Verify proper Neutral Drain
Just to throw out an alternative viewpoint from someone who lived through what you're going through (but in the 90's...and with a DD washer) I'm jaded on these damn DD washers everyone praises....I just want you to go into this with your eyes open to what can and does go wrong on these.
Every Direct Drive washer I've ever owned blew out the neutral drain assembly in under 5 years, I believe the OEM is no longer supporting parts for this washer, and aftermarket parts are available with mixed quality reviews, as is the timer assembly which I've also had fail on my DD washers.
You can tell if the neutral drain assembly is bad by watching the machine drain, it should drain with the tub still. If it slips into spin mode before the motor comes to a stop following a drain event, the neutral drain assembly is bad, and the transmission needs to be either pulled to replace the neutral drain kit, or a new (rebuilt at this point, new transmissions are likely NLA) transmission installed. Running the machine with a failed neutral drain kit will wear things out quickly (I gave up on my last DD after the second neutral drain kit failed 2 years after the first one failed) and I ran it like that cause I was so disgusted (I've owned 4 DD washers and every.single.one. had neutral drain issues so I gave up on paying to have it fixed). It killed the coupler first, then the spin clutch went. Most people I knew junked the washer after the first NDrain kit went, or ran it like I did till then thing blew itself apart. It was a big repair to pay for in a washer that was just out of warranty and people lost faith in the machine. Unlike your Speed Queen these things only had a 1 year (*maybe* 2) warranty when new.
Between timers, agitator dogs, and neutral drain issues I really have had terrible luck with my DD washers over the years. They work very well when they work. But they are not a miracle machine (nothing is). Just my experience. Seems people only remember the good points (they wash well) and gloss over the issues (already over 25 years old, parts not available, no tech will want to touch one, they were loud as hell, they were not even solidly reliable after a few years of regular use (at least with me)). I would have SQ fix your still under warranty washer, that is still supported with factory parts, has updated pars available to remedy the issue once and for all, and run that for 20 years or more.
Best of luck, I really mean that, I understand your frustration with your current washer because i've had the same exact frustration with the DD washers I've owned (a 1987 KM, a 1994 WP, a 2001 WP, 2005 WP) and they weren't in warranty (I had to pay for the experience). I kept buying DD machines because at the time they were cheaper than most alternative top loaders(between 5-600 bux adjusted for inflation) and when they worked they were decent at washing, also blindly thinking after 20 something years of production by that point they would have worked the problems out... hopefully your experience with longevity is better than ones I've had or my friends had back in the day. Again, my experience was not a great one, so I could never recommend one to someone, especially not nowadays unless you are an appliance tech, and have a stockpile of parts for future use.
all the best,
Keith
FB19-1 dated Jan 2019)
