Speed Queen AWNE92SP113TW01 Repair or Replace?

[kc27]

I have an approximately 10 year old Speed Queen top load washer that will not spin, it just makes a loud clicking sound. An appliance technician diagnosed it as a failed transmission, and said it requires part #203768 Transmission and Lip Seal Kit and 766P3A Kit Hub & Lip Seal, a nearly $1100 repair.

Is this a do it yourself repair, or is it time to scrap the unit?

[citizenX]

Sounds like you're not dealing with an authorized Speed Queen servicer? The transmission has a 15 year part warranty on that unit and that part number (203768 trans kit) already comes with the lip seal kit and sealant included. You would just be responsible for the labor and service call (if they charge one). It's a big job to be sure, but not $1100 in labor big. 

As far as doing it yourself, it can be done if you're handy but it is quite a job indeed. I've been doing those for 35 years and even with the parts under warranty, there are times when everything is just completely stuck or corroded and you can get into a lot of $$$ and a LOT of cussing. 

What I do on those older-ish units is to order the outer tub/transmission kit #204568 which already has the tub seal installed in the tub and includes the transmission. That makes it so much easier instead of beating on things to get it all apart and having to mess with the tub seal. That outer tub/trans kit is also under the 15 year part warranty. There may be some other parts needed (belt, idler, drive pulley, etc.) that aren't covered but those aren't that expensive. 

I'd call Speed Queen or go online speedqueen.com and find an authorized servicer in your area and go from there. Depends what they want to charge in labor but it shouldn't be anywhere near $1100. 

[citizenX]

Of course, all that is based on if it is in fact actually the transmission that has failed. I have had over loaded machines or something stuck in the tub that caused the little white drive cam to ramp up over the edge of the drive pulley and it will just keep slipping off without turning the transmission because of the rounded over edges on the cams. That noise could also be a belt, or a seized tub bearing due to a leaking tub seal that caused it, or even a motor issue. Yes it could be a bad transmission but bad trannny's on these honestly don't happen all that often.  I'd probably advise you to go ahead and spend the service call and have a real SQ authorized servicer take a look at it and give you an honest evaluation. 

Edited June 5 by citizenX

[Budget Appliance Repair]

15 hours ago, citizenX said:

Yes it could be a bad transmission but bad trannny's on these honestly don't happen all that often.  I'd probably advise you to go ahead and spend the service call and have a real SQ authorized servicer take a look at it and give you an honest evaluation. 

This - I just had a local laundry facility at a marina call me to work on this same type of problem after they had someone else tell them it need a new transmission.

They purchased the transmission kit and replaced it themselves and still had the banging noise and no spin.   They called me out and I told them I doubted that it needed a transmission in the first place - I can't recall every seeing one of these transmission fail in the 39 years I've been doing appliance repair.

I think when they put a new drive helix on they tightened only till the transmission started turning and didn't hold the helix so it didn't seat the helix all the way down on the drive shaft, (the new helix and drive pulley ramps where melted down).

I installed a new pulley and helix and made sure the helix has seated all the way down and it worked OK.

[kc27]

I found my paperwork on the washer. We bought it new in March 2016. The washer does agitate, it does pump water, it just won't spin. I took the cover off the washer and recorded a video of the source of the noise when it is in the spin cycle. Here is a link to the video.

A different, Speed Queen authorized, technician is coming later this week. He was skeptical the transmission had failed. The first guy saw oil leakage, that's why he said the transmission had failed.

[citizenX]

50 minutes ago, kc27 said:

I found my paperwork on the washer. We bought it new in March 2016. The washer does agitate, it does pump water, it just won't spin. I took the cover off the washer and recorded a video of the source of the noise when it is in the spin cycle. Here is a link to the video.

A different, Speed Queen authorized, technician is coming later this week. He was skeptical the transmission had failed. The first guy saw oil leakage, that's why he said the transmission had failed.

