29 replies to this topic

[john63]

<<<and still have enough left over for a comfortable retirement aboard your 80-foot dream yacht with a full crew and harem.>>>

 

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That little thing?

 

Business was so good that I sold it.

 

This one is on order---when it's done---bring your wives again and we'll ROCK !

 

 

 

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[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The UE error was what caused the splutch to go.

 

Nyet, tovarish-- error codes don't cause anything except maybe gas and bile in folks who don't understand them.  The computer throws a "best guess" error code based on a failure condition that has already occurred.   

[Alcamo]

With this machine, the UE code causes it to go back, fills with water, moves the load around and keeps trying and trying and trying to balance and spin the load, running for hours and hours on end.  The 3 tries and give up that the manual states is BS, it doesn't know how to count to 3 and goes into an endless loop.  It does it with the new PCB and timing board too.   The machine goes into groundhog day mode until you shut it off or pause it manually. 

 

Lots of "energy saving" with this thing...

 

Spoke with Sears rep, and they said they have to take it higher up the chain to see what can be done.  I wish this one had spun itself apart like many of it's bretheren, would have make things easier.   

[john63]

<<<the UE code causes it to go back, fills with water, moves the load around and keeps trying and trying and trying to balance and spin the load, running for hours and hours on end.>>>

 

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Most likely a software glitch.

 

If the MAIN BOARD became damaged by some type of "event"---replacing the Main Board would resolve the endless false Unbalanced Load detection/correction attempts.

 

However---if there's a manufacturing glitch--this would then potentially affect all of the MAIN BOARDS in a model-specific washer (or several models).

 

Case-in-point...

 

A few years back---a bulletin was published about a single model of LG front load washer (I forgot the model number).

 

The *fault* was that---during the spin cycle---the entire tub assembly could spin-out-of-control (no active imbalance detection).

 

The end result was always identical...

 

1) The entire tub assy fell to floor-level (jumped the support springs)

 

2) At least 1 strut/damper was broken (sometimes 2)

 

3) The door gasket was yanked off the front of the washer (sometimes torn/ripped)

 

4) The side panel sheetmetal may have dents from the tub assy slamming into it.

 

The correction was to replace the MAIN BOARD (revised) and the strut/damper(s)

 

Any other damage was also authorized for replacement if needed.

 

For those cases where the side panels were dented/damaged---the washer was exchanged for another.

[Alcamo]

Main board was changed, manufacture date on the replacement is 4 months ago, so it must has latest software updates on it.  Does the same thing the original board did.  I'm putting the old boards back if Sears/LG decides to do a courtesy replace on this.  Board was on back order for about 3 weeks, I don't know if anything can be read into that or not. 

 

This things beating me like a rented mule.

[john63]

<<<Main board was changed>>>

 

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Yes--I know.

 

Just explaining how problems and their solutions are found/resolved---can be *months* before it is noticed.

 

If there's an as yet---undocumented fault/failure that is specific to your model washer---then that would mean *all* of the Main Boards are defective (or have a high potential for failure at some point).

 

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<<<This things beating me like a rented mule.>>>>

 

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I can imagine---it's frustrating to say the least.

As unpleasant (and a waste of your valuable time) as it may be---stay after Sears (the selling dealer) for an exchange.

Determined but calm persistence is more effective than threats and screaming :)

 

[Alcamo]

The problem has abated, don't know if it will return. 

 

I am a Teutonic automotive tech by trade, and like that intermittent no start that only happens when the car is anywhere but the shop, or worse, that defective brand new OEM module which doesn't self diagnose, I couldn't admit defeat on this one.  My manhood was at stake, and I didn't want to deal with holiday family chatter which would inevitably come around to "Mr. Trusted with $100k German cars gets stumped by a washing machine" banter.

 

I can't say for sure, but this is my interpretation of what was going on.  I started thinking about the comments (thanks, everyone who assisted) and cause/effect.  Going back to the beginning and retracing all the steps, everything that was and wasn't done, and the aftermath.  First repair was the splutch, which was broken in two,  machine was repeating the cycle which caused the sputch to fail, machine would run forever, cycle would not end, NO error codes, the thing would go back to a random part of the cycle and do it all again. 

 

New PCB board and timing board ordered and installed, there was a change, instead of going to random cycle it would give a code, UE, and keep trying.  Bad board, what are the chances, go back to basics, to change the splutch what was molested?  Let's treat the UE as a REAL error code (even though the basket looked solid as a rock when spinning), changed hall sender, no change.  Hmmm

 

What could cause this, took the washer apart, checked everything, cleaned a little bit of lint here an there, put it back together, same thing, UE error.  Flywheel, rotor, damn thing is heavy.  Checked it, and the manual, there is no index mark on this, it can be installed any which way.  Is this such a perfectly made part that it's perfectly balanced no matter what,  my automotive experience tells me a big no, there is no Santa Claus.

 

I take the rotor off, and mark it's position on the splines.  Put it back by advancing it 3 spline teeth.   Put the machine through it's paces, UE error, but it occurs a 2 minutes BEFORE it was occuring on the last run.  Pull the rotor off again, and set it back in the other direction by 6 splines (retarding it 3 from where it was.   Run machine, aha, the machine goes an extra 4 minutes before the dreaded UE error pops up.  Pop the rotor off again and move it two splines at a time....do this 2 more times, and I'll be damned if the machine didn't make it all the way to the ellusive end of the cycle!  I did it twice, and it went to the end of cycle, TWICE, of goody goody, happy days.  The greater the agony of the trip, the greater the euphoria at the end of the trail. 

 

It's been 3 days now, the wife has put 7 or 8 loads through the machine, and it's still functioning as it should.  Is it fixed, I don't know, will it happen again, I don't know, was it a slightly off center rotor, I don't know, did I accidently "fix" a yet unknown fault by accident during all this, I don't know. 

 

All I know is that the damn thing is working again, and I am grateful for all the insight and help offered here to get to this point.  If it makes it to the New Year in this condtion, the test period will be over and I'll call it a success after that. 

[john63]

Outstanding.

 

If I lived in your area---and had a BMW/Mercedes---I'd definitely use you as my go-to service tech :)

[certified tech group 51]

Appears you just had to set the 'timing' correctly....... .......good catch, I hope I will remember this when I get this type of service  call..........

[Alcamo]

A followup, as promised.  Today is almost a month, and all is still well, machine works as well as it ever has.

 

“All good things arrive unto them that wait - and don't die in the meantime” as Mark Twain was reported to have said.