Maytag MLE2000AYW washer AND dryer broken

[DeathStalker]

Hey,

 

I asked about this earlier but the people decided they didn't want to repair the washer but then the dryer broke as well.

 

WASHER: The girls said the clothes were too wet at the end of the cycle. I have the manual, and for the washer have followed the trouble shooting to the second to last step and it's either the motor or motherboard. However, how do I check the RPM's? The manual says the motor needs to tumble at 50 RPM's. Then if it DOES tumble at 50 RPM's (in all three phases, A,B, and C), it says check for causes outside the motor circuitry. I don't know what that would be, the flow chart ends there .

 

DRYER: Again, the girls say it tumbles but doesn't dry. I can't find a flow chart in the manual for the dryer like they have for the washer. On page 3-15 of the manual there is a small section: If Dryer will not heat (motor runs) check the following.......... which lists 7 items, but unlike I the washer section I don't see how to check them, this includes:

1. Open heating element

2. Hi Limit thermostat is open or trips too soon

3. Cycling thermostat trips too soo or is open

4. Temperature switch miswired or open (the unit is 10 years old, this one seems unlikely)

5. Timer Functional (they let it go for a long time the girl said, so this one also seems unlikely)

6. Drive motor centrifugal start switch not allowing voltage to gas valve or heating element.

 

GENERAL: I also don't see an easy way to disconnect the top (dryer) from the bottom (washer). As I stupidly brought this thing home from the house it was in, I have to takeit back, which includes one bitch of a staircase. Does this thing not simply break into two units? It sure didn't look like it from the manual..........

 

Thanks

[Anytime Nick]

those early neptunes were pretty notorious for bad wax motors on the door latch assembly. tends to also fry one of the resistors on the control board near the bottom left. this will cause it not to enter high spin. as far as the dryer, have you verified that there is NO heat? if it does heat and is not drying, could just be a clogged exhaust

[DeathStalker]

Anytime Nick: I'm not sure where or what the wax motor is. I see it referenced in the manual and I see on page 2-3 that it should have 950-1100 ohms at room temperature, (it also tells me HOW to check it both through the console AND with an ohm meter), but I don't see where it is. Is wax motor another name for door lock?

 

EDIT: I did not verify there was no heat. It was unusual circumstances and I had to remove the whole unit and bring it home. Is there anything harmful about plugging it in and running the dryer cycle in my kitchen without venting it outside for one cycle of clothes?

Edited January 31, 2013 by DeathStalker

[DeathStalker]

Can anyone help? I'm in a bit of a time crunch here. It took me a little while to do what I have done as I am just an egg, but I have kind of reached the end of my knowledge. I like to do things myself but I also know when to ax for some help.

Edited February 1, 2013 by DeathStalker

[RegUS_PatOff]

. I have the manual,

the service manual ?

http://appliantology.org/files/file/121-maytag-neptune-stacked-electric-mle2000-16009127/

[DeathStalker]

issued 7/98? Yep. I have it twice lol. One that has in green lettering at the bottom of every page: "For more help see Samurai Appliance Repair Man at WWW.FixitNow.com" and one that doesn't. Other than the green lettering at the bottom of the page they say the same thing. You sent me one, someone else from here sent me the other.

[Anytime Nick]

there's nothing wrong with running the dryer without the venting for a test, since its electric. Just don't do it with a gas dryer. You might get some lint in the kitchen but that's it. give me a few minutes to get to a computer and i can help you a little more with the wax motor

Edited February 1, 2013 by Anytime Nick

[DeathStalker]

Cool. Thanks. I thought I might try the dryer in my kitchen (don't ask why I have a 4 pronged dryer outlet in my kitchen lol) so I could test what you said already. Not that I don't trust the young ladies, I just like to be thorough.

[tpoindexter]

Item 19 is wax motor

[DeathStalker]

Thanks tpoindexter. With that drawing I was able to find it on page 5-5. Cool. I'll heck it out tomorrow. Although it's only 9 I am beat, and have to go to bed, been a long month.

 

Thanks for the help I've gotten so far and look forward to whatever else I can get.

 

Was I correct in that this puppy doesn't separate very easily (the dryer from the washer)?

[Anytime Nick]

Yep, #19 in the above diagram is what you're looking for.

Heres a little info about the door lock wax motor quoted from the service manual, that you may have missed:

DOOR LOCK WAX MOTOR OUTPUT
The Door Lock Wax Motor Output signal powers a wax motor in the door lock assembly.
The wax motor extends to drive the door lock system for the washer.

If the washer is started with the timer set in a Prewash Tumble, Main Wash Tumble, or Light Wash Tumble increment, the machine control will wait for three minutes before energizing the Door Lock Wax Motor Output. This delay is not affected by water level. This output remains energized until the end of the cycle.

If the washer is started with the timer set in a Prewash Drain, Bleach Dispense, Spin1, Rinse Tumble, Spin2, or Spin3 increment, the machine control will energize this output immediately.

The machine control will continuously energize the Door Lock Wax Motor Output during the final (Spin3) sequence until 30 seconds before the washer begins to coast from the final speed.

Door Lock/Spin Control
When the machine control begins a spin increment, it will not command spin speed above 51 rpm unless the Door Lock Switch Input is energized. At the start of a spin increment, the machine control will drop the speed to 0 rpm then tumble until the switch is energized. At that point, it will restart the  spin sequence. If the door lock switch is not energized after 2 minutes of tumbling, the machine control will energize the timer motor output until the timer inputs change so the washer can proceed with the cycle.

Tumbles Only:
When the door lock mechanism is in the "locked" mode, the wax motor has extended, forcing the  latch axle to engage the door lock enable switch. This ensures the door is fully locked and the  switch can then complete the signal back to the machine control board indicating the door is locked. Check connector P3(7)/YL 36 wire to verify that the terminal is making good contact to the board terminal. Check the door lock enable switch for continuity when the button is depressed. Replace door lock mechanism if necessary.




