16 replies to this topic

[robhillyer]

I'm sure you've gone over this a thousand times, but I'm a real newbie and not very confident. (Kudos, by the way on the awesome site)

I took off the case, removed the pump and motor (thanks to your excellent instructions) and located the drive coupler. Unfortunately it looks like the picture of the new one, not the old worn one. Now the washer is 8 years old, but there is very little wear on the coupler and none of the holes looked stretched. I know the part isn't too expensive, but I hate ordering it if it's not the problem. How can I be sure it needs to be replaced?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

I'm sure you've gone over this a thousand times, but I'm a real newbie and not very confident. (Kudos, by the way on the awesome site)

Good question, this one actually doesn't come up all that often. 

If the coupler looks new, then it ain't the problem.  Let's flesh-out the symptoms a little more:  Does the washer fill with water and then just stop?  Can you manually advance the timer to spin and make the washer spin?  Do you know how to use a mutimeter to make simple electrical measurements?  Answering these questions will help shape our troubleshooting approach.

[robhillyer]

I can manually advance the timer to fill and drain at the appropriate times, just without aggitation or spin.

I do have an inexpensive (ie. cheap) multimeter and can do basic things like check continuity.

Just to give you a touch more background...

I put in a load of laundry and left for awhile, when I returned the washer had gone through all it's cycles, but the clothes were dripping wet. I reset the timer to spin and it whirred away (very loudly) and didn't spin. I set the machine timer back to wash to see what would happen, it filled with water and then whirred away without aggitating. I advanced the timer to spin and it drained (again while whirring)...

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Very high probabiltiy that the coupler is actually bad, just not in the normal noticable way.

This kind of through me once on the first one I had like this, looked at coupler from underneath and all appeared ok, motor ran to pump out but still no spin or agitate.

Try to take the plastic parts, (one on motor/ one on transmission), off by hand -- don't try to pry them off.

You will probably find one will slip off real easily.

The center of one of the plastic parts has rounded out -- maybe -- so it appears to be turning but is not turning the transmission shaft.

Most likely one to find rounded out is the one the transmission input shaft.

William Burk (Willie)
Willie's Budget Appliance Repair
Eureka, CA 95501

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

I took off the case, removed the pump and motor (thanks to your excellent instructions) and located the drive coupler. Unfortunately it looks like the picture of the new one, not the old worn one.

Rob, you did pull the coupler out and get some eyeballs on it, didn't you?

[robhillyer]

I did remove the coupler, all 3 pieces. The black rubber center piece looks like the new one in the photo, not stretched at all. The 2 white end pieces aren't worn, the centers are curved on 2 sides and flat on 2 sides, and have all three posts intact on them. I tried placing the white end pieces first on the motor and then on the transmission and turning them. They both fit very snuggly on the 2 shafts (motor and tranny) with virtually no play and easily turn both shafts in either direction without any slippage when turning by hand. When turning the transmission shaft, I can turn it in both directions and the agitator slowly moves along with it, in either direction.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ok, coupler's good.  Revert back to my previous questions, repeated here for your viewing pleasure:

If the coupler looks new, then it ain't the problem.  Let's flesh-out the symptoms a little more:  Does the washer fill with water and then just stop?  Can you manually advance the timer to spin and make the washer spin?  Do you know how to use a mutimeter to make simple electrical measurements?  Answering these questions will help shape our troubleshooting approach.

[robhillyer]

I can manually advance the timer to fill and drain at the appropriate times, just without agitation or spin.

I do have an inexpensive (ie. cheap) multimeter and can do basic things like check continuity.

The timer seems okay, at least it seemed to be advancing through the cycles when I noticed it wasn't agitating or spining, and the pump drains it just fine. I tried to check as best I could to see if anything was jamming it and saw nothing, though I'm honestly not sure what I'm looking for.....

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

When you set the timer on spin or agitate and the motor is running, use a mirror and flashlight to visually verify that the transmission side of the coupler is turning as well.  If it is, then we have a bad clutch or transmission, or a broken drive cam. 

[robhillyer]

Okay, time for another newbie question.....

I've got the machine put back together (with no parts left over, I hate when that happens) and I'm all set to see if the transmission side of the coupler is actually turning when it agitates or spins. HOWEVER, I know I can just fill the tub w/ a small load of water and have it agitate, but it won't spin and drain unless the lid is closed (depressing that little switch under the lid) and I can't do that without the case being on (eliminating my view of whats happening).

How can I jumper the connection (female connector w/ grey, green/white and light brown wires) so I can see if it spins without putting the case back on (only way I can actually make the connection)?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

How can I jumper the connection (female connector w/ grey, green/white and light brown wires) so I can see if it spins without putting the case back on (only way I can actually make the connection)?

With the cabinet off, jumper the two outer wires together on the lid switch harness (the white plastic one in the middle).  Best to apply the jumper from the back of the harness, use an insulated piece of wire with about 1/2" stripped off each end and shoved into the back of the harness connector.

[robhillyer]

[user=1]Samurai Appliance Repair Man[/user] wrote:

When you set the timer on spin or agitate and the motor is running, use a mirror and flashlight to visually verify that the transmission side of the coupler is turning as well.  If it is, then we have a bad clutch or transmission, or a broken drive cam. 

 

Not sure if I'm looking in the right place but....

The coupler that connects to the transmission shaft is turning freely,  as is the transmission shaft....

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

The coupler that connects to the transmission shaft is turning freely,  as is the transmission shaft....

And you checked this with the lid switch jumped out and the washer running?  In other words, the transmission side of the coupler is spinning right along with the motor side of the coupler with the motor energized, right?  Ok then, definitely big trouble in little China-- you got yerself a bad transmission, compadre.

[robhillyer]

[user=1]Samurai Appliance Repair Man[/user] wrote:

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

The coupler that connects to the transmission shaft is turning freely,  as is the transmission shaft....

And you checked this with the lid switch jumped out and the washer running?  In other words, the transmission side of the coupler is spinning right along with the motor side of the coupler with the motor energized, right?  Ok then, definitely big trouble in little China-- you got yerself a bad transmission, compadre.

Yep, lid switched jumped, motor running and both sides of the coupler are spinning away.....

So, is this something I stand a reasonable chance of fixing on my own?

If not is it something worth paying to have fixed or should I start shopping for a new washer?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=103]robhillyer[/user] wrote:

So, is this something I stand a reasonable chance of fixing on my own?

 

Depends on how mechanical you are.  These washers are a peach to work on, that's one of the nice things about them  Changing out a transmission shouldn't take a first-timer more than 1.5647 hrs.  It rates about 3 mugs on the SUDS-o-meter.

What's the model number?

[robhillyer]

[user=1]Samurai Appliance Repair Man[/user] wrote:

It rates about 3 mugs on the SUDS-o-meter.

What's the model number?

Okay, I think I can handle 3 mugs.....

It's a Whirlpool LSR7233E QO

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Here's the transmission you need: