28 replies to this topic

[kdsimms]

We have a 14 month old Kenmore washer that makes a bunch of noise at the end of the spin cycle, just as it's finishing.

I suspect the gear drive is going bad and (of course) it's out of warranty.  Sears wants $60 just to knock on my door. 

Does anyone have any ideas?  I have to pull the paperwork out again, but I believe Sears covers the gear drive for longer than a year.  Am I just imagining that?

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

Ken

[XNSXMANNY]

describe the noise that it is making. that will help in finding out what it is

[kdsimms]

Hard to describe the noise. 

Once it gets to the end of the spin cycle and (I assume) power is turned off to the drive train, it sounds like several people beating on the sides of the washer, equal to the RPMs of the tub at the time.  And as the tub slows to a stop, the noise decreases in conjunction with the tub slowing down.

Hope that makes sense. 

Another way of looking at it is we don't need to use the buzzer alarm anymore to know when the wash is done.  I'm afraid to think about the damage that is occurring too.  It's been going on for the last few weeks now.

Thanks


:shock:

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Sounds like it might be a busted brake cam.  Drop that tranny and have a peek:

If that fanger is wallowed out or broken off, well, you done found the problem.

[kdsimms]

Ok, is there a trick to dropping the transmission to see the condition of the brake cam?  I removed the three mounting bolts and it budges alittle bit on the three mounting posts, but that's it. 

The electric motor is mounted on the side with two clips.  Do I have to remove the clips to disconnect the electric motor from the tranny?  Or is there a trick to this?

Thanks in advance.

Ken

[kdsimms]

Ok.  I pulled out a home repair book and the instructions it gives to pull the transmission is:

Open the cabinet.

Pull the agitator and tub.

Open the cabinet and lay it on it's back.

Then take the electric motor off the tranny

And then remove the tranny.

Do I really need to do all of these steps, just to pull the tranny?  Please advise.

If so, I might be calling the repair man to do all this work.

Thanks again.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=298]kdsimms[/user] wrote:

Do I really need to do all of these steps, just to pull the tranny?  Please advise.

If so, I might be calling the repair man to do all this work.

 

Yep.  Now you know why we make the big money.

[kdsimms]

Thanks a bunch.  I didn't realize it would be that involved.

Ken

[Budget Appliance Repair]

[user=298]kdsimms[/user] wrote:

Ok. I pulled out a home repair book and the instructions it gives to pull the transmission is:

Open the cabinet.

Pull the agitator and tub

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Even though Samurai said yes to everything.

You don't have to remove the tub, just the agitator to remove the transmission and check the brake cam. If you want to drop the brake/spin tube out then you will have to remove the tub.

Open the cabinet and lay it on it's back.

Then take the electric motor off the tranny

And then remove the tranny.

Do I really need to do all of these steps, just to pull the tranny? Please advise.

If so, I might be calling the repair man to do all this work.

Thanks again.

When you remove the agitator, check the condition of the drive block, this could be your problem.

After you done messing with the brake cam and if the brake/spin tube drops down, make sure you push it all the way back up before trying to reinstall the transmission. If you don't the tranmission won't go back in.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=36]Budget Appliance Repair[/user] wrote:

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Ok, so I just wanna be sure, Willie:  are you saying "no" here?  :laughing:

Thanks for catching that--  I read it too quickly and overlooked the "... and tub."

 

[kdsimms]

Willie (and Samurai),  

I'M BACK!!!! 

Thanks for the tip.  I didn't see your post before going back to the washer.  But I did figure out on my own that once the agitator was disconnected, the tranny would drop.

Ok, I have inspected the brake cam and it looks fine.  Is there anything else I can check/replace to eliminate this noise?? 

If not, I'm going to button it up and live with the noise until it breaks.

Thanks,

Ken

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Look at the drive block while you have the agitator off:

[kdsimms]

You may have located the problem.  The interior of the drive block has very fine metal filings in there.  I don't know if you can see but it's like a paste in there.

So what now?  Remove and replace the block?  Is there a trick to removing the block?  Do you think there are any other parts to consider replacing?

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Ken%20Simms.KEN-COMPUTER/Desktop/WasherDriveBlock.jpg

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Now you'll remove and replace the druive block. No trick, just remove the inner basket, you'll need a spanner wrench for this.

[kdsimms]

Ok, I had to go out and purchase a spanner wrench (probably will use it once in my lifetime).  And I'm ready to remove and replace the drive block.  

Do I need a special tool (also) to remove the drive block? 

I would like to know before I jump into this repair and go to the trouble of pulling the cabinet top off and pulling the tub out.  I'm looking fo the least down time as possible.  More time for Beer!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ken

:gimmebeer:

[kdsimms]

Do I need a special tool (also) to remove the drive block? 

I would like to know before I jump into this repair and go to the trouble of pulling the cabinet top off and pulling the tub out.  I'm looking fo the least down time as possible.  More time for Beer!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ken

:gimmebeer:

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Just a hammer. Once you remove the inner basket, tap upwards on the drive block to remove, like ahso:

[Printman]

It appears we have the same problem, although my washer is a 90 series. But it makes a hell of a banging noise during the spin cycle. If I hold the agitator during the spin cycle it goes away.

I have replaced the "dogs", the drive block, and inspected the cam brake, all to no avail. I guess I may have to replace the xmsn.

Did you find your problem? Thanks.

[kdsimms]

I have not pulled the drive block yet.  It *appears* to be the problem because of the metal filings I found in and around the drive block.  If this doesn't fix the problem, I'm going to let it run till it dies.

And I can tell you two things -

I won't be purchasing any more Kenmore/Whirlpool washers and they won't be getting any recommendations from me to friends to purchase.  Apparently there's no quality control before/during/after manufacturing.

Ken  :headbang:

(One disappointed Kenmore washer customer)

[Printman]

I hear ya!!! I would not bet on the drive block being your problem, although I hope it is, they are pretty cheap. I replaced all the cheap stuff, down to the xmsn. So I think its going to cost me about 150.00 bucks for a new xmsn to fix this.

Or, hell, Since the problem goes away when I hold the agitator still during the spin cycle,  my wife and kids might just take turns holding it while we do the wash!!!!

Hope you get it fix , cheap.

John