Washing Machine Problem

[crokett]

My wife says that when she starts a load of laundry, the washer never gets past the initial fill cycle. She says it sounds like it keeps filling. If she advances the timer manually past fill it doesn't start, but it will start if she switches to another wash selection. For example, if she selects 'regular' and starts the wash, it gets stuck on fill, but if she switches to delicates after it gets stuck then it will wash normally.

Does this sound like control board or fill switch? If fill switch, why would it run normally when a different wash is selected and why would it not pause again during rinse? Second, assuming it is stuck on filling, why doesn't it overflow? The only drain on the washer is above the basket so it should overflow.

[Uncle Cracker]

Does this sound like control board or fill switch?

Sounds like the rotary switch on the timer has gone bad, or a couple of teeth have come off a gear somewhere. Once engaged in a cycle, the timer gearbox and motor drives the timer assembly (the big knob) slowly through the cycle, and the rotary switch engages and disengages the various valves, motors, etc. accordingly as the knob advances. If the knob no longer advances once it gets to a certain spot, then the cycle will "freeze" at that point, whereas other cycles may run without incident. This indicates a flat spot on a gear someplace. If the knob continues to advance (it's too slow for you to see at a glance), but the fill valve hangs open in that specific cycle, then there may be a problem in the rotary switch (it's also part of the timing assembly, behind the big knob). It is also possible that the switch contact that energizes the timer motor has developed a bad spot or some pitting. This contact is supposed to keep the timing motor running until end-of-cycle is reached, and then kill it, but sometimes a bad spot on the contact surface will kill the motor at a spot other than an "off" zone, and it will then act exactly as it would if there was a bad tooth on the gear. No matter what, replacing the timer assembly should correct any of these problems, regardless of the specific cause.

If your machine doesn't have a big knob, and everything is digital, then all bets are off, and the control electronics are probably the culprit...

[Ed62]

My guess would be a bad timer.

Ed

[crokett]

An update... I don't think anything is wrong other than a really slow fill. I haven't had a chance to check on the washer yet but I am working from home today and was listening to it fill. I went to check things out and there is not much water coming out. Later today I will pull the hoses and clean the screens and it will probably work a lot better,

[Mr__Bill]

An update... I don't think anything is wrong other than a really slow fill. I haven't had a chance to check on the washer yet but I am working from home today and was listening to it fill. I went to check things out and there is not much water coming out. Later today I will pull the hoses and clean the screens and it will probably work a lot better,

Dang, and here I thought we could talk you into one of those $2500 washer dryer sets from the b ig box store. A set of nice brushed SS with a color accent just in time for Mother's Day too.

Oh Well

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[master53yoda]

washers have a fill sensor. It is normally a pressure switch that holds the timer out until the washer is full enough. If it was a timer problem not moving or the fill sensor not working, the fill valve would never close and it would over flow the washer.

just food for thought

[crokett]

washers have a fill sensorr. If the fill sensor not working, the fill valve would never close and it would over flow the washer.

just food for thought

That is what I thought when my wife said it was stuck on fill. Anyway, she ran a load of laundry through after I cleaned the screens and it is working just fine now.