Mid-1980s was the cross-over and break-point between classic belt-drive and the next generation direct-drive. Can't conjecture what's involved without a model number.

Classic belt-drive hasn't been produced since ~1986 so many parts are NLA. There may be some after-market items, and sometimes other items can be found via eBay.

Direct drive began ~1983 and continued to a few years ago so pretty much all mechanicals are available. Some older, model-specific items such as timers and switches may be NLA.

The parts may be available, but expect to pay $$$ for them. I recently was looking for a knob for a range manufactured in 1984. It was possible to get one. For $75. For a knob. And would come from CA. I’m in Maine...

Best not to jump-the-gun on conjecturing that the problem is something dire. The details provided thus far are not very specific, and the exact type of machine is not known. Could be simple as a broken lid switch for example ... which comes into play on direct-drive machines at approx the halfway point of the cycle.

Washers that are highly rated new still don't last nearly as long as appliances did in the olden days,

She can only spend around $500 and that would buy a bottom of the line new washer. Maybe she would be able to get a one step up from the bottom scratch and dent open box special.

Even the washers that cost a bit more, the extra costs usually first goes more towards electronics, paint colors and styling than making sturdy mechanicals that will last any longer than a cheaper model.

It may be better to replace parts in the old washer than to buy a new, very low quality washer.

I wonder how LG managed to get the predicted reliability of the WT7100CW up to "Excellent" (per Consumer Reports) for $628 by just spending on electronics, paint colors and styling [but without] making sturdy mechanicals. LG must have some paint department, huh?

Jaxo, give Dadoes the model number, He is terrific at helping problem solve washer repairs!

Try a few used appliance stores. Most have an extensive stock of used parts from junked machines, and some, though not all, will sell you the part for (usually) a nominal price.

Take the defective part (sounds like it's most likely the timer) with you. They generally match up parts by appearance.

If you have to buy a new machine, get the one with the least gadgets. Go for mechanical switches, no electronics; they're more reliable. Buy from the manufacturer's "value line" rather than the premium brands -- Roper instead of Whirlpool, for example. Paying more gets you more fancy features to fail, not sturdier mechanical parts. The internal mechanicals are pretty much the same until you get to the very high end.

If you still have a Sears store open near you, most of them still have a parts store that sells replacement appliance parts for all brands. You can also use the model number online to see what parts they have available, and you can order online if there is no store near you.

Since it stops in mid cycle it may be just the timer. They used to be a relatively cheap mechanical part that was easy to replace, but I don't know if it will be hard to find. More modern washers have a similar looking timer, but despite its similar appearance it is electronic, not mechanical.

Bruce

LSL9244EQO

it stops randomly mid-cycle and the controls are “off“ meaning the cycle doesn’t necessarily do what you select on the dial.

Timer Discussion: https://www.appliancepartspros.com/questions-for-whirlpool-timer-emerson-delta-wp3951703-ap6008906.html

Timer:

• https://www.ebay.com/itm/163880687835
• https://www.ereplacementparts.com/timer-p-1952066.html
• https://www.sears.com/whirlpool-wp3951703-washer-timer-for-whirlpool-genuine/p-A028705491

Replacement: youtube

Looks like that part is no longer available for purchase anywhere.

LSL9244EQ0 (zero, not letter O).

That's a direct-drive machine. E indicates 1996 market model-year (not 1980s). Q = white color. 0 = original engineering revision.

The serial number is coded for the year and week of manufacture ... It could be slightly older (or newer) than the model-year depending on whether an early-production unit or if production continued for year or two beyond the market date.

Stops randomly ... meaning not always at the same point in the cycle? Or random meaning not on every run, but always at the same point?

If always at the same point, what is the machine supposed to be doing at that point? Is there a full fill (to whatever is the selected level) of water in the tub? Or is it drained but the clothes are dripping wet?

What will it do and not do when to changing the timer to other functions or cycles?

It does always (eventually) recover and work properly at some point for one or several runs until the problem recurs?

It's difficult/impossible to diagnose from afar without these kinds of details.

New timers are NLA but there are two (one used, one refurbed) on eBay ... the timer may not necessarily be the problem. Could be the safety lid switch, bad motor, a burned/loose wire, or something else that's not yet apparent.

Never mind. I just saw your links.

Thanks.

We will have an appliance repair company go out and give an official diagnosis later this week. Since it isn’t as old as I thought, more parts are available and it will probably be fixable.

Be advised that a service company may be reluctant to repair a 23yo machine even if parts are available, and may try to price the customer away from it.

They came out and repaired it without any problem. They have no incentive to steer people to a buy a new washer if they can make money repairing it for a price that's much lower than replacing it.

It didn't need the timer part that was discontinued. It needed a new lid switch plus some parts related to the agitator that were still available.

It cost $180 in parts and labor and the machine may be good for at least a few more years.

