Whirlpool direct drive, bad clutch?

[ryner1988]

Hi guys,

The Whirlpool direct drive I bought used over the summer is having an issue where it's taking a long time to get up to the proper spin speed. It's never neutral-drained correctly since I bought it, and I think that might be putting wear on the clutch although I'm obviously not sure. Here is what happens in sequence.

Agitation stops, motor pauses like normal, drain begins and neutral drain failure causes it to kick into spin. By the time it pauses again to go into the proper spin cycle, it's reached a little less than half I'd say of the top spin speed. When motor starts up again for the spin cycle, it takes a good couple of minutes to get all the way back up to top speed. I should add that it does maintain top spin speed once it reaches it, and I've read that the clutch causes it to spin slowly. That's not the case, it just takes a while to get going. I read this could also be caused by the basket drive, but that doesn't seem likely to me as the break functions fine, and it doesn't make any unusual noises except during an off-balance load.

My other thought is that the spin gear in the transmission could be worn. That would make sense to me because the spin gear is included with the neutral drain repair kit.

I'm going to get my transmission serviced soon, because I think it's causing other issues. I'd just like to know if the spinning issue might be caused by the clutch, basket drive, or transmission.

I think what happened is I fell victim to buying a partially, but not fully, refurbished machine and now it's showing issues. I probably should have bought new when my Maytag A112 washer was having problems this past summer, but there was personal stuff going on in my family plus financially I didn't feel it was possible for me.

Anyway, I think my machine's issues can be dealt with, I'd just like to know how to go forward. I don't want to get yet another machine, I'd like to keep this one in service.

Ryne

 

[combo52]

Slipping, clutch on a whirlpool, direct drive

Most likely one of the two top seals in the transmission is leaking little oil into the clutch, and it’s slipping more easily than it should, it also could just be getting worn a little less likely.

This cannot be caused by the spin gears. This is not caused by the basket, drive block, or the basket drive assembly in this case.

As long as it’s reaching full speed a couple minutes before the cycles over, there’s no point in doing anything about it. It’s such time that you put a new transmission in or a rebuilt one. It would pay to inspect and probably replace the clutch.

Have a great holiday John.

 

[ryner1988]

John

Thanks for your response. I would not have someone get inside the transmission as I know that is quite a job. genuineapplianceparts.com has rebuilt transmissions from Corecentric Solutions at a reasonable price so I think I'm going to buy one from there because I know to avoid the new Whirlpool transmissions since they are shite. I'll also grab a new clutch from there.

I think I can get my bro and law to come do the repair to avoid the cost of hiring a professional.

So doing this will solve both my neutral drain issue and the slow spin start, correct? Anything else I should have looked at while this repair is done?

Oh by the way, maintenance finally cleaned the ducting to my dryer, I had them do it when they came to change the furnace filters a couple weeks ago. Dryer is much better.

Ryne

 

[DADoES]

 
If oil on the clutch is causing the slow acceleration then it will need to be cleaned when the transmission is changed.  The rebuilt transmission at GenuineApplianceParts doesn't include a spin clutch per the photo of it, so the existing clutch will need to be swapped-over and can be cleaned in that process.  Or you could also get a new clutch.

 

[repairguy]

How long was the warranty? Refurbished these days usually means they fixed whatever problem was immediately wrong with it and sent it out the door hence the neutral drain not working. Changing the clutch on a machine with a non functioning neutral drain will at least get you several years of hard use without fixing the neutral drain feature. I’ve seen it.

 

[ryner1988]

How long was the warranty?

Unfortunately, it was one of those 3 month warranty deals, so that passed in October. That's why I'm considering asking my bro and law to come fix it. He and my sister also have a direct drive machine and he fixed several parts on theirs. I figured whatever I pay him to do it would be cheaper than any appliance repair service would ask of me. Also, I'm not even sure an appliance repair person would touch it if I purchase the parts myself, which I would do in order to avoid being given a new-stock transmission, perhaps someone could elaborate on that point of whether appliance repair companies will use parts purchased by the consumer or not.

