Catalyst down again

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DADoES

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Bad spin gear in the tranny, apparently.  Clutch bell doesn't rotate and there's a painful grinding noise.

Not much to see.

dadoes-2014060817395805656_1.jpg

dadoes-2014060817395805656_2.jpg

dadoes-2014060817395805656_3.jpg
 
Trannie Repair....

If you are planning on repairing the existing transmission, please photo document the procedure.

Malcolm
 
 
A replacement transmission is ordered ... but I am intending to investigate and repair the bad one for having a spare on-hand.

Replacement was ordered Sun 9 PM from SearsPartsDirect, free standard ground shipping for orders $100+ (and a 10% discount code).  UPS tracking advises it's out at 6:34 AM this morn for delivery via the UPS depot that services this area.  Quick!  Sent from a warehouse in Mesquite, which UPS ground typically is 1 to 2 days max within the state.
 
 
I got an e-mail notification from Sears a few mins ago, "your order has shipped" ... ~4 hrs after the tranny was delivered.  :-)
 
 
The spin clutch drum.  It's driven by the transmission at spin speed RPM whenever the motor reverses for spin and neutral drain is not engaged.

dadoes-2014061018452304285_1.jpg
 
 
Clutch lining in the clutch drum.

Reference pic #1 in post #1 above.  The mechanism shown there is the spin brake and basket drive.  The white plastic cam is the brake release.

When spin engages, the face of the spring tab (indicated by the red arrow) on the clutch band rotates to contact the brake release cam, which turns slightly (against the yellow spring's pressure) to disengage the brake pads from contacting the brake drum.  The brake/drive mechanism then begins to rotate up to spin speed, with the clutch lining slipping against the clutch drum until full speed is reached.

Neither the clutch nor the brake has any function in regards to neutral drain, which is handled by a mechanism inside the transmission.

dadoes-2014061018473902419_1.jpg
 
The longer tab on the clutch band should be inserted inside the forked finger on the brake release cam driver. You don't want the tab swinging around and slamming into the plastic cam driver. It won't last long that way.
 
The Longer Band Of The Clutch Band

Will automatically insert itself properly the first time the washer is started, it does not need to be carefully lined up when reassembled.

HOWEVER you do want to be careful when inserting the transmission-clutch assembly against the brake not to have the longer tab hit the plastic brake release cam, as it is possible to force the two together and brake the BRC. In the several hundred DD washers that I have reassembled I did manage to do this once, many years ago.
 
 
Reassembly has not yet been done.  To clarify ... which way is the clutch lining to be placed?  As shown in the pic, or flipped over with the longer spring tab on the other side and the little tabs on the clutch pads that are shown on top facing toward the bottom?

An instructional video on YouTube advises it should be turned the other way than as shown in my pic.  But, I am *certain* my pic shows how the clutch band was originally installed on this machine.  I was very careful not to turn it over when handling it.

I have an L-46 service manual dated 1981 that advises a tab on the clutch lining is embossed with the word UP to indicate the correct orientation ... but there is no such tab on this band.

Thanks.
 
The factory (Whirlpool) parts have the longer tab on the other side. Is it absolutely critical ? I think it would make a difference. I have been lining up the long tab with the brake release cam for so long I can't even remember why. I probably had some bad experience that caused me to start doing so. Now it is so easy I don't even think about it. But I am sure that John / combo52 is correct that it is not necessary. I don't ever remember reading anything from Whirlpool saying that it was.
 
 

 

Hey Glenn, is this transmission the same as any direct drive KM/WP washer or is it unique to the Catalyst washer for some reason?

 

Kevin
 
 
Kevin, this is the same neutral-drain tranny as any Kenmore, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Roper, etc. would take.

I've turned over the clutch band.
 
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