Lady Kenmore Washer Model 110.82891120 (90 Series) questions

[eric88]

Hi, first post. Bought my first house late last year and house came with the original 87 Kenmore washer that I wanted to clean and restore. Tidying things up for its maiden voyage and have a few questions for those in the know.

I'm left with one piece that I'm not sure where it goes if anyone has any ideas. Its not in any parts diagrams I could find and it could very well have been from something else that just fell off something else and got tangled in the lower guts of the washer. I only took the inner tub out. I did not mess with the pump or gear drive if that matters. For lack of a better word, I'd call it a pin. Its like a nail with a hole near the tip. If no ones knows, I'm not going to loss sleep over it but I'm at a loss.

Second question, per another thread on here, I removed the single plastic lint plate screen off the bottom of the inner tub. Of course, the lower inner tub orifice was rusted all to hell but I think I did a pretty good job restoring it. Do I really need to go in with the 4 round lint screens as a substitute where the existing grommets are as a substitute for the single screen plate? Someone wrote in a review of them they don't fit because the existing holes are oval on older models and they're not needed any way. Also, I have a wall drain. Considering the house was built in 87 and its on slab, do I need to be concerned about some sort of drain filter or is that not necessary either? This is my first and only appliance restoration. Thanks for the help.

 

[DADoES]

 
The pin is (was) an anchor for the shipping strap.  Trash it.

No need for the lint filtering plugs.

You could perhaps put one of these screen thingies on the drain hose but they're intended for use when the machine drains into a laundry sink and 1) may not be workable to fit into the standpipe and 2) could slip off and get stuck down in the standpipe if not securely anchored to the hose.  I use them on three of my washers that drain into a bathtub, plus a hair catcher screen on the tub drain.

 

[repairguy]

Great washer you have there and looks to be in great condition for its age. As Glenn stated the part you found is a shipping pin and you can throw it away. I’d say your machine is ready to go into service as is. Enjoy a great washer and tell us how you like it or come back with any other questions you might have.

 

[combo52]

Enjoy this great washer

Unless your home has severe plumbing problems, there’s no reason to try to catch the little bit of length goes down the drain from an automatic washer.

Much larger stuff goes down your household drains they’re designed for this

John.

 

[eric88]

Thanks for the replies guys. Roger that to the answers.

Well, this afternoon I tested it with the shell off at the edge of the garage hooked up to a garden hose and thank god I did and not in the house. It was some wet and wild fun tonight!

Set it to cold/cold, medium load, and normal perm press. I had the drain lying in a bucket and the tub was filling not even 1/4 full before it was just full on draining in the bucket. Stopped there, let it all drain out and started over. This time set it to the lowest load setting and this time I held the drain tube in my hand way higher than the outlet and it wasn't draining out and continued on to wash cycle. Im assuming this was that just a gravity thing by keeping the hose held high?

During wash cycle it was noticeably leaking down the legs. Quick background, when I took the washer apart a couple months ago, the base of the washer frame was rusted really, really bad and there was signs of soapy water going down the legs and thats exactly what it is doing now. I filled the outer tub statically when I had it apart and it held the water fine but not when the shaft is jarring back and forth running. Does that sound like a dead ringer its the outer tub seal?

By the way, the dark look of the frame base was me wire wheeling the rust off as best I could, spraying ospho rust converter, and a black rustoleum rust convert primer I had lying around. I did the same for the inner tub orifice base after taking the lint plate off.

 

[DADoES]

 
Water will drain by gravity if the drain hose is down, there is no backflow valve to block it.

The tub (bottom) seal mates to the tub support centerpost, which is not a moving part but is exposed to water and subject to rusting and deterioration.  The water at higher fill levels does reach above the upper centerpost bearing seal where the spin tube passes through and possibly to the upper spin tube bearing seal where the agitator shaft passes through.

Note that you can do a more extensive full-meal-deal rebuild if you wish to $$$pend that much money and the respective parts haven't gone NLA:  replace the base pedestal; replace the tub support (which includes the centerpost, new spin tube bearings and seal); new basket drive (which includes agitator shaft bearings); open the transmission to replace the agitator shaft, neutral drain kit and fresh oil; replace the spin basket.

 

[repairguy]

Yes the tub seal is leaking.

 

[eric88]

If you look closely, you can see it dribbling out just to the left of the wire harness. Its doing the same on the other side more or less.

 

[eric88]

The rust did not compromise the integrity of the frame or lower inner tub orifice. I did what I did to prevent further deterioration and just clean it up. I think it'll be fine.

I have a tub seal on order. Just curious though. The shaft bearing, if it fails. Does it whine or water trickle down into the gearbox and create a frothy, milkshake failure?

 

[repairguy]

If the agitator shaft seal fails it can cause water to displace the oil in the gearcase. If the spin tube seal fails water runs down through the bearings ruining them at some point and the water lands on top of the gearcase. If this gets bad enough you’ll see water coming out from underneath the machine while it’s running. Often it’ll get to this point before you know anything has happened and now it’s time for all new seals, bearings, and a new spin tube.

 

[DADoES]

 
Long-time neighbor of my parents called me over in June 2018 to check her suddenly leaking 1998 Whirlpool.  Her husband was unfamiliar with direct-drives and was trying to pop-the-top like a belt-drive.  I removed the cabinet, started it filling and water began running out from somewhere beneath the tub within 1 to 2 mins.  I figure the centerpost had rusted and deteriorated to the point that either it or the tub seal leaked when the water reached to the point of the breach.  The machine was rusted around the top deck, lid, and here/there on the cabinet and base.  She didn't want to investigate further so I didn't get eyes-on the leak source.

 

[eric88]

If it still leaks after installing the tub seal and/or it looks severely beat up/rusted underneath once the outer tubs out for the seal, I'll just buy a new tub support/centerpost assembly and clutch. Saw a couple vids on removing the old bearings and seals. That doesn't look like fun at all. I'd rather spend the extra $100 and have all new.

 

[combo52]

Center post bearings and seals

Are not usually replaced on direct drive machines instead, you replace the whole support assembly

If water has been going down around the agitator shaft you’ll also need the spin tube and brake assembly and you may need a new transmission if the agitator shaft is worn in the seal area.

John

 

[eric88]

Makes sense to replace all those worn parts together esp. if compromised by water intrusion. Hopefully, it won't come to that!

 

[eric88]

So I changed the outer tub seal today and ran it and good news, no leaks. That was a small load though and want to run at full load but need to move the washer closer toward the driveway so I can just let it gush out and not worry about running buckets in and out. The centerpost looked good, almost no rust.

So I have a few more q's if you all don't mind. I noticed it doing some weird things that maybe their supposed to do but had me scratching my head. This is with it set to lowest load, 'wash only' and 'normal perm press'.

During the 'pause' time in the cycle it drains to about 15% full and doesn't spin then fills back up and goes back to washing again. Whats up with that? Whats the 'pause' about?

Also, at some random points, water starts coming out of the fabric softener filler during the wash cycle. Kinda trickling out, not full on. Why?

Another weird one, during the final spin cycle, water comes out of the rear filler randomly. Not alot but thats strange.

And lastly, when its draining before the final spin cycle, the pump stays running quite a while even when its completely drained. Seems like it could cavitate from that. Is it on a timer or sensor for when it knows to stop and proceed to spin?

Thanks again.

 

[repairguy]

You’re right that center post is in excellent condition for its age.

On the permanent press cycle the washer drains the water and adds cold water to cool the fabric down to prevent wrinkles. This is normal on this cycle and the only cycle on this machine that does this.

Is it actually the fabric softener dispenser that water is coming out of during wash? The bleach dispenser adds bleach towards the end of the wash cycle.

The washer has an intermittent spray rinse in the final spin. Could this be what you are referring to?

The pump is directly driven by the motor. Anytime the washer is draining or spinning the pump is pumping. It also pumps during the wash cycle but because the motor runs in a different direction for agitation the pump recirculates water versus pumping it out.

Hope this helps. You don’t learn without asking questions. Ask away.

 

[DADoES]

 
Drain periods (other than the partial drain on the PP cool down) are timed, 2 mins regardless of whether all the water is out sooner.

The partial drain on the PP cool down is controlled by the water level pressure switch, drain stops when the level drops to the point of resetting the switch contacts.

You'd have been really consternated with the older super-capacity 18-lb belt-drive machines.  Drain periods were timed at 4 mins to allow for handling the larger volume of water if obstruction occurred on the drain hose or the back-flushing self-cleaning filter.

 

[ryner1988]

Seems like your machine is running as it should. Perm press is supposed to operate the way you described, and sounds like the fills you're referring to during final spin are the two spray rinses. Do they happen at the beginning of the spin cycle, two times about 15 or so seconds apart? Also, pump definitely runs the entire time, after it drains all the water out it'll just suck air until the timer pauses the motor before spin engages.

Ryne

 

[eric88]

Thank you all. You all's questions are basically confirmed answers.

One last one, whats with this ground wire at the back? I know it stayed wrapped up when I took things apart but just curious.

I just gotta say, now that I've had a couple drinks in me. My main motivation for all this was my ma's house that I grew up in. The house was built in 1981. We moved in there in 84. Single mom, just divorced. I was 5, brother 8. And when we sent that property down the road last year after our Ma passed, the washer was original to the house and still ran like clockwork. I'm sorry, I don't remember the model but that thing was a beast. Couple dryers got replaced, probably repairable, but whatever. Ma was the decider on that. At the same time, my boss, whose house I hang out at alot over the last decade; he bought some high end digital stackable setup in the late 00's that he's spent over $1k total in three separate repair visits. Like holy shit. Let me stay old school tech for-eva!