Maytag 8100 Front-Loader: Spin Problem

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frigilux

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Well, not even three years in and the Maytag has its first problem. After a lengthy distribution tumble, it ramps up to what I'm guessing is 400-500 rpm for about 15 seconds, then drops back to a distribution tumble. Repeat for remainder of final spin.

Tried a 'spin only' with an empty tub and it does the same thing. The empty tub seems to bounce around quite a bit when it ramps up.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem with a Maytag or Whirlpool front-loader? Have any of our resident repairmen seen this issue out in the field?

After a few months of a trouble-free household, I'm in a 'nickel-and-dime-me-to-death' cycle. Garage door opener, furnace (albeit minor), and now washer issues in the past three weeks. Yeesh![this post was last edited: 3/28/2017-05:05]
 
Sounds as though you might have a problem with the bearings. Can you move the tub move side to side when empty?
 
Bruce--I've rarely ever just tried to move the tub by hand. If memory serves correctly, it moved very little. Just tried to move it manually and while it does move around, it doesn't hit against anything, even with fairly aggressive pushing. Made no unusual sound when I gave the tub a spin by hand.

There is no squealing or unusual sound when it's operating.

Update: Tried unplugging the machine for a minute; didn't help. Again, the empty tub seems to bounce around more than it should during the distribution tumble and ramp-up.[this post was last edited: 3/28/2017-06:10]
 
We had several reports of these problems on here. You are the third I can think of right now.

All machines seem to be in otherwise good condition (dampers, bearings, other cycle operation).

I have three suspects right now.
First would be dampers. The balancing rings on the tub can cause uneven spinning with the tub empty. However, not sure if and how the sensing algorythm is actually affected by that.
Next would be the balancing rings themselfes. Weren't some cases of leaking known on these on some toploaders?
And, last but not least, and in my opinion most likely, some capacitor on the MCU failing, causing improper sensing of motor load and thus making it think there is always an unbalanced load. Timeframe would seem about right for something like that.

Checking the bearings is a thirty second job, just check if the drum has play.
Google for how to read out the failure codes, check that, run a digniostics cycle.
If you want to replace parts through trial and error, first I'd go with the dampers and see if that helps.
If that dosen't help, you could check if you could score a working used MCU from some craigslist find.

Really sad these seem to have a certain point of failure, they seemed to be verry good performers otherwise.
 
Doesn't seem to be any 'play' in the tub movement. No clunking sounds or feel of the tub being loose in its moorings. Again, have rarely tried to bounce the tub around by hand, but it does feel easier to move the tub/suspension than one remembers. Of course, this could be my imagination at work now that the machine isn't operating properly.

Ran another 'spin only'. After a few redistribution/ramp-up attempts, it is now spinning constantly, although at a greatly reduced speed. Recall that a load of towels once refused to balance properly and after about 30 minutes of trying, it simply spun at a reduced speed for the remainder of the final spin. I'm guessing the software is designed to do that in such cases.

Everything else appears to be operating normally---pump, etc. No error messages.

Malcolm-- Don't know the answer to your question.

Update: Doing my best to recall---accurately--when I last ran a 'spin only' with an empty tub. Probably a couple of months ago after a 'clean washer' cycle (which I only do about 3 times a year). I seem to remember the tub ramping up to full speed without any suspension-related movement whatsoever. No bouncing, as one would expect to see if washing a heavy load of towels. The empty tub test spins of this morning have all had a very noticeable amount tub/suspension movement during the initial tumble and especially during the ramp-up.[this post was last edited: 3/28/2017-06:11]
 
Louis-- Yes; tried that twice, in fact.

Henrik-- Yes, I hear the whooshing sound it has always made when spinning the tub manually.

My first inclination would be that it's an electronics/board issue....except for all that bouncing of the suspension in the empty tub when it tumbles and especially upon ramp-up. That just doesn't strike me as being normal. There's little tolerance for suspension movement in this washer compared to the 2010 Frigidaire. I would guess that's due to a 4.5 cu. ft. tub being placed in a standard 27" width cabinet.
 
YES!

Fridge,
We're Maxima buddies and I'm having a similar situation with my 5100.
But I was afraid to say anything out of fear of the "YOU SHOULDA BOUGHT A SPEED QUEEN!" crowd.

