WP Kenmore question...

[1966_mustang]

I was checking out this Youtube Video on a 1966 WP and Notice while it was running it was making a Strang distinct wine sound.... Even when it is washing the Sound seems to oscilate with the agitation... what is this? I heard this before when I was really young and never could figure where this sound was coming from and why?
It sound like it needs fixing but the funny thing is I have heard this whine nois on Kenmores too...maybe some of you guys who fix and work on these these machine can finally tell me what this is..

Here is the link just copy and paste this in a browser...



thanks..

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Whining sound

What you are hearing is what's Known as the Woo-Woo sound. These WP belt drive mechanisms are famous for that. It is their signature sound along with the grind,click,clunk when the spin is engaged.
Nick

 

[1966_mustang]

So... where does it come from and why do some have this sound and other don't......

When I was around 4 or maybe 5 years old we had either a Kenmore or a Whirlpool that made this sound when it ran. The machine was down in the dark basement, this sound was loud so to speak...use to scare the day lights out of me...Never to this day could figure what made this sound on the machine...

 

[yogitunes]

Its the transmission making that sound during agitation while engaged.....more or less under strain of water and clothes....some make the sound very loud, others, like one I have, you can't hear it....and for a few, even the belt can count for the sound of these machines...some quieter than others...

distinct to the Kenmore/Whirlpool beltdrive machines....

 

[1966_mustang]

I searching this sight and I can't believe they have a name for this sound.... LOL

 

[yogitunes]

Its not really a sound....its this little guy named Darren, kinda like a washer smurf, who's under there making this woo-woo-woo-woo sound for you....he's not in all machines....lol

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Sounds

Even Direct Drives have their sounds. Particularly for their agitation and neutral drain cycles.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

err... make that sound names*

 

[cfz2882]

woo-woo sound

i have noticed BDs will often woo-woo at different frequencys-even the same year
and models-seems to be a resonance between the belt,motor,and transmission with
other factors possibly affecting the sound/woo-woo frequency. My 24"BDs,'77and'80
do not woo-woo,but they have a polygroove"serpentine"type belt instead of the
notched v-belt of the big BDs.Earlier 24"BDs also had a v-belt,but i have not
heard one of those.

 

[revvinkevin]

If I may.........

 
Actually.... The "woo-woo-woo" sound is because of and comes from the drive belt, period.  It's a "V" belt on all belt drive models.   The majority of the machines have the "standard" belt, which has teeth or notches on the inside of the belt, the part that rides down in the groove of the pulley.  As the belt goes around, these "teeth" make contact with the pulley and this makes this "woo" sound.   The frequency, or pitch of the "woo" changes based on the speed of the belt and the load on the machine.  

 

This is much the same way a 4X4 truck with big knobby off-road tires makes a "woooo" noise as it drives down the road.   It's because of the grooves in the tire tread.  The noise the machine makes is the same for the same reason.  

 

The one difference is the upper end and TOL models.  They have what's called the "quiet pack".  These quiet pack machines do not make the same "woo-woo" sound because they use a different, narrower, non-toothed belt (plus different rubber insulator bushings where the motor is mounted).  This quiet pack belt makes these models VERY quiet!

 

Kevin

 

 

 

[revvinkevin]

By the way 1966 Mustang......

 
 
The '66 Whirlpool in the video you list the address for above, sounds EXTREMELY slow and labored, as if it's over loaded OR the belt is loose (or perhaps just on the slow speed).
 
This '82 WP sounds much more like a belt drive "should".
  
<iframe width="640" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> 

And here is an example of a "quiet pack" machine. This is my 1970 Kenmore 800 washer.
If you skip to 2:15 you easily hear just how quiet it is... and there is no "woo-woo" sound, just the hum of the motor.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[brianl]

The '66 & '82 Whirlpools

Those are both my machines, so I can explain the laboring agitation. The belt on the '66 was extremely loose, which almost knowing nothing, did not think to check first lol. It was causing the belt to slip badly. What you saw was technically regular speed, although you wouldn't have guessed. The '82 was tensioned much better. Since then, the '66 is much better, though not as fast as the '82.

I love to woo-woo sounds are my favorite along with the clunk's into spin and agitation. I did notice on the Kenmore I got from Martin, it does not have the woo-woo so much, more like the 2nd video above.