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wannabeagrasshopper
Posted

Hi - I haven't been here in a while. My Kenmore washer suddenly stopped draining. I am a Grasshopper wannabe, so please bear with me if I use the wrong terminology. But I am determined.

I have checked the hose from washer liner to pump and from pump to drain line, and found no obstructions. I could actually touch the bottom of the tub liner, and felt no obstacles anywhere around it.  I have checked the drain line from where it connects to the pump to the water return, and found no obstructions. 

I removed the pump itself, and it looks like it would be functional. The cover (might be wrong term) but what conceals the impellers, is still on, but upon inspection, I cannot see any damage to the impellers and they seem to rotate normally.

This is a direct drive pump, and the pump motor runs and sounds perfectly normal.

I have removed the cover to the control panel (again, this may be wrong terminology) and have tested the lid switch for continuity. There is continuity with lid closed, so I think that means my lid switch is ok.

Q1: What else is there to test and how?

Q2: On the pump - isn't it just a "passive" device that moves water b/c of the motor spinning the impellers? If so, and if the impellers are not broken, and the case does not appear to be cracked, is there anything else that can be wrong with the pump? (I only ask b/c a lot of the forums suggest bad pump, but it seems pretty easy to determine whether that is broken or not).

Q3: I am wondering if there could be something wrong with the timer (might be wrong name) but the thing that would tell it to enter a drain cycle. 

thank you in advance for the insight and help. 

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Posted (edited)

Sounds like pump ok

 

 

Maybe this...

Part number: 285753A

Part number: 285753A

Edited by 16345Ed
Posted

Is the motor running during drain/spin cycle?

wannabeagrasshopper
Posted

Thank you both for your posts.  I was unsure of the answer to whether the motor ran during drain/spin cycle, b/c we couldn't GET to a drain/spin cycle.

I went back and asked my daughter for a step-by-step of what happened when she used it and it wouldn't drain...  small detail omitted the first time.  The issue was only partially that it wouldn't drain, but it also overflowed when filling.  That told me that it didn't know when to stop filling - so started thinking about water level switch.  I've never fixed a washer before, but when I got the control panel opened up, I noticed this hose coming out and it was just there, unattached at one end. A little research to figure out that it was a "water level switch pressure hose" and should be attached to the switch itself.  I reconnected the hose to the switch which took 5 seconds, and then hooked up water, pump, power and tested it. Water stopped when it was supposed to; I advanced the cycle selector to spin, jumped the lid switch to get it going, and sure enough, it started draining!!!   It took way too long for me to get everything back together...

I did find it unusual that the pressure hose came loose, and that no DIY websites had this issue as a possible diagnosis. But maybe b/c it is just too obvious. I dunno.

So it was not a pump or draining issue after all.  I am running a test load right now, but so far so good (I am a tad nervous that I am declaring a victory too soon). 

Morale of the story: make sure you are solving the right problem.

Thank you all for your help.

 

Posted

Good find. Helps when they tell you all the facts first. This does happen occasionally but not as often as finding a sock in the pump. Thanks

Posted
7 hours ago, wannabeagrasshopper said:

Thank you both for your posts.  I was unsure of the answer to whether the motor ran during drain/spin cycle, b/c we couldn't GET to a drain/spin cycle.

I went back and asked my daughter for a step-by-step of what happened when she used it and it wouldn't drain...  small detail omitted the first time.  The issue was only partially that it wouldn't drain, but it also overflowed when filling.  That told me that it didn't know when to stop filling - so started thinking about water level switch.  I've never fixed a washer before, but when I got the control panel opened up, I noticed this hose coming out and it was just there, unattached at one end. A little research to figure out that it was a "water level switch pressure hose" and should be attached to the switch itself.  I reconnected the hose to the switch which took 5 seconds, and then hooked up water, pump, power and tested it. Water stopped when it was supposed to; I advanced the cycle selector to spin, jumped the lid switch to get it going, and sure enough, it started draining!!!   It took way too long for me to get everything back together...

I did find it unusual that the pressure hose came loose, and that no DIY websites had this issue as a possible diagnosis. But maybe b/c it is just too obvious. I dunno.

So it was not a pump or draining issue after all.  I am running a test load right now, but so far so good (I am a tad nervous that I am declaring a victory too soon). 

Morale of the story: make sure you are solving the right problem.

Thank you all for your help.

 

Thanks for following up, good find!

Posted
On 7/24/2018 at 5:46 AM, 16345Ed said:

Thanks for following up, good find!

I usually install tie wrap over hose to prevent it from slipping off again.

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