Need help with 1996 WCI front loader

[bayouboy]

This machine was only used for 10 months and was in storage for the last 25 years. It is a Gibson branded WCI machine. Everything looks great, hoses fine, etc. Dry tested fine. Ran it through a full cycle (empty) and worked perfectly. Then put some clothes in it for its maiden voyage. It will bring in water and pump out water but all i get is a humming motor but no tub movement. Tub turns easily by hand. Where should i start??? Any advice is most appreciated. Thanks!!!! Todd

 

[ea56]

I used to own a 1987 version of this washer and it was the best washer I ever owned! Mechanically, I’m no expert, but from what you are describing it sounds like a broken belt maybe? The fact that the motor hums indicates that at least that is functional. But it may also be a solenoid thats gone bad and not allowing the motor to engage with the belts and pulleys?

I hope that someone with better mechanical knowledge than I will be able to point you in the right direction to get this machine up and running.

Good Luck!

Eddie

 

[coldspot66]

3 belt westy f/l.....belts could be dry rotted or have snapped. Not sure if this is a later design that used a circuit board to control drum movement.

 

[reactor]

check items

The first two plausible problems that come to mind are:

1.) Dead spot in motor windings. If motor is truly humming and NOT turning under load. I had this happen once and had to have the motor rewound.

2.) Broken belt, loose belt or belt slipped off pulley (often cause by stretached belt.) In these cases the motor is rotating but not able to trasmit torque to tub via belt.

I recomment that you take back off and see if motor is turning or stalled and just humming when timer is in wash mode.

If motor is not turning, replace or have rewound. A dead spot in the field windings will prevent the motor from turning under heavy load. However, sometimes it can still give enough pull to allow motor to do light tasks, such as draining. that is the way mine was.

If motor is turning, then the belt is stretched and not transmitting power, or it is broken or it has slipped off pulley.

If brokent, you can likely find belt on Ebay or Sears Parts Direct. If it has slipped off the pulley, cut off power and replace onto pulleys. Keep in mind it may have come off due to it being stretched and will most likely come off again sometime in the near future, so best to replace.

 

[bayouboy]

Update

First, thanks for the replies ... you all are a wealth of knowledge. Belts are fine. Motor only hums. If i manually turn the tub, it will momentarily turn a few revolutions, but i see sparks coming from the motor. Is this what you meant by the motor windings? Do i look for another motor or can i do something with this one?

 

[cfz2882]

sparking motor

must be a brush type motor in that machine-brushes could be stuck in holders or more likely the commutator(segmented copper cylinder the brushes ride on) is dirty.Looks like this machine is one of the post-1988 adaptations of the old 3-belt design where European motor and electrics were installed.

 

[combo52]

One of the very last Westinghouse designed front load washer

In the end of 1996 they introduced the all new Frigidaire designed and built front load washers, do you have one of the very last of them this machine was produced from 1989 into 1996.

Yes, this washer has only one belt and it has a brush type motor. They had trouble with the brushes sometimes they’re just stuck. I would try spraying even WD-40 into the brush assemblies there on the front of the motor when you look at the machine, it might start working without doing anything more serious.

It’s not a dead spot in the winding or anything like that that’s not possible in a washing machine motor.

You can see the brushes on the front of the motor just by taking the lower front panel off.

These were good performing machines. It was an improvement over the three belt machine, and that they added a spin between the two final rinses however, the durability of this machine was not as good as the prior three belt model, which wasn’t that good to begin with, but it’s still a cool washing machine,

John

 

[reactor]

motors

Yes, dead spots, hot spots, and shorted windings can be problematic in all induction motors. John saying this "is not possible in washing machine motors" is a very ignorant statement. Induction motors in washing machines have been the norm for decades and decades. No matter what the application, field winding issues can appear in any induction motor.

In the case of my WCI front loader, having the field windings rewound in the induction motor solved the problem permanently.

