Whirlpool WTW4800XQ1 VMW one way agitation

[Wip]

I've had a couple of these that calibrate OK but when they go to agitate they only turn one way. If you offer resistance to the turning it will run both directions. Is this something in the control or is it the transmission? Nothing leaking, shifts OK. passes all tests. I should say that it does this on low and high speed agitation. Thanks for any guidance.

[jaredh]

Transmission. I have replaced several for this issue

 

[Wip]

So. I disected a transmission. I was looking for something that would stop agitation when rotational force was removed. I found nothing like that. There is a planetary gearbox with 4 gears between the outside case and the agitator drive shaft. All turned easily (as expected for this design).  I have tried different capacitors with no luck. I still don't know why it won't reverse without being stopped first. My ceiling fan will rerverse direction while running. It takes a bit to stop but it does reverse.

Is there some form of dynamic braking (from the controller) that aids this direction change. I have seen this in industrial settings where DC is supplied to both windings. (they stop quickly).

So, in conclusion should the transmission have some resistance to rotation that would aid in stopping the motor?

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Is the one direction that it agitates in the same direction as spin?

If so, I would be looking for a broken wire to the motor for the winding in the direction it won't agitate - if all wiring is good then it would seem to have to be a bad motor, (check both windings at motor connector), or bad control board.

I don't think the transmission has anything to do with the direction of agitate - that is controlled by the control board either energizing the Clockwise or Counter Clockwise windings in the motor.  The actuator/shifter engages spin or agitate and as you see in the transmission when in agitate the planetary gear system just changes the gearing from input to output in whatever direction the motor is told to turn in.

[Wip]

It will agitate in both directions if you give it some resistance to turning. either rub the motor pulley or hold onto the agitator. It's funny that the motor keeps going in whatever was it's initial direction. Just keeps pulsing that way. If I hold the motor still I can feel it trying to turn in both directions.

[jaredh]

The first time I had one doing this it really messed with me. It would only agitate one direction but if I grabbed or pushed down on the agitator it would start agitating properly.I couldnt figure it out so I called tech line.They said it was the transmission but I didnt believe it because it didnt make sense to me.long story short I ended up going nuclear on it and replaced everything except transmission and still had the same problem.I have had two since then and least five others that the techs I work with have had.in each case the transmission has corrected the problem and for some reasons it seems to be only the agitator style vmw doing this so far

[Wip]

Well, that is re-assuring to hear. Next time I have one that is working properly I will spin the pulley (with the belt off) to see if there is some kind of resistance to turning.

This is the kind of thing that bugs the heck out of me. Thanks for your reply jaredh.

[bobby_d]

Replace the capacitor.  My machine had the same problem.  I tried replacing the control board first which worked for 4 months. But the problem returned. This time I replaced the capacitor and the problem is gone.

[appliancecare]

On 5/12/2016 at 6:34 PM, Wip said:

I've had a couple of these that calibrate OK but when they go to agitate they only turn one way. If you offer resistance to the turning it will run both directions. Is this something in the control or is it the transmission? Nothing leaking, shifts OK. passes all tests. I should say that it does this on low and high speed agitation. Thanks for any guidance.

I am having the exact same problem.  I have just replaced the transmission. DID NOT FIX.  I tried a new Mode Shifter because I had one on the truck. Still No Good. ....Bad new trans doing the exact same thing as the old one???  Idk? If I pause the machine and restart it sometimes it goes into a correct agitation.  I have NOT tried putting resistance on the agitator..... If it depends on the motor turning CW and CCW to agitate then there are no gears in the trans that do that.  The trans must just engage a brake for the basket and allow the agitator shaft to move when the mode shifter  is in agitate mode. Correct?  So its up to the Control Board to signal the motor to go back and forth between CW & CCW.   We know the motor runs in both directions so I can't see it being a motor problem.  I was going to replace the Control board today.... I don't know why it would be the capacitor but I may order and try that before I try the control board. Now a days I go by A-TIP...  Any-Thing-Is-Possible.

If anybody has any other theories on this it would be appreciated.

I will post my results. 

[DADoESTX]

A contact at Whirlpool told me that the control board controls the motor direction ... forward and reverse.  Failure to agitate/oscillate properly is a board issue.  Just citing what he said.

[appliancecare]

Just an update.  I changed the capacitor for the one way agitate problem and it works.  The old one checked at 25uf the new one is 45uf.

[AccApp]

3 hours ago, appliancecare said:

The old one checked at 25uf the new one is 45uf.

Wow! that's way out of spec, I'd expect it to be a little off or just completely open or shorted.

[kokomo]

to the original poster does this issue of one way agitation twist the laundry load in one direction around the agitator, also accompanied by a ratchet y sound?  thks  ETW4400WQ0 ( Estate )

[appliancecare]

8 hours ago, kokomo said:

to the original poster does this issue of one way agitation twist the laundry load in one direction around the agitator, also accompanied by a ratchet y sound?  thks  ETW4400WQ0 ( Estate )

That's what was happening with the machine i was working on.  If your having that problem check/change the capacitor first.  Good cap should be 45uf.  

[kokomo]

Jim G thks for your reply can you address the ratchet y noise I've mentioned, did you hear a very loud clinkity ratchet one way as if a hand saw motion,   I've learned the noise may be a transmission issue and the family has eight children who regularly do their own wash, father commented on them over loading. Its a nine year old unit Lol.

[appliancecare]

I really can’t remember if there was a ratcheting noise. I do know that the cap solve the one way agitation. It may solve the noise too. Noise may be coming from the motor because the capacitor is not letting it reverse?...  can you try replacing capacitor first?  It’s a quick and easy repair and the part is relitivy cheap. 

[Zhan]

On 10/6/2017 at 5:22 AM, appliancecare said:

Just an update.  I changed the capacitor for the one way agitate problem and it works.  The old one checked at 25uf the new one is 45uf.

thanks man! your update helped me to figure out with my washer without spending more money for a new motor or control board!