.
dadoes
9 years ago
I'm making a guess (on the presumption that the machine of question is one of a brand from a common manufacturer) that the safety lid switch is bad ... but as others have said, the ONLY way to get an accurate answer is by including the brand and model number when posting an appliance-problem question.
sparky823
9 years ago
My bet is you have a Kenmore or Whirlpool and if so Yes the lid switch is bad.
You can find it on You Tube on how to replace them, if directions arent included with new one.
You can save your new pump for later in case you need it.
If you have a different brand than I mentioned you can probably find it also on You Tube, but I'm betting Kenmore/Wpool.
moviegeek
9 years ago
It could be several things but my guess is the timer switch, they are at least $100USD. In all my years I've never seen a pump go out but I've seen plenty of bad timer switches.

I would call a pro to check out your washer before spending money on parts, another option is buy a used washer for $80. I've seen people spend $300 to fix an old washer that's worth $80.
hvtech42
9 years ago
^I highly doubt it was the timer, as the problem happened in ALL cycles (read: different areas of the timer) and it agitates fine. I would agree with dadoes and sparky823 that this is _probably_ a Whirlpool built washer, which happen to agitate with the lid open. However, when the spin cycle comes around, the lid's gotta be closed for it to start.

As a counterexample, Maytag washers will not agitate with the lid up (the older ones wouldn't even fill until you closed the lid). So you would not run into this behavior with a bad lid switch. This is why it's important to say what you have.
KacyM
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everyone! It was the lid switch. I got lost in a rabbit hole of googling and lost my tab over here. I definitely should have posted the make and model, but was in a bit of a panic and didn't think the tech was all that different. hvtech42, that is a good explanation of why it matters, thanks!
Pydies05
9 years ago
I forgot to mention that there are no warning beeps or unfamiliar noises but I'm pretty sure I can smell something which resembles an extra hot old iron that hasn't been used for ages.
missingtheobvious
9 years ago
I forgot to mention that there are no warning beeps or unfamiliar noises but I'm pretty sure I can smell something which resembles an extra hot old iron that hasn't been used for ages.

Pydies05, I am confused about your post because that seems to be your only post on this thread. Are you the OP under a different user-name?

I recently had the won't-spin-or-drain problem on my 8-year-old Kenmore washer. There was a hot-metal smell which made me certain the motor had died. However, I looked online and found that cleaning the lid latch could solve the problem. So I dabbed at the lid latch with a Kleenex -- and also the hole the latch went into -- and then re-set the knob, and everything was fine!

Washer won't advance to drain and spin

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KacyM
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markb

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hvtech42

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Washer won't advance to drain and spin

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KacyMOriginal Author

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KacyMOriginal Author

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KacyM
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