I have heard instances of repairs discouraged by quoting excessive cost, misdiagnosis to make it appear worse, and outright refusal. Good an honest servicer was involved, and good deal for your relative.

Lid switch is what I predicted.

Just to say ... it can be had online for $15. The agitator parts are probably the auger dogs ($2.20) or a full repair kit ($6.40). Everyone can't DIY repairs so of course servicer costs then come into play.

Sometimes it isn't worth fixing. I had an Electrolux induction range that needed a new touch panel that would have cost around $1500 to repair and there would have still been major parts that could fail later. That was around 50% of what the range cost new 9 years earlier. Even though it was repairable, it wasn't worth it.

I just replaced it with a new Frigidaire induction for less than the cost of the repair.

However, in this case, as long as new or refurbished working parts are available for this washer are available it will probably be worth fixing. Seems like parts that are still available are not that expensive and it doesn't take many hours of labor to replace almost anything on it.

The repair guy even said the newer washer models are not built to last as long as models from over 20 years ago. Even if it needed way more parts such as a new motor and cost $400 to fix, it would probably still make more sense to repair than buy a $400 bottom of the line plastic washer that will only last a few years.

I can't think of many reasons why an appliance repair company would not want to repair a fixable appliance other than if they think the fix won't last very long and they might get blamed for it by the unsatisfied customer or if they really aren't sure what's causing the issue and are guessing at the diagnosis.

The main reason for them to push for buying a new appliance otherwise would be if they sold new machines and would make more money selling a replacement than fixing the machine.

Dadoes, to your point:

Be advised that a service company may be reluctant to repair a 23yo machine even if parts are available, and may try to price the customer away from it.

My 15 year old KA stopped spinning last week. Repair service charged $79 for a clip (part only). ($205 for service call, part and labor). That seemed fair. Then he said the gearbox was leaking oil and that part was no longer available. While he was working on the clip I googled it and told him I could get a new gearbox for $147. He said it would be another $500 for labor to replace it, plus the 205 brings me to $860ish, and he basically said his company wouldn't make the repair. KAWS750LQ1

I like this old machine and the new top loaders are too tall to fit under my cabinets (53.5") with the lid open. So I'd have to move to FL, which means more research...unless you have a suggestion for me ;)

Like jaxo, I don't understand why they are reluctant to repair it. The only thing I can think of is it's more lucrative for them to be in and out within the 30 minute service fee time allotment?

Gardener123WeWantSophie,

Yes, you clearly have a case of the servicer both pricing the repair very high, and out-right refusing to do it.

I have refurbished several WP/KM direct-drive washer (same as your KA) for ~$330. That was a couple/few years ago so parts are undoubtedly higher now but I haven't checked by how much.

I replaced the base pedestal on two of them (which supports the tub and includes the spin bearings). The basket drive on all (which includes the agitation shaft bearings). Two I opened the transmission, drained the old oil, cleaned the residual, replaced the neutral drain pack (which includes the main spin-drive gear), replaced the agitator shaft so the tub seals have a fresh surface to mate, refreshed the oil.

What clip was involved in the spin problem? You have the part number?

There is a seal on the transmission input shaft that can leak. A replacement seal is available, one source I checked has it for $12.16, another is $16.55, another is $18.43, another is $20. It's a bit of ruckus to change, the oil must be drained, gears inside removed, pulling the seal and seating the new one is the worst part. It is easier to replace the transmission, less labor involved, but the seal is certainly doable. $500 for labor to replace a transmission is outrageous IMO. It doesn't even require much disassembly ... remove the agitator, remove the outer cabinet, lay the machine down on the back, remove the motor/pump, remove three bolts that anchor the transmission and pull it out. Reverse to install.

Dadoes, I wish you lived near me!! You're a genius. I'm guessing you're very popular...

part 285753a motor coupler I should have been googling that instead of the transmission. $7 bucks on Amazon. They charged $79 just for the part. Do you think I need a new repair service?

So, what to do now?

Option 1:

Call around to local services and ask how much to "refurbish" (or do I say replace?) the gear box

or

Option 2

Go to HD and get LG WM39000HWA

What do you think?

What do you think?

I don't think you actually asked me what I think, but I think that your repairman is trying to price himself right out of business.

Already the trend is to dump old appliances when they need even minor repairs, and buy new ones. Overcharging for repairs just accelerates that trend. I guess that doesn't occur to them.

I know, DavidR. I just don't get it.

I suppose your choices are

1. Look for another repair service ... but you may not be any more successful than with the first.
2. Find a competent DIYer friend.
3. Give up / give in to the service industry pressure and buy new.

I'm kind of feeling option number 2. The worst thing that happens is I'm out $147. What would I youtube for this?

I still don’t see how the repair company benefits from discouraging you from repairing a repairable appliance if they don’t sell new appliances.

