2000 GE washer seized up - Model #WPSR4130

[ken]

So my sister called me this evening saying something was burning. I go there and it turned out to be the washer which she was using. She said when she went downstairs it wasnt doing anything but humming and she unplugged it.

I pulled the front panel off to give a look. The motor was warm but not hot. But about 30 min had gone by from the time it was turned off until I got there. The odor was that of burnt rubber or the belt more so than electrical. I plugged it in and it just hummed. I advanced the timer to empty the tub and it did that w/o a problem. When it tried to go into spin it just hummed. The motor, pulley, belt and agitator pulley all spin easily by hand w/o any noise or drag.

So whats the cause? I was thinking the transmission was seized but with being able to turn it by hand Im thinking not. Could the brake be seized?

P.S. I put this back into service about 2 yrs ago by installing a new timer. It worked fine after that till today.

 

[cfz2882]

motor start circuit not complete?

could remove the belt and see if motor starts-actually,IIRC,that style of GE washer has a friction clutch on the motor and that should slip before the motor stalls out from overload.If the motor start winding circuit is not completed (broken wire,bad timer,ETC.)motor will just hum and get hot in a very short time.

 

[lorainfurniture]

First things first

Disconnect the belt and see what happens. Unplug the machine and try and turn the trans pulley both ways. One way it should agitate, the other way it should spin. If it does both likely the trans is fine.

Check the motor also, what happens?

Can you post the model?

The motors on the ge's are notorious for failing.

 

[tolivac]

Probably the start relay for the motor has failed-mounted on the upper back part of the frame.The start relay in this is kinda like the ones used in fridges.If there is a start cap-this could be bad as well.You have to take off the masonite back cover to see it.

 

[combo52]

Smoking GE Washer

You just have to run it and see what is not turning smoking etc, and give us more details to begin making a diagnoses.

Don't brother looking for a relay in the back of this washer, GE has not had relays in this location since about 1994.

 

[tolivac]

Mine must of been before 1994-relay mounted on one of the struts on the back-had a no start on this-replaced the relay-and then worked OK.Was like in my fridge-never saw that in a washer until that day.Was my Hotpoint.Still working!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

gear oil

Do the '95 and later GE's use the same type of gear oil in their new style gearbox as the filter-flos or do they use a completely different type of gear oil?

 

[combo52]

Gear Oil For GE Washers

As far as I know the oil type is probably similar, but what difference does it make, the post 95 GE washer transmissions are not considered serviceable, but I have seen the transmissions break through the housing and it throws nice yellow oil all over the inside of the washer, LOL.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Gear oil smell

Do they smell the same, similar or different? I was under the impression that the gear oil of a '95 and later GE washer smelled similar to the filter-flo washer models.