Todd, for the newer WCI front loaders using the series-wound motor, yes, I would check the carbon brushes first as more-often-than-not they are the culprit. They are relatively easy to replace.

 

[combo52]

Dead spots in washer motor winding’s

I have never heard anybody describe problems with the windings as dead spots.

The windings are either open or shorted if they’re defective or failed.

It is possible to have a mechanically dead spot in the start centrifugal switch in a split phase motor but you don’t rewind a motor if you have this problem you repair or replace the centrifugal switch or more likely replace the whole motor.

John

 

[reactor]

motor windings

You can have thermal or vibrational breakdowns of winding insulation of motors. When you have a winding to winding short you effectively remove the capacity for those windings inside each end of the short to produce a magnetic field. You have electrically isolated them from the circuit and they cannot contribute to the production of a magnetic field. At that point in the rotation, there is no force applied to the rotor.

At this particular point in the rotation you effectively have what the technicians call a "dead spot." The motor can continue to operate if the number of windings removed does not cause the increased current draw, due to the decreased resistance, to exceed the overcurrent protection of the motor. However, the torque of the motor is reduced with this dead spot in rotation and it may stall or go into rotor lock under load.

The centrifugal switch has nothing to do with this problem.

Motor winding replacement is common, especially in industrial motors. We had two large motor rewinding facilities in Dayton (Ohio) when I lived there that were kept very busy. They took consumer motors, but the largest bulk of their business was commercial.

I think it took me two weeks to get my motor back, but it was less than the cost of a new one by a substantial amount. Most consumers are not aware of the rewinding option and just throw the old motor away. In all fairness though, the average consumer isn't aware of the various forms of motor failures or the methods for diagnosing them. To them a motor either works or it doesn't.

That was probably thirty years ago I got the motor rewound in my WCI front loader. The cost savings over motor replacement then made it worthwhile. I am sure labor costs have dramatically increased since that time and the imported Chinese motors are now much cheaper. Because of this the cost benefit of the residential consumer having a motor rewound versus replacement may be less advantageous.[this post was last edited: 3/18/2023-23:12]

 

[reactor]

motor windings

You can have thermal or vibrational breakdowns of winding insulation of motors. When you have a winding to winding short you effectively remove the capacity for those windings inside each end of the short to produce a magnetic field. You have effectively isolated them from the circuit and they cannot contribute to the production of a magnetic field. At that point in the rotation, there is no force applied to the rotor.

At this particular point in the rotation you effectively have a dead spot. The motor can continue to operate if the number of windings removed does not cause the increased current draw to exceed the overcurrent protection of the motor. However, then torque of the motor is reduced and may stall or go into rotor lock.

The centrifugal switch has nothing to do with this problem.

Motor winding replacement is common, especially in industrial motors. Whe had two large motor rewinding facilities in Dayton (Ohio) when I lived there that were kept very busy. They took consumer motors, but the largest bulk of their business was commercial.

I think it took me two weeks to get my motor back, but it was less than the cost of a new one by a substantial amount. Most consumers are not aware of the rewinding option and just throw the old motor away. In all fairness though, the average consumer isn't aware of the various forms of motor failures or the methods for diagnosing them. To them a motor either works or it doesn't.

That was probably thirty years ago I got the motor rewound in my WCI front loader. The cost savings over motor replacement then made it worthwhile. I am sure labor costs have dramatically increased since that time and the imported Chinese motors are now much cheaper. Because of this the cost benefit of the residential consumer having a motor rewound versus replacement may be less advantageous.

 

[DADoES]

 
There's an electric service in town here for years that rewinds motors.  I saw a newspaper ad last month seeking a shop mechanic to "dismantle, repair, reassemble electric motors."  My neighbor's brother had one done.  I don't know how long ago but I heard it was expensive.

 

[bayouboy]

Thanks for the help!!!!!

I took the motor to a shop here in New Orleans and they have it running like new for $92. Thanks for they help and suggestions ... you guys are a wealth of knowledge!!!

 

[appnut]

YAY TODD