Maytag Model A108 Troubleshooting

[daveinpdx22]

Hi,

My Maytag A108 decided to have some problems a couple of nights ago. Here's what is happening.

1. Washed a load. Then, on the next one the drum didn't drain.
2. The next day I emptied it out and searched online for clues as to the problem. So, I removed the front and checked for obstructions in the pump and hoses. All clear.
3. Then I tried to restart as a test. So here's what happens.
- I turn on in the regular mode. In the small load setting.
- The drum fills to the appropriate level.
- The timer is clicking and the dial is advancing.
- The wash cycle never starts but the timer keeps clicking and dial advancing.

So, am I correct in thinking that I have a problem with the selector or the motor? And also, what is the procedure for checking/testing either or both of those? One other thing I'm not quite understanding is the schematic; esp the "bars" with the multiple divisions.

I have been having a problem with a "squealing" noise upon the cycle change. And when I had the front opened yesterday noticed that the belt to the pump is overly loose. So, I'll be replacing that.

Also, I am new here. After trying to troubleshoot my problem yesterday and googling multiple scam appliance sites, it was a pleasure to find this site! Happy to find a spot where people actually care about these fabulous appliances. So, please pardon my newbiness.

Thanks

 

[goatfarmer]

I'm betting a broken wire, or a problem with the motor itself.

 

[volvoguy87]

1 motor.

The motor runs one way for agitation and running the pump backwards and the other way for spin and pumping the water out. See if the neutral wire from the motor is broken, the contact is dirty, or something along similar lines.

Not the end of the world, it will wash again,
Dave

 

[daveinpdx22]

Thanks for the tips so far.

I'll check that out when I get home later on..

 

[daveinpdx22]

more troubleshooting

Ok, I got out the trusty multimeter.

5 wires come down from the selector down to a terminal block on the motor. (The terminal block seems to have a switch on it? and that appears to activate a switch on the motor itself) From that terminal block 5 wires go into the motor.

I disconnected and tested each of the 5 wires going into the motor. No shorts detected. None of the wires appear to be broken and the contacts are clean. But I cleaned the contacts and terminals anyway.

Should I assume now that the motor is probably ok?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Not necessarily. If the machine has filled to the proper water level the motor will start turning in the agitation direction and timer will click to advance itself every 30 seconds. It sounds like the motor should be running but its not.

Does the motor make any sound(s) what so ever like a hum or is it completely silent? Also does the motor work when you manually advance the dial into spin?

 

[daveinpdx22]

The machine fills to the proper level. But the motor never starts. No hum, completely silent. And no, the motor does not work even when I manually advance the selector.

I can hear the timer ticking and at certain points in its advance it seems that there are other "clicks". I'm assuming those are points where the motor would kick in?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Yes, so its most likely one of three issues then.

#1 The motor is bad, usually with bad motors you hear something like a hum.

#2 The timer is having issues not sending the proper voltage to the proper wires.

#3 Something is up with the wiring to the motor. That would be my first suspicion.

(The terminal block seems to have a switch on it? and that appears to activate a switch on the motor itself)

Personal I know much more about pre-1958 AMP style Maytag washers than the more modern Helical-Drive models like you have, so I'm not sure what you mean by that. Probably that is the motor start switch, but again usually when those go bad or get stuck you'll hear a light hum and the motor heats up relatively fast when those go bad.

We do have lots of Helical-Drive experts here so someone should be able to help with the troubleshooting.

 

[daveinpdx22]

"#1 The motor is bad, usually with bad motors you hear something like a hum."
- I'm not detecting a hum.

"#2 The timer is having issues not sending the proper voltage to the proper wires."
- I'm not sure how to test. ??

"#3 Something is up with the wiring to the motor. That would be my first suspicion."
- I checked the continuity on the wires leading to the block on the motor. All of them check out ok.

I added a picture with the terminal block that seems to have a switch that looks like it triggers the motor somehow. Is that an overload protector?

Anyway, as an experiment, I turned it on and checked the voltage at the block terminals (at the motor) of the wires coming from the selector. I was getting 120V at each of them. Then the timer advanced and I heard a slight click. Then the voltage dropped to ~27V. ??

 

[combo52]

DEAD MT WASHER

You just have to check for continuity through the motor overload and both windings using the wiring diagram. If thats ok you have a bad timer assuming all the wires are attached at the timer. Bad wiring is almost never a problem on MT washers and dirty terminals are never a problem on high load items at 120 volts. Good luck.

 

[daveinpdx22]

?

"You just have to check for continuity through the motor overload and both windings using the wiring diagram."

Is motor overload the black block with the terminals on top of the motor?

 

[cfz2882]

that is the centrifugal switch-there is a flyweight governor
on the motor that actuates that switch so that the start
winding is switched off when the motor is at running speed
the overload protector is probably wedged next to the winding
-one of my speed queens has a GE motor i will have a look...

 

[daveinpdx22]

Is this set-up the right way to check motor?

Here's what I did.
- Disconnected the wires from the timer/selector to the terminal block on the motor.
- In the picture attached, the black clip is on the terminal where the black wire coming from the timer/selector attaches.
- The red clip is attached to the lead where the red wire from the timer/selector attaches.
- For the test I kept the black clip attached and moved the red clip to each terminal.

Is this the correct procedure? (Also did this with the black clip attached to the motor housing and everything was OL)

According to the schematic: Red and white from the timer go to the run winding. And green and yellow to the start winding.

Results:
Run -
- Red terminal = 4.6 Ohms
- White terminal = 3.6 Ohms
Start -
- Green terminal = OL
- Yellow terminal = OL

 

[daveinpdx22]

On the right track or not?

Just wondering if I'm on the right track. I have some experience in working with audio electronics but never a motor or mechanical timer. Am I testing the motor correctly as outlined in my previous post?

Based on what I have managed to find on google, it seems that I have either a timer issue or a motor issue.....

 

[mrb627]

Power at Motor

Have you checked the motor to see if there is power there when the time is in operation? That seems to be the missing piece here.

Malcolm

 

[bigalsf]

Hi, have you checked the lid switch? You could try bypassing it for a quick check. Good luck!

 

[goatfarmer]

Wouldn't fill if the lid switch is bad.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Try running the motor from a test cord.

What I would do next is study the wiring diagram to see how to what terminals are hot and what terminals are neutral when the motor is running and build a 120 volt test cord that you plug into the wall socket to see if the motor runs normally.

There is a chance that the motor overload switch is stuck in the open position.

The only other option here is to find a good used motor and try switching them. Its going to be difficult for any of us to troubleshoot this from afar. Without being there to take the motor apart to see if anything looks off.