Maytag Washing Machine won't Spin

I have a Maytag Model LA590 Washing Machine. Old but love it. It drains the water but won't spin. I could repair things if I could get some info or cause of the problem. Please help from the experts on whats the cause of it not spinning. I checked the swithes with a voltmeter and they work fine. I turned the pulley from the bottom of the machine freely clockwise and it turns a few turns then its stuck and won't go further. I was thinking if the bearings are bad or maybe the transmission itself. Any advice out there? Sure appreciate it.

 

Did you find the wiring digram, usually under the consul? most common problem for no spin is bad lid switch. On most Maytags the pulley should turn both directions, one way for agit and the other for spin. Your problem sounds like a bad gearcase. Which model do you have? dose it have a white plastic pulley or a large medal pulley clutch assy on bottom? If a white plastic pulley take center cap off and remove E clip ( careful don't drop parts) there is a ramp in the center gear make sure there is plenty of grease on ramp reinstall. Do not take 5/16 screws out above pulley( heave spring there) If has medal clutch assy have never worked on one of those no help here.

 

I THINK your symptom is like Maytag I did last year where it did not spin either, and I found bearing ran out of grease (I could see the black spatter marks of it aorund the inside case of the machine, down below the tub area!) and I took out agitator and basket (inner tub that has the holes in it) and got to bearing at the botom, from the top, at the seal area, and forced in more grease in gap aound edge of bearing raceway, and then I coud FREELY spin it by hand with out the hard resistance I felt at the pulley wheel before doing this repacking. So far have gotten like a year of college girls washing lots of loads with no call-back.

I'd have to look at my work diary from back then to see if symptom exactly like yours, but I think it was close to that being the case. With ball or needle bearings, what can happen, if they are going bad, is they can start to ride correctly but then try to climb piggy back on each other and jam up (which could explain ability to spin at first but then lock up). Added grease may get more life out of machine before ready for boneyard, or additional teardown work.

 

Thanks guys for the input. Could you guide me on how I could put greese to the bearing. Yes pugs I found the wiring diagram and I checked the wiring and they are perfecly fine. I think its on the mechanical side. ecman51 I hope you could find your work diary. I do believe the bearing has been frozen and so it won't spin. Thanks guys.

 

With MY model Maytag, I luckily found this hidden hex cap screw that is on the side of the agitator, as at first I could not see how to remove the agitator. Then, after that, I was able to DIY this whole procedure with no help from anyone. Once the base of the shaft is exposed, that goes right thru the OUTER tub, after removing something at the bottom (can't remember what I removed - some cap cover of some sort?), I could see the slight crack between the inner and outer raceway of the bearing, and I forced the grease in this slight gap, and that absolutely did it.

I will have to try to look up that diary entry - sorry, forgot. Will take some digging.

Oh - after further thought, yes, that must be some coverplate that keeps grease from coming out of bearing and getting into the wash water.

The seal is probably going bad, letting out the original grease from thje bottom side, as I had evidence that mine sprayed around inside the bottom of the unit, by al the black speckle marks. But simply doing what I did was not difficult, and now that I know how to do it, will be faster the next time - if there will be a next time, unless we opted to just get a different machine. But - so far, so good - cross my fingers.

You force in the grease with your finger in that slight gap and then grab the shaft pulley and work it around 'til it gets freer to turn, and pack in more grease if necessary and work the shaft pulley more, 'til you feel it spins like butter.

 

Thanks so much ecman51. In my model (Maytag LA590 Washer) I removed the plastic large scwew with a plunger, banging it with a hummer clockwise. Then removed the the clip, then a round black rubber then a spring which now exposes a bearing. I also found the hidden hex screw and removed it. But the cover to the bearing cannot be removed. Is this a screw type to which is like the plastic screw which I need a plunger and bang it with a hammer clockwise? Could you please assist me on this. I don't wanna force anything out on which I might do more damage while removing some of the parts. But a small bearing is exposed. Thanks.

 

I am not sure what you are seeing down there. With mine, I could not see the entire bearing. I could see between the inner and outer part enough to see there are ball bearings in there - and by trying to rotate the shaft back and forth, it became apparent where to force the grease in. That is all I remember.

Have you tried to rotate the shaft back and forth enough to wiggle it to see what is stationary and what moves, and if that is the likely gap grease would go in? If you are familiar with car wheel bearings and have ever packed one, you would be able to figure this out. If not, get a friend over to your house who has done wheel bearings and let him look at this when you move the shaft, and he will know.

 

I did the wiggling. It wiggles but won't turn freely. What I see there is a bearing with a cover on it.

 

I can't offer any more than the suggestions I made. Sorry.

Also, have you looked into possiblity of a stuck brake, as has been suggested on other threads? When your machine was working, did the basket come to a very quick stop if you opened the lid during the spin cycle?

 

been following along but not up to speed on greasing bearings as we find it not cost affective to do the tear down and not replace transmission. Have you checked the brake? does it agit and not spin? may have answered in earlier post but I forgot. Old maytags I don't know to much about brake assy. here is a link to your machine.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...A590&pop=flush
Will try to look and see anything in manual today.

 

Top of bearing must be right on top of tranny where you can get at it from inside the outer tub.

I looked up my work notes. What led me to believe it could be the bearing was the oil spatter marks down below, and also a grinding sound it made. I called up local appliance repair shop to see what the brake assemble cost as I initially thought that may be it; about $90 they said. I got down to the bearing and figured I had nothing to lose by tending to that first. And once I had that cover off, to expose it, it looked rusty down there and that is when I was convinced it was the bearing and not the brake. That and the grindy sound.

Did job 10-19-07. Has seen lots of use since that time. I found nothing on specifics on removal at the top of the bearing, but it came to me - I wrote on the back of the machine how to do it in case I had to do it again. But I also remembered, off the top of my head, that after the agitator and inner basket are out, there is something - a cover? - around the top of the bearing - something solid - that I guessed right that I had to remove, by unscrewing it using I think a cold chisel and hammer, to get it to unscrew. And then that exposed the gap of the bearing raceway where I was able to get grease into.

A good chance I am buying time on this as the rust may indicate a slight water leak at a seal, but not enough to leak out on floor (yet). More time will tell. But all this cost me was some time and a little grease. And chaulked up more appliance experience in a new way.

As I said, I too never did one before, but was able to figure it out based on my knowlege of car wheel bearings.

A friend of yours, up on such stuff(bearings) maybe could help you figure it out, as I was able to with no advice from anyone.