Maytag A208 problem

[tfaulbaum]

Hello All!

I am the lucky owner of a Maytag A208. It has stopped working in the past few days. I did some troubleshooting on the phone with my uncle, and I decided to replace the timer switch. Well, $120 later, the problem still exists.

The washer will start a cycle just fine and fill with water of the right temp. When it kicks on to agitate, it overflows. I cannot tell if it is still trying to fill, or if it is just spinning the water out of the top. If I let it go, it will fill the bleach cup and then overflow. I can manually advance the dial to make the water drain out. Any ideas? Now that I have spent this money on the old thing, I have to fix it. I took the front panel off and everything seems OK. I made sure the pump was spinning freely and the hoses were not clogged.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Tim

 

[tfaulbaum]

Update

I just figured out it doesn't agitate when it is supposed to. It just spins. It must be the spinning which is causing the water to force it's way up and out.

 

[mayken4now]

Pressure switch for the water level is not being tripped. It could be one of two parts, the hose that goes from the tub to the pressure switch and/or the pressure switch itself.

The pressure switch is located right behind the buttons that you select for the water level. There (in theary) should be a hose connected to it. Check this out and see what you find.

Steve

 

[tfaulbaum]

Thanks, Steve. I will have to check that out when I get home. Would that cause it to not agitate and only spin?

 

[mixfinder]

Not Agitating

The motor reverses running one direction for agitation and the other for spinning and pumping. If the machine is spinning, but not pumping, you can rule out a motor issue since it would pumping also, if the motor hadn't reversed. It is sounding like a transmission malfunction.
Kelly

 

[bobbyderegis]

Tim,
This is a transmission problem. Either a gear has broken in the tranny, or the pulley is binding on the worm screw. Does the pulley travel up and down the shaft freely when you turn the pulley in opposite directions? I have an 806 with the same problem.
Bobby in Boston

 

[tfaulbaum]

The machine will pump out the water when I set it to that mode, and all seems fine.

I will have to check the pulley when I get home.

One more bit of info: I don't think I used to be able to turn the agitator by hand when the machine was off. Now, it spins freely.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[pdub]

The agitator should not be spinning freely as you describe. It definitely sounds like a transmission problem. It's trying to spin instead of agitate, but in the wrong direction and so the pump is not pumping out the water and that is why it's coming up the bleach dispenser and back into the tub. I know repair manuals are available for this model if you are so inclined to rebuild the machine yourself. Look on RepairClinic.com to see what parts are available for your machine. I think the repair manual is also available through them.

Best of luck, Patrick

 

[bobbyderegis]

Sounds like a broken pinion gear, Tim. I see a rebuilt or transplanted tranny in someone's future!
Bobby in Boston

 

[mayken4now]

Tim:

Thought you said it would not stop filling and would overflow?

That would have nothing to do with the transmission.

Ok what Bobby describes is very true. If you can turn the dasher by hand, the you have a broken pinion gear.

Sorry for the mislead.

Steve

 

[mayken4now]

Better yet, get rid of the lid switch, (super gluing them) and see what happens all the way.

 

[tfaulbaum]

Update

After testing the pressure switch and checking some other sources, it appears the brake isn't holding the shaft. Does this make sense to you guys? Could my issue be the brake and not the transmission?

I really appreciate all of your help!

 

[mayken4now]

Nope, the brake would not have anything to do with the agitator turning freely by hand. If it were indeed the brake, the whole tub would turn with the agitator. Maybe you should start over and email me. I could call ya.

Steve

 

[super32]

Bad brake?

If the tub moves with the agitator when you tunr it by hand, then it is quite possible the brake may be stuck. I have seen a few older machines do this. I can usally run the pulley back down the shaft by hand and when it fills it will then agitate but the next time it goes to spin it may get stuck again.