problem with kenmore 80 series

[stan]

My Kenmore 80 series washer is acting up a little (bought new in 2000)

Notice that sometimes the machine dose not want to spin! If I happen to be looking, and notice this, I'l turn off, and rotate the agitator clockwise, turn back on, and she catches, and finishes.

Is this a worn coupling, or do I have transmission/clutch problems??

 

[DirectDriveDave]

you say turing the the agitator clockwise fixes it?

That sounds like maybe it is a loose tub nut, but I cant say I am fully sure, I haven't heard of a problem like that before.

But when you say "catches" do you mean you get that usual CLUNK from the transmission?

 

[stan]

Hi Dave. I know the clunk sound you mean

I bypassed the lid switch a while back, so I can observe everything with the lid up.
Sometimes I hear the motor running and think it's spinning (according to the timer) and lift lid to find it's not, If I reach in and help, it starts spinning, or sometimes I'l push in the dial, reach in and turn agitator, and pull dial back out, and that will work.
This can happen on any cycle... after wash, or on last rinse.

Dose kind of sound like a loose tub nut dose'nt it!

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Neutral drain

This Whirlpool built machine has a neutral drain before the spin. The way this works is the first time the motor reverses after agitation the neutral pak in the transmission provides a neutral drain after the motor stops and is restarted in reverse the clutch engages to spin the drum. If you are looking in on the machine during the neutral drain cycle it should not be moving. However from the problem you are describing I would bet this is not the case. If rotating the agitator helps I would bet the spanner nut on the drive block is loose or broke or something in the spin tube is shot.
WK78 Nick

 

[stan]

Nick

That sound like hefty fix! Is the spanner nut hard to get to to try to tighten?
What involved to repair?

Just ran a load, and watched from start to finish, she did fine. (this time)

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Tub/Spanner Nut

Getting to this part is not difficult.

All you have to do is remove the agitator (you can find many vids on that) and then you should see it.

Loosening or tightening the nut requires a spanner wrench.

 

[combo52]

Sometimes Non-Spinning DD Washer

It Is not the basket drive block or a worn drive cupping. When the machine refuses to spin stop the washer by pushing the timer to off and restart it in 5 seconds, if it still sits there refusing to move or spin at all you likely have a bad transmission. If you can get it spinning by turning the agitator and the machine spins poorly with very heavy or slightly unbalanced loads you likely have a top transmission seal that is leaking oil into the clutch. Either one of these problems require some work but both are very fixable.

 

[stan]

Don't have a spanner wrench

but decided to look anyway.
removed agitator, found spanner nut, tried to tighten and loosen with what I had (channel locks) but did not budge? Dose not appear to be broken.

Put back together, and ran an empty load. It did every thing it's supposed to do, but this time I waited til it started to spin, reached in and was able to stop the basket from spinning, when I let go it started to spin on it's own again. Is this normal?? Or do I really need to go after the spanner nut, or start looking over the transmission for oil or something?

Thanks guys

 

[macboy91si]

DD Transmissions

The transmissions can be had for $75 refurbed at most appliance shops. You don't have to remove the tub or spanner nut for this, just remove the cabinet and put the machine on it's side. Remove necessary bolts, hoses and pump and it should drop out fairly easily. You will have to do this to get to anything on the transmission including the clutch.

 

-Tim

 

[kenmore71]

Look at combos answer first. Could also be that the plastic clutch "pads" and/or spring is just really worn. Clutch kit is about $45-50. I had this problem on a WP DD a few years ago. Replaced the clutch and it was golden for about 2 years until the motor coupler broke. Then I replaced the motor coupler and the ND mechanism in the transmission in February of this year. So far, so good.....

 

[combo52]

Sometimes Non-Spinning DD Washer

It does sound like you have oil in the clutch. Usually if the transmission is leaking oil you will see a little oil sprayed on the insides of the washers cabinet about 6-8" up from the bottom of the washer. If this is the case you can do a cheap fix and not replace the transmission or its seals by replacing the clutch with the older six pad clutch and use the stronger [ blue ] spring from your 3 pad clutch and the machine will spin properly even with oil getting in the clutch.

 

[stan]

Decided

To go a little further, and took the cabinet off, to have a look underneath. No sign of oil!
Gave it a good cleaning using a yard stick and a rag to clean between the outer and inner tub, inside agitator, then filled with hot water, washing soda and bleach, with a fast agitation, broke some old nastyness loose, as it foamed up with no soap detergent added?

Watched it go thru the cycles with no problem? but no clothes in the machine either? I still can stop it from turning if I reach in physically stop it??

 

[DADoES]

<blockquote>I still can stop it from turning if I reach in physically stop it??</blockquote> Completely normal.  The clutch is supposed to slip to some degree, of course.  I can easily hold the basket still on my Kenmore 90, and even turn it backwards while it's trying to spin forward.

 

[stan]

Thanks DaDoES

I was very curious about that!

It's a mystery (no oil) Don't know if tightening the agitator nut helped or not, (did that earlier)
Guess I see when I get a large load to wash.

Thank guys

 

[DADoES]

 
My mother's 1994 KA has been having similar occasional non-spin episodes for some while.  Unfortunately I've never been able to catch it in the act when I'm there.  Almost caught it recently ... the durn thing had started the deep rinse, I got distracted updating their computer and missed the final spin when it didn't.  She resets the timer to the final spin and carries on with it.

 

[xraytech]

I've been having a rather similar problem with our 2001 80 series,

ours will spin, but occasionally doesnt extract all the water leaving the clothes very wet and about 2 inches of water in the tub

 

[stan]

Sam.

wonder if all you need is a new/rebuilt pump?

Someone will come along that knows for sure!