Kenmore washing machine won't spin or drain - intermittent

I have a Kenmore washing machine that won't spin or drain. It's an intermittent problem and I can't find a pattern for when it works and when it doesn't.

When it doesn't work, there's a hum coming from the motor and the shaft doesn't turn. In fact, I can't turn it by hand, as if it's locked up. When the motor is off I can turn it by hand.

When it's in this failure mode, sometimes it has agitated, and sometimes it hasn't.

According to this thread, this could indicate a problem with the timer.

My question is whether the timer is fixable, if there's likely another problem, or if there's a cheap source for this part. The lowest price I've seen so far is $125.

The model # is 110.22702100

 

Unfortunately, that page doesn't address all of the symptoms.

Motor: It works normally and without noise when I apply power to it directly, 100% of the time. Status: normal
Transmission: When the motor is working, the washer spins and agitates. Status: normal
Drive coupling: Spinning and agitating don't happen if this is broken. I also replaced it in the spring and visually inspected. Status: normal

 

Don't go cheap when buying appliance parts and don't buy them from amazon or ebay. Get the timer from repairclinic and you can return it if it doesn't fix the problem or if it fails within one year. Based on your observations and tests, it sounds like the timer to me. Easily confirmed with some voltage checks. Do you have multimeter and experience using it?

Timer 661649 Order now for same day shipping. 365 day return policy. RepairClinic.com

Eric

 

I do have a meter and know how to use it. If you can tell me what voltages i'm looking for on what pins, I can certainly check that myself. That would be great!

 

A couple of questions that may help us, I don't have wiring diagrams at home can't help there. Is the timer plastic or medal, Plastic ones have simular problems. Can you get it started by wiggling timer knob. Lid switch put your hand under it and see if you get any movement of the switch body. The lid switch on your model will split along seam and cause your problem. I always hold switch up and push down lever with a pen while washer in spin and see if that works. Yours is intermittent would have to wait until did not work to be sure but any movement in switch body is pretty sure switch is bad

 

The lid switch busted a while ago, so I just put a jumper on the connection. Not the safest, I know, but it works.

 

Avoid leaving motor in humming only state as it can damage the capacitor and motor windings. Be quick with your voltage checks. You should have 120vac between the motor connector blue wire and white/black wire as well as between the red and yellow wires. If motor is just humming and these voltages are good, the problem is not the timer.

Eric

 

I get 12VAC for both when the washer is on (center knob pulled out/engaged) and 27VAC when off.

 

Nevermind, if you don't understand electrical troubleshooting, this ain't gonna work. Just replace the timer and see what happens. If it don't work, return it.

Eric

 

I'd appreciate it if you were less condescending and more helpful. I am a skilled troubleshooter and skilled with my meter, just unfamiliar with this system.

And I know what I measured. I double checked it. If you think perhaps I made an error in the measurement, it would be helpful if you could describe where you think I might have gone wrong.

To make the measurement, I disconnected the connectors from the motor because there didn't seem to be enough of the contact exposed to make a measurement. I inserted the probes into the connector at the pairs you indicated. I measured the voltage between the Blue and White/black wires, then measured the voltage between the Red and Yellow wires.

 

Do you not have the wiring diagram for this machine?

 

Voltage readings were meant to be taken with motor connected and washer on either in spin mode or wash mode after fill complete. Assumed you knew that as you won't have neutral on the white/black wire with connector disconnected. Electrical system on this washer is very basic. We were looking for voltage drop in the system. Can't check for voltage drop with no current flow and there ain't no current flow with motor disconnected. You may need needle tip probes to get into wire side of connector or use insulation piercing probes.

Eric