Please help me understand whats happening in each phase of the washing cycles

[hotrodjohn71]

Hi folks,
Can you help me undetstand whats happening in the individual phases of the "Regular Fabrics" cycle on my old 2-belt Maytag top-loading washing machine?

For example, in the "18 14 10 6" range, should there be any agitating?

And during the rinse, should there be any agitating with the vlean water?

I think im only getting agitation in the wash phase between "6" and "rinse"

Thank you

 

[tomturbomatic]

Yes, there should be agitating in the wash and rinse periods. As the old Soutnern sheriff said, "Son, you're in a heap of trouble."

 

[hotrodjohn71]

Interesting.
Is it possible that the transmission (because of malfunction) would agitate during the normal wash, but would not agitate during the presoak and rinse?

It definitely is agitating during the area between 6 and rinse.

 

[appnut]

I think it's the timer that's the problem. Does the cycle progress as expected on the Perm Press/Wrinkle Free and Delicate cycles?

 

[DADoES]

 
It should agitate upon reaching the target fill level for the entire wash time period and a few mintues in the Rinse on all of the three cycles (Regular Fabrics, Wrinkle Free Fabrics, and Delicates).  None of the cycles have a presoak function.

Is the motor running when agitation fails?  The motor is reversable rotation (controlled by the timer).  One direction is agitate, other direction is spin/drain.  The mechanism must either agitate or spin whenever the motor runs, unless there's a problem.

 

[qsd-dan]

Sounds like a wonky timer. Part# 22003361.

There are a bunch on eBay from used to brand new.

 

[lesto]

Sounds like the timer is having a meltdown. You might try cleaning the contacts. If they're dirty you won't get a good connection. Otherwise it may be time for a new timer.

 

[hotrodjohn71]

I have disassembled and cleaned the timer very carefully and cleaned the contact points also.

Now correct me if I'm wrong on this machine, the tub setup consists of the tub on top a transmission in the middle and a brake at the bottom and then the pulley which is designed to rotate up and disengage the brake or rotate down and turn the agitator.

So one rotation One Direction will accomplish one thing and one rotation the opposite direction will accomplish another thing IE spin the tub or turn the agitator.

The thing that puzzles me is that in the regular wash mode the agitator works perfectly. But in the rinse or pre-soak mode the agitator is not moving however the motor is turning and I hear the gurgle from the backwards running drain pump.

 

[hotrodjohn71]

My apologies for using that "pre-soak" term.

 

[ryner1988]

So the motor is running at all times, but there's no agitation when you feel there should be?

At any point on the dial where there is a number, there should be agitation.

I wouldn't think if the motor is still running that it's a timer issue because the timer controls the motor to run or not run depending on where in the cycle the dial is pointing. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, however.

Ryne

 

[hotrodjohn71]

I found the solution to my problem. Thank you for your help and maybe this will help someone else also. The plastic receiver inside of the transmission that receives the splined agitator shaft had accumulated black gunk to the point that it had pushed the shaft up out of the receiver itself to only about an eighth in of spline contact.

The agitator shaft on my unit does not have a clip in the transmission that holds it in like some models do.

I cleaned all the gunk out of the receiver spline cup so that the shaft sat down inside of it as it should and that fixed problem.

So the agitation was hit and miss due to the 16th inch spline contact that was going on.

 

[hotrodjohn71]

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