Burning smell from Kenmore 70 Series Washing Machine

Kenmore Washer Series 70 Model 110.20712990

Burning smell during spin cycles.
Replaced the coupling...was not broken...didn't look that bad, but what the hell do I know?

Cleaned the entire washer except did not take off the transmission unit or the tub. Replaced the basket because it was nasty and rusted on the outside;cleaned out the tub. Reassembled.

Doing a few loads of laundry because I need to. :-)

Burning smell still there. Lid switch is fine.
How can I tell which part is the root cause?

Please help before the wife shoots me for incompetency!

Thanks!

 

The only place I can think of for smell is motor. After it runs can you touch motor or is it to hot to touch?

 

I'll have to take it back apart and look and touch.

Even if it is the motor...it doesn't make the smell during the agitation portion of the wash...just the spin...leading me to think it is something else that is making the motor work so hard?...maybe the pump?

If the transmission/brake assembly was bad, or the motor itself, wouldn't it affect the agitation cycle as well? Is there some other parts only used for spin and not agitation that could make the motor work so hard?

 

Could be that the speed select switch or the timer is trying to power more than one run winding (3 speed motor) at once during spin cycle. Set speed select switch to Hi/Hi, disconnect the two pin connector at the motor and then try spin cycle.

 

Fairbanks sounds good, you can lean washer back against wall to do this.

 

Here is an update.
I removed the two wires as you said...also found a way to bypass the lid switch so I could run it without the big cover on. :-)

Here are the current symptoms when I did the spin cycle:
1. There are black rubber shavings under the spot where the motor connects to the transmission. This had been completely clean before.

2. There is a clicking sound the comes from the bottom of the transmission unit when on spin. I thought it was just a piece of plastic rattling before, but apparently it is more serious. I don't remember hearing this before when the burning smell first started, but it might have been there.

3. There is some light tan liquid under the motor...perhaps some sort of laminate that melted from the motor when it got really hot...just wanted to list it just in case it was relevant to the root cause...but I don't think it is.

What are your thoughts with this new information?

 

Black rubber sounds like coupler shavings, is the tan liquid and feel oily? If oily than the seal in gearcase is leaking and getting in clutch.

 

Not sure if it is oily...can't really tell. The liquid is not near the transmission area, it is toward the front, closer to the motor. We have a tray underneath the washer...of course it may have moved there...but I don't see a trail.

Let's do two scenerios:
1. Liquid is oily. Would this cause that loud rapid clicking sound when the spin cycle is engaged and get the motor hot? If so, what should I be looking at replacing?

2. Liquid is not oily...maybe it is melted laminate from the motor getting hot? Either way, I have an abnormal loud rapid clicking sound when the spin cycle is engaged. What should I be doing to narrow that down?

 

Not oily than gearcase not leaking, look inside cabinet about 6 inches up and see if a streak of oil there. If top seal was leaking there would be a streak. Unusal noise would almost have to hear it to help.

 

Can you post a youtube video? Rapid clicking may be the motor cutting on and off which can be caused by a faulty motor switch, speed switch or timer. Does the rapid clicking occur during agitation cycle? During the two minute drain period directly after agitation stops?