I know the machine can function without the neutral drain but if oil is leaking onto the clutch, then I'd like to go ahead and replace the transmission now. That, and I can't really deal with equipment not behaving exactly as it should. An OCD quirk it may be, but there ya go.

Glenn, I figured I'd go ahead and have the clutch replaced as well in order to deal with exactly what you are describing. Looks like both parts together will cost about $150 on Genuine Appliance Parts. That's not too bad.

 

[repairguy]

Most businesses do not like to install parts that come from them for 2 reasons. They make some extra off of parts and distributors often give warranties to dealers who by parts from them so they can comfortably stand behind the repair. Personally I don’t have a problem installing parts the customer purchases as long as they understand there is no warranty whatsoever.

 

[qsd-dan]

If you get a new clutch, update it to a 6 pad instead of the stock 3 pad. <strong style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">8299642</strong>

 

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">This is another example that if one cannot restore a piece of equipment themselves, buy new with an extended warranty.</span>

 

[combo52]

Reply # 7

Hi Dan I can agree on buying new, but NEVER buy an extended warranty on things that you can afford to repair or replace, if you have to buy an extended warranty you generally have no business buying that product. Do without a dryer, DW etc until you can pay cash and have a reserve fund to cover repairs etc.

 

Extended warranties have a terrible return on investment, state lotteries literally pay off better for your money.

 

With extended warranties you have no control who fixes your appliance, how it is fixed, when it is fixed etc, etc.

 

I had yet another customer this afternoon that payed me to fix a Hotpoint dryer she got from Home Depot 15 months ago and had punched a 5 year warranty on and got tired of trying to get them to come out and fix for over a year, it was making a screeching noise you could hear all the way to the 3rd floor. They did send someone out once and said there was nothing wrong with it. When I took it apart the rear bearing sleeve had fallen down and out of its socket allowing the rear drum shroud to scrape metal to metal [ probably happened when the dryer was installed and was dropped in shipping ] It was an easy fix.

 

John L.

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #7

Dan, I bought the direct drive knowing there are people in my life who could help me fix it should things go wrong. That was not the case with the Maytag. Literally no one I know has any idea how to work on a machine that old. I feel confident that I can find someone to do the repairs I need on this DD machine though.

Unfortunately my financial situation doesn't allow for buying new unless I was to get another crappy VMW machine and I'm all good on that. I don't want to buy new unless or until I can afford something like an SQ TC5 or LG with turbo wash. And having a washer and dryer in my apt is imperative because there is no on-site laundry facility.

 

[qsd-dan]

With extended warranties you have no control who fixes your appliance, how it is fixed, when it is fixed etc, etc.

 

Depends. If one bought it online or at a big box store, they're probably screwed. If bought at a local mom and pop shop, it'll most likely be fixed and fixed correctly.

 

Do you or do you not offer extended warranties on new or used appliances?

 

if you have to buy an extended warranty you generally have no business buying that products.

 

This ain't the 1970's where appliances were better built and corporations went out of their way to right wrongs. I'm on other forums and read about people buying $3,000 Whirlpool refrigerators and $4,000 Bosch refrigerators and they're dying within months after purchase.

 

[ryner1988]

Update

I talked to my sister this morning and they're going to come in the next couple weeks so my bro-in-law can "repair" the washer. I say repair in quotes because it's not really broken, just want to patch some things up so that it will hopefully provide me good service for the foreseeable future. He's going to replace the transmission so that the neutral drain issue is fixed, and also the clutch. He is on the same page as qsd-dan in that a heavy duty clutch will be better so that's what we're going to do. Also probably going to upgrade my coupler to a heavy duty version as well.

These are the repairs he made to their direct drive machine a couple years ago. Anything else we should look at while the machine is apart and being serviced?