VMW WTW4930XW1 Trouble

[henene4]

The system moves rather slowly (about 10sec I would guestimate per shift) and shouldn't have to move much weight or against much of any force.

And that is the funny thing: These shifters - from what me finds online - rarely ever physicly fail.

What often fails are the RPS and mode shifter position sensors, resulting in the often eratic failure picture and the well known coresponding error codes.

If the machine can't know if the tub moves or not, it will always default to fail save and keep the lid locked, the motor off and the mode shifter probably in agitate position until it has a known state.

 

[DADoES]

 
The load on the mode shifter is essentially only the force of the spring and the force needed to move/lift the cam ring over the housing bosses.

There is no "slipping" spin clutch ... neither a clutch lining nor a slipping belt.  Spin is a positive drive via the spin gear splines mated to the drive pulley splines.

Spin acceleration is handled via motor torque and RPM.

 

[DADoES]

 
The machine runs the auto-test cycle OK, Rinse & Spin no trouble, full Normal/Light cycle, no trouble.

However, calibration fails.  Pump on, lid locks, actuator shifts to agitate, a few agitation strokes, actuator shifts to spin, the pump continues to run and nothing else happens.  Turns off after 5+ mins either with all lights off, or in one case with all lights on.  Or maybe always with all lights on until it times-out and powers fully off.

It did run calibration successfully some months ago at the sock-in-pump incident.

How important is a successful calibration?

Everything I find online indicates fix is replace the machine board.

RJ won't be impressed.

Maybe I won't tell him, and eat that cost myself.

 

[murando531]

This poor machine has been treated like crap. I’ll disagree to my grave that VMWs like this one are poor performing or poorly built. The 4800 model I had that was bought in 2012 is a fantastic machine both build and performance-wise, and since giving it to my aunt whose ‘98 WCI-Frigidaire finally gave out two years ago, it’s still chugging away washing 2-3 loads a day with 6 peoples’ worth of laundry. As much as I loved my Oasis-BravosXL and the Whirlpool WFW92HEF front load set I have now, I do sometimes regret letting that machine go. The only complaint I ever remember having about it was the lid lock; otherwise I was never disappointed in the cleaning or rinsing ability, and it could turn heavy loads over like a champ.

 

[DADoES]

VMW Calibration

 
The only vid I find on YouTube that shows the calibration cycle is Eugene/Lorain Furniture running it on an impeller model.  Starts the pump, four agitation strokes, pump runs a bit longer, then shifts to spin mode, turns the pump off, and runs three spin accelerations/coast-downs, and runs a bit of water at some point.

My specimen runs the pump, agitates, engages spin mode but doesn't shut off the pump or do any spins, and I think no water ... then eventually times-out and turns off.  It runs a rinse/spin or drain/spin with no trouble so the mode shifter/RPM sensor apparently is OK.  It also runs the automatic test cycle with no trouble.  Presumably bad board but why doesn't that trigger any trouble during a cycle?

 

[vacerator]

Mine the same;

Following bearing replacement in 2015 under extended warranty, shortly following the repair, it stopped slow spin filling. Only static fills now, except on the rinse. The sensing light still lights up. It sense spins twice on hand wash like always. Normal cycle fills half full tub of water. Bulky cycle fills all the way up as wash advances like always has. Too much water for small loads, so I only use hand wash, except for comforters.
Recalibration made no difference. Not worth parts or bother now. It's almost 11 years old. When it stops spinning on high, or won't work, it's on the curb.
People tell me their techs. say the Samsung and LG parts are more widely available, and cost less than Whirlpool. Front or top load. Durability about the same with all. I dunno. Amazon has all kinds of Whirlpool parts, and the others.
The front load spider for a Whirlpool product does cost more on there. Seems stupid to spend another $200 for a front loader pedestal, when a high end top loader costs less, except the water use issue. I save water. I don't water the lawn. It comes back every year following hot summer drought dormancy. If I wash the car, its with a bucket to wash, one to rinse. I water garden plants with a can. I clean out and scrub the gutters and trim by hand, let the rain rinse them.
City came by in October claiming our water use was too low. I let them replace the meter. It went up maybe $10 to $20 for 3 months, Our toilets and faucets are low flow since 2017. Last kid also moved out. Thats when the bill dropped. I explained that to them. My neighbors also mo kids, told me their bill was about $90 for 3 months. I had called a year earlier complaining it seemed to be way too high.
We are now empty nesters.

 

[DADoES]

 
I changed the control board, same result on Calibration ... so I assume that's correct behavior on this model??

I watched this time all the way to the end:
  - Status lights flash a rolling pattern from right to left
  - lid locks
  - pump turns on
  - shifts to agitate mode
  - agitates four strokes
  - shifts to spin mode
  - pump remains on for 5-ish mins with no other action
  - pump off, all lights steady on
  - one brief spin acceleration
  - water runs a few seconds
  - turns completely off, lid unlocks

 

[DADoES]

 
We swapped the VMW back to the renters.

My nice WP DD there for 8 weeks (longer than it seems) has a very prominent gray/scum ring at the water line on the basket and agitator.  Hard city water at that location and they're not using enough detergent to deal with it.

 

[repairguy]

Looking at the broken tub and cover the shocks are definitely worn out and the machine has to be jumping around in spin unless that is old damage and the shocks have been replaced ( maybe was the issue the dealer repaired previously). Also if these machines don’t shift from agitate to spin or spin to agitate within 15 seconds something is wrong with shifter. I’ve replaced shifters to correct this issue but more often I’ve put silicone lubricant on the “splutch” parts that slide to shift making it easier to slide and solving the issue almost every time. Just my two cents.

 

[spinmon]

Seeing this for the first time today. Should've S-canned this self-destructed POS.
A used DD/SQ seems an idea if avail. Oh well,spend more on boards/whatever since you're in this deep. Sheesh. Sorry for the rough IMO but dang...