Anyway:
That's what always amazed me about these machines!
When they would go into spin, everything would be amazingly balanced 99% of the time, even big heavy towels.
I've touted how amazing the balance was when it was brand new, and after the "awkward phase" of the basket swinging around in ramp-up, it would distribute out and there would be NO tub oscillation during the rest of the spin speeds. NONE. The basket was steady. Even at 1400 rpm with zero vibration.
I LOVED it. Even on my 2nd floor location.

However....
Several months ago there was "an incident."
I had a load of mixed shirts going, and it was in spin while I just watched TV.
Then all of a sudden I heard a loud rumbling coming from the Maxima.
It shut itself down and ended the cycle, likely because there was only 2min. left. But there were NO error codes.
After that "incident" the spins were never that smooth again.
It still operated almost great, but spins were now vibration prone and the tub would always oscillate slightly in spin. Never holding steady like it used to.
I for sure thought something broke.
So I initiated my Home Depot protection plan and had a [really great and knowledgeable] WP tech come out to look at it.
He looked at it and ran some test spins both empty and with wet towels.
However he refused to open it because it's a stacked unit (ughhhh, they need two people).
The tech said it vibrated a bit but it was all within normal parameters and there's nothing he found wrong with it.

Of course I got curious so I opened up the back on my own.
I inspected the struts (fronts were hard to see but they looked fine). However the rear right felt looser than the rear left, so I swapped their cylinders, and redistributed the grease on the friction pads.
That SEEMS to have every so SLIGHTLY alleviated it, but that won't last long.
But....What's curious is the area of spin it has the most oscillation and vibration is in the area where the struts are "free floating" anyway!
These struts allow about .75" of free play, whereas it's likely expected the ball bearing balance rings are supposed to smooth out the rest.
But they don't seem to be!
And I cannot notice any evidence of the balance rings being out of sorts.... I do not notice any bearing noise or basket movement out of round with the tub...

So....I've just been dealing with it. Dealing with longer spin times, and more vibration. It doesn't go into full tilt 1400rpm as much anymore, but it still will.
I'm just waiting for something to fully implode so HD will actually repair or replace it.
 
I agree with John - coldspot66

 

 

Check the suspension, specifically the shocks!   

 

If you have a broken shock, the tub assembly will move around a lot more than it should and the out of balance sensors won't allow it spin.  

 

I've had broken shocks (twice) on an older Frigidare FL that I have.  With only one good shock, the tub assembly moves around A LOT more, even during wash/rinse.  If the load was off balance at all, the tub assembly would bang in the cabinet as it ramped up to speed, then again as it slowed down.   This is an older model without any electronics, so no OOB sensors.

 

Again, check the shocks.

 

 

Kevin
 
.
The dampers on the Right Height GE I acquired are distressingly flimsy and simplistic considering the importance of the role they play. For the price ($18/ea) they should be made of metal like car shocks and employ something more consequential than an simple friction pad for resistance.[this post was last edited: 3/28/2017-12:09]
 
Thanks so much for your input, everyone! I've been too busy to check the site since first posting this morning.

My hunch is a shock or spring is causing the problem due to the bouncing around of an empty tub as it tumbles and ramps up to spin. I do wash a lot of maximum capacity loads of huge bath sheets at 1400 rpm, so the machine gets a workout. Also a lot of queen-sized comforters.

Will let it limp along until next paycheck and then give the Maytag dealer here a call.
 
Had this EXACT issue (and remember posting about it too)

With my WFW72HEDW a year back. It would ramp up, then stop. The fix I found was strange but made sense. Unplug the machine and remove the top panel, locate the wire which comes out of the stator and plugs into the board, at both ends, firmly press in, along with all the other wires going into the board too. Its been a LONG time since this problem had originated and it has not returned since. Our duet is going on 2 years old.

It is NOT a problem with the bearings.

As far as the rumbling goes, it's normal, the rumbling we hear in our machines is the drain hose which is unattached to anything vibrating against the panel during an off balance spin.

Keep in mind, when quick wash is selected, the machine will stop earlier during the final spin if an off balance load is present. This being a quick cycle, it stopping at an earlier stage helps it ramp down quicker due to the low RPM's.

Hope this helps! If not, I don't know what I did with my WP Duet, its been fine ever since and no parts needed replacing.
 
"I do wash a lot of maximum capacity loads of huge bath sheets at 1400 rpm"

Funny, we also spin majority of our loads at max speed which is 1200 rpm on our unit.
 

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