Whirlpool LLR9245BQ1 - basics?

[wns808]

Hello,

My name is Will and I am new to the forums. I recently acquired a Whirlpool washer and dryer set from my wife's aunt as her aunt bought a house last summer and had bought newer appliances, while leaving the Whirlpool washer/dryer set the prior owners left behind for me and my wife to use in our townhome. For this thread the focus will be on the Washer. I am unable to determine its exact age. I do however have the model and serial numbers. For the most part everything is original, except the coupler, pump were replaced last fall, along with a new agitator cam/dog kit installed as the original failed shortly after getting the washer.

Model #LLR9245BQ1
Serial #CE3680903

So far the washer works fine for the most part, a couple things however.

1) The motor sounds like its showing its age and sounds a bit strained. This washer does not get overloaded. I am also not sure of the condition of the other components on the machine as nearly everything is still original

2) When the washer hasn't been used in awhile, on the 1st drain, it will at times briefly drain without spinning, but will do a spin drain. After its "warmed up", the washer will drain without spinning, pause, and then kick in to the actual spin

3) When the washer comes to a stop after washing, rinsing or spinning, there's a notable squeak/squwak just before coming to a complete stop. a video will follow on the exact noise

Here are a few pics of my washer

 

[wns808]

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[wns808]

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[e2l-arry]

1997

Is where I'd put it's age. I had one like it, a few models lower, 2 speed 3 cycle, but it looked like yours. I bought that Whirlpool in March, 1997. Sorry I can't answer anything more.

 

[cornutt]

It sounds like the motor coupler is going out. This is a common issue with Whirlpool/Kenmore direct drive models, and it's a fairly easy repair.

 

[combo52]

WP DD Washer

Hi Will, Your washer was built the 36th week of 1995.

The problem you describe with the washer draining and then pausing and going into the actual spin is the way this washer is designed to work. After the washer has been agitating for a minute or more the transmission is supposed to just go into neutral when the motor reverses. The going directly into spin is actually a malfunction, and this is fairly common as these washers age, the good news is the washer will continue to work this way, but it may have more balance problems with light to medium loads if it does not pause to drain, you will also have possible problems with lint residue on clean clothing and clothing will not be rinsed quite as well if the washer spins while draining [ most people will not notice the difference however ].

To fix the spinning and draining problem you can either replace the complete transmission or if you want to get into it a little more you can remove the transmission change the oil and install a new neutral kit at the same time, this will make the machine work correctly again.

PS this is never caused by a failing drive coupling.

 

[wns808]

Thanks combo52. So for a near 20 year old machine, sounds like the neutral kit is failing. The spin-drain is hit or miss, there are times it will spin-drain, others when it'll neutral drain like normal. I was able to catch a few videos of the squeak, along with what seems to be an unhealthy sounding low speed compared to seeing other videos with a normal sounding low speed. Here is a video of the squeak when it shifts from Super Wash to drain.

 

[wns808]

Slow speed, also has the squeak during cycle change

 

[appnut]

What all you describe is common when I was still using my 1986 Lady Shredmore, which stopped being used when I got my front load washer. I always do nuymerous loads in succession. Before I started the first load I'd put it on normal cycle and let it go through the entire 6 minute final spin, 8 minutes if you included the 2 minutes used for "drain". Then I'd load up the machine and start washing. Not a problem after the transmission warmed up.

 

[mtn1584]

Neutral drain / spin drain............

is a non issue.....I have owned brand new out of the box Kenmore and Whirlpool washers that have done this....spin instead of nuetral drain, at times, and all it does is dump the softener prematurely...every single one of my washers did this, and I thought there was a problem...Sears and Whirlpool both assured me it was operating just fine....As a matter of fact I bought my mother a similar WP washer such as this in 1999 and that one did the same thing, not all the time, only sometimes, so don't waste your time worrying about the non neutral drain.
Mike

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I don't hear anything out of order:

My 1996 WP sounds the same in it's cycle phases. That washer is not making any unusual sounds that I can hear.
WK78

 

[wns808]

That's good to know about the neutral drain issue not being a serious problem. Thanks guys. Any ideas, however, as to what is causing the squeak when the washer stops from wash, pauses then changes to drain? Also I hear the same squeak at the end of spin

 

[kenmorebd]

Sounds normal to me, I will point out that different DD washers all seem to have a bit of a different sound. I have 02 Kenmore in my collection that has a loud motor, so loud that you dont hear the thunk a thunk washing sound. I had an 87/88 Whirlpool that would make very loud thunking and clunking noises, but ran fine.

ANDY

 

[combo52]

DD Washer Sounds

DD washers like many products make many different sounds that vary from machine to machine.

Will, the little squeak you hear as the machine stops sounds to me like the motors centrifugal switch reengaging as the motor comes to a stop, this will never likely cause a problem and I would even consider it a normal sound for some motors.

Andy, a clunking during agitation could never be caused by the motor but rather a transmission that is worn or out of ideal tolerance. One other thing that can cause a loud clunking during agitation on DD washers is a loose transmission mounting bolt or two, I would check the three mounting bolts, otherwise not worry about the sound as again different levels of clunking on DD washers can be considered normal and it is seldom an indication of impending problems.

As I mentioned in my previous post the lack of a neutral drain will not cause any SERIOUS problem, WP built these washers this way for the first few years, but they did go to major expense and trouble to engineer the neutral drain into their new washer design to solve several problems that were cropping up in the field as this new washer started to sell in volume, too date WP built more than 100 million of this design washer and still counting.

 

[kenmorebd]

I always thought that whirlpool might have been a bit loose. Thats one thing I love about them, very simple no fuss washers. To the OP I would not worry about the whirlpool, and happy washing!

 

[wns808]

Thanks guys, sounds like the machine is running fine and i'll continue to wash away. I'll definitely check in periodically and whenever the Whirlpool develops a problem. With the washer being a '95, I hope to get another 20 years out of it. After seeing repair videos on Youtube on these types of Whirlpool washers, it looks so easy to repair these Whirlpools on an owner p.o.v., instead of calling a repair guy to come out, fix the same part and get ripped off on labor. The pump, coupler and agitator cam kit/dogs that were mentioned in the beginning of this thread, I actually replaced on my own last fall c/o Youtube before finding out about this forum.