Sheer laziness?

Do you see evidence of oil leaking from the transmission? On the floor beneath it?

You say the machine is 15 years old, it'd be kinda unusual for an oil leak to develop in that timeframe. It happens, but there are machines 25+ years old that don't have that problem.

I advise you have someone *competent* and *trustworthy* examine the machine to confirm what, if anything, is really wrong with it.

An online parts source I've used recently, PartsIPS.com, lists the transmission Part Number 3360629 for $112.62. Shipping will be a little high for it being an "oversized" item.

one issue with older machines and service companies declining to repair them is that once they open it up they dislodge other mechanical motors/switches/gears that were hanging on by a thread. Now those are "broke " too and require attention.

The owner will claim "well you broke that so you should fix it for free" as well as a discount for the original work

A competent servicer should know how to approach a problem without causing additional or non-related damage.

it isn't so much the competency of the service person, it is the unit construction. Very little comes out "clean" on its own, There are belts, hoses, boards that need to be moved to get to the faulty part. Since there are 10-15 years of spills, detergent, rust, gunk that has accumulated sometimes the secondary parts get damaged. They weren't broke before, now they are

Yeah, not so much in this case. The only repair thus far described on gardener123's KA is replacement of the motor coupler. Remove two screws, flip up the console, disconnect the lid switch plug, remove two clips, tip the cabinet off. Remove two clips to loosen the pump, disconnect the motor harness, remove two screws and clips to detach the motor, remove the remnants of the broken coupler, set the new coupler in place, reverse the disassembly steps, done. Nothing else gets disturbed, the machine doesn't even get tipped over, the pump/motor removes from the front. I can do it in 20 mins or less. Replacing the transmission involves the additional steps of removing the agitator, laying the machine on the back for access beneath, and removing three bolts that anchor the transmission. Either remove and reuse the half of the motor coupler that's on the old transmission, or install a new coupler. No belts or boards. There are two hoses attached to the pump that do not need to be removed.

if they think accessing one part may damage another, they can discuss the possibility with the owner and include it in the estimate. ”if only this part needs replacing, then it will cost X and if both these parts need replacement, then it will cost Y.” Simple.

if it’s “holding on by a thread,” then they should probably just replace that part also so it’s a more stable repair.

That’s still better than just making up a bogus high quote to try to scare the customer away.

In this instance, it wasn't until after he replaced the coupler and was starting to put it all back together and pushing it back a bit that I/we noticed a single drop of oil on the tile.

As dadoes said, it wasn't tipped over, just pulled out far from the wall. But somehow I did see the gearbox, (I think, does the front of washer open up? I can't remember.) he pointed to it and said it "needs a new transmission, but they are no longer available". Which sent me to google while he buttoned it all back up.

I suppose a customer could have complained that he broke the transmission, but that seems like a pretty unreasonable response for a 15 year old machine. I certainly would not make that claim. The only thing I was unhappy about was is refusal to even consider replacing it. But I could see how one thing leads to another.

ETA In his defense, he had an ancient coupler on the truck. But surely no gearbox, so that would have been an additional service charge...

OK, so the coupler is replaced. Is the machine running properly, usable other than the supposed oil leak? There is/was no oil drip on the floor except the one that servicer brought to attention? Nothing on the floor under where the machine normally sits if you peep under there with a light, or swipe a towel or layer of newspapers?

Sorry for hijacking, but hopefully this helps to answer the "are parts still available" question...

I washed a heavy load of towels and it smelled like something burning, but under-loaded, it's fine. I can't really see under it to know for sure if it's leaking oil. How many washes do you think I have left?

I googled KAWS750LQ1 transmission in youtube for DIYing, no luck. Any other suggestions/instructions?

I like a challenge! Thank you!

Your KitchenAid is a Whirlpool direct-drive machine. The design was produced from early 1980s until approx 2010 under brand names Whirlpool, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Roper, Estate, Inglis ... and Maytag, Admiral, and Amana after 2006 (when Whirlpool bought Maytag). Also Crosley at some point.

The motor can be put under excess load if the coupler isn't installed correctly (each half of the coupler must be pressed on flush with the end of the motor shaft and transmission shaft). I suppose there's a possibility your servicer didn't do it quite right. Other than that, examination of the machine would be necessary to determine what may be the cause of the burning odor. Could be there's a loose connection on a wire to the motor or some other issue. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if the servicer "sabotaged" something in response to your comeback about finding the transmission at a cheaper price online, in regards to their overall attitude at the situation.

The transmission holds 16 oz. of oil so a few drops or even up to an ounce or two missing is of no large concern.
Whirlpool Transmission Part # 3360629

Whirlpool Transmission Internal Parts

PartSelect - Replacing Whirlpool Transmission 3360629

Be aware if you search for more videos that there's a newer washer design known as VMW that also has a transmission but it's not the same as yours.