Basically, the wax motor has a shaft that it just pushes forward when it is energized, and this action locks the door, and also hits a microswitch on the other side, to tell the control, "hey, the door is really locked!" Then the control knows that is OK to go ahead and spin at full speed. So check the resistance of the wax motor, make sure its getting 120v from the control when it's supposed to, but also, make sure its hitting that microswitch. Also make sure the microswitch is actually closing when depressed, and of course check all the wire terminals to make sure they're not just oxidized and not making a good connection.

If its just a case of the shaft of the wax motor not extending quite far enough to hit the switch, that can usually be solved with just a little piece of cardboard behind the spring (#2 in the diagram above)

Also, take a look at the flow chart on page 3-6 in the service manual.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Anytime Nick

[RegUS_PatOff]

... I thought I might try the dryer in my kitchen (don't ask why I have a 4 pronged dryer outlet in my kitchen lol)

 

notice the difference in the top Neutral connection

4 pronged Range Outlet

 

 

 

OR

a 4 pronged Dryer Outlet ?

[RegUS_PatOff]

DRYER: Again, the girls say it tumbles but doesn't dry.

doesn't heat at all ?

 

first. check & re-set you House Circuit Breaker

Then set the Dryer for Air-Fluff / no heat

While the Dryer is running, test for 120v from each of the following to chassis / ground

Each side of Heater Element to chassis

Each side of Hi-lit Thermostat to chassis

[DeathStalker]

Thanks guys. I'll get right on those suggestions after I go to the gym and report back on the results. Is there any reason why I CAN'T stick my skinny attachment on my shopvac in the dryer to suck out any lint (if there is any, I don't see a build up)?

 

Reg: The old folks who had this house beforeI did put a Bosch washer/dryer in the kitchen. The plug I have is for a dryer (which has gone out andi have to fix whenI finish this one). I'm using those connections to test this unit. Given the renter situation at the other house it was just easier to bring it home.

 

The  idiot contractor who did the work in thehouse set the Maytag unit, hooked it up, and then built the closet around it. I had to dismantle the closet to get it out just so I could get to it to test anything. I've never seen such stupidity. It was worse than the picture in the warstories section here where the guy built a cabinet around his unit. It combined several of the stories in this thread , it was bigger (and taller) than the closet opening, it was in a raised lip fiber glass pan, had built in shelf above it, was upstairs, (both ways lol)........ you name it. The things you do for friends........ But hey, they gave me a coffee mug from the Singapore Embassy..........

[Anytime Nick]

Although there could be a clog in the dryer itself, just do a quick test first. If it DOES in fact have good heat, and it is blowing out strong from the dryer, then it would be a clog somewhere between where the duct hooks up to the wall, and where it exits the house.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

On the washer, sometimes the little z-spring behind the wax motor gets compressed and doesn't allow the wax motor to make the spin enable switch even when it's fully extended.   The usual trick is to stretch the z-spring a bit and then put it back in.  Or just replace it ==> http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Clip/22003717/1000770

 

 

 

The other thing to check the out of balance (OOB) circuit.  Easiest way to check this is to disconnect the P2 and P3 connectors on the machine control board and check continuity from P2-4 to P3-1 on the wire harness connectors.  Not uncommon to find a corroded or lose connection on the displacement sensors.  

[DeathStalker]

Sweet. Thanks Samurai and Nick. Had a little emergency today so I wasn't able to do much today but I'll get on it tomorrow. About all I'm good for now is boiling up these Louisianna Crawfish I got today..........

[DeathStalker]

Hey guys, thanks for the help and the quick responses when I said it was time sensitive. Had an emergency come up and didn't get to get it done as fast as I needed to. The girls are pissed and I hate it, but it is what it is. Anyway............

 

Is there any way to get to the wax motor without disassembling the unit, ie while the unit is still in a closet? I got new information that the Sears repair guy SUPPOSEDLY replaced the door switch and the wax motor. I have a bill for 183.40 that the tenants paid that says so. Sounds to me like he just threw a couple of parts at it and it didn't work....... that is IF he could have even tossed those parts in.

 

Am i correct in recouping the cost of the failed repair for my clients? I don't think that with the way the unit was built in the closet that they did any proper diagnostic.

 

BTW I THINK the dryer is fixed. It's blowing tons of hot air. I tested it wish one towel, but will test it with a full load in a little while. Meanwhile I'm off to buy a motor. As best as I can figure, that is the problem with the washer.

[sh2sh2]

if the wax motor was truly bad then it also damaged the main board, which is located on top of the dryer, unlikely they could get to that while in a closet

[tpoindexter]

You need to look at the board. I think the resistor that goes bad is R 11 on the board. At any rate you do need to look closely at the board for discoloration of resistor. If you go ahead and replace the wax motor and it still doesn't work you may be looking at putting that board in it.

 

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Main-Control-Board/22004325/1032714?modelNumber=MLE2000AYW

[DeathStalker]

The wax motor was supposedly replaced.

[RegUS_PatOff]

http://fixitnow.com/wp/2004/06/18/mailbag-maytag-neptune-machine-control-board-r11-burned-outagain/

[DeathStalker]

Wow Reg, that helps explain what a nightmare this has been. Thanks. The sad thing is that not only did they get a dud washer dryer unit, but also their stovetop was a reject and the oven wasn't much better. The thing is, does anyone know when the lines come out that they are duds?

 

Anyway, the dryer is working, i tested it on a load of clothes last night (gotta remember to take them put before I take the unit back), and I'm about to replace the motor and test the washer.