I watched the video and that "machine gun" sound is exactly what it will do when the plastic ramps on the helix or drive pulley get rounded over and keep slipping off each other as it turns instead of pushing up and dis-engaging the brake, or if the bolt on the bottom of the trans shaft came loose and isn't holding the drive helix up all the way up.  In fact, you can see the white helix at the very bottom is barely turning while the drive pulley is just slipping over it. They should both be engaged and turning together when in spin mode. What I do in this case is to remove the belt and try to manually turn the pulley from underneath to see if the brake releases and if the trans will turn and if the bolt it tight. If the brake releases and the trans turns then it may just need a new helix and/or drive pulley. Of course, the trans or upper bearing could be locked up or there could be something jamming the tub from turning but the Speed Queen tech should be able to verify what's up. Regardless, the limited part warranty should cover the trans/seal kit parts (or tub/trans/seal kit) if that's what it needs. That's a good machine. Probably worth putting a few bills into to get it back in service even if the transmission isn't the problem. 

Edited June 11 by citizenX

[kc27]

I will update the post once the tech determines what is going on. The technician who is coming this week said sometimes clothing can jam between the inner and outer tubs. I wondered how that could happen, and found this explanation on YouTube.

Based on that explanation. should you keep the level of clothes a certain amount below the rim of the tub? The directions in the washer's user's manual doesn't really state how high you can fill the tub, just not to push clothes down to add more.

From the manual: Drop items loosely into the washtub. The bulk of the clothes
rather than the weight will determine load size. Do not pack
items in or wrap them around the agitator. Overloading can
cause poor cleaning, excessive wrinkling and tears.

[citizenX]

Speed Queen washers can typically handle an overload reasonably well (within reason) but my experience is when the clothes are really stacked up, a small sock or a light item like women's underwear can get sucked in in-between the inner and outer tubs. It looks almost impossible to happen, but that small less than 1/2" gap in-between the top of the wash tub and tub cover is the only way anything can get in there. I've never seen anything larger than a washcloth get in-between the tubs but even a small sock can get balled up in between the tubs and jam it up, if it doesn't get sucked down into the drain pump first.  A good indicator if your speed queen is being overloaded is to look at the white plastic edges at the top of the tub balance ring and bottom edge of the tub cover (where that gap is). If the plastic is all frayed and peeling, then that's where the clothes are literally rubbing on the plastic when in spin as they're trying to get sucked into that gap. That will only happen if the machine is overloaded. 

Common sense is the best judge here. I have customers who think that because the machine says "Commercial Heavy Duty" on the console (at least the newer ones do), that they can load it full to the top and pack it down with a broom stick to make room for more. No joke. Any experienced tech knows about the broomstick and baseball bat people! 

 

 

[evaappliance]

On 6/5/2024 at 3:40 PM, citizenX said:

Of course, all that is based on if it is in fact actually the transmission that has failed.

so many techs take calls on speed queen when they know absolutely nothing about how they work , always use a authorized speed queen tech 

[evaappliance]

it is very unlikely you have a bad transmission

[evaappliance]

All this being said the new version of the washer you have is a tc5003wn and it sells for 1329.00. With a 5 year warranty, So I wouldn’t put 1100.00 in yours.  

[kc27]

The Speed Queen authorized technician was here today and said the transmission is fine. The washer needs a new drive pulley and helix. He said the water pump drive was somewhat worn, so he replaced the pump. He did not have the pulley, so he will be returning to complete the job. He said otherwise the machine was in great shape. 

[citizenX]

58 minutes ago, kc27 said:

The Speed Queen authorized technician was here today and said the transmission is fine. The washer needs a new drive pulley and helix. He said the water pump drive was somewhat worn, so he replaced the pump. He did not have the pulley, so he will be returning to complete the job. He said otherwise the machine was in great shape. 

Well that's relatively good news. I had a feeling it was just the helix and drive pulley, so sounds like lots of life left in this one.