Kenmore washer, hangs mid cycle

[Brad Johnson]

Kenmore washer, model 110.21252112. Washes through the cycle until it gets to Spin. The Spin light comes on but it never starts the cycle. I can pause it (press the Start/Pause button once), give it a few seconds, then continue (press the Start/Pause button again) and it kicks into the spin cycle like nothing was ever wrong. Presuming it's probably the timer but wanted to ask the Brain Trust and see if there are other possibilities.

Brad

[Jim147]

I am drunk and exhausted will pull up tech info on model number in the morning.

[Scout26]

I am drunk and exhausted will pull up tech info on model number in the morning.

Best Answer Ever !!!!


 

[charby]

Mine started that way, then started tripping the breaker, ended up the motor crapped the bed. Washer was 20 years old so I found a commercial maytag on sale for $400 (last day of sale fyi)

[K Frame]

"ended up the motor crapped the bed."

The timer unit motor, or the main drive motor?

[Jim147]

That little timer knob is actually hooked to a control board. The board get's info from the lid lock, motor, actuator and other things to go into spin. I've only had to put one control board in but many lid locks and actuators. Not sure where to tell you to start without being in front of it.

[charby]

"ended up the motor crapped the bed."

The timer unit motor, or the main drive motor?

Main drive motor

[Brad Johnson]

That little timer knob is actually hooked to a control board. The board get's info from the lid lock, motor, actuator and other things to go into spin. I've only had to put one control board in but many lid locks and actuators. Not sure where to tell you to start without being in front of it.

Lid lock engages on schedule. All other cycle functions seem timed properly. The only indication of an issue is when I walk in and it's sitting there with the SPIN light on but nothing happening. I tape the Start/Pause button once, the light starts blinking and the lid latch disengages just as it's supposed to. I tap the Start/Pause button again, the lid latch engages, and it begins a normal (and normal sounding) spin cycle, finishing as it always has. I do recall hearing an interesting noise from the laundry room but can't decisively say it was related to the no-spin condition.

Is this unit smart enough to display error codes (or blinks, or whatever?)

Brad

[Jim147]

Getting one of those into diagnostic mode is an act of freaking god. But i would start with a lid switch just because you hear it click doesn't mean the the board is reading it. It is a duel lock. One mode for wash and rinse and another for spin.

Lay it on it's side, pull off bottom insulation piece, search around the tub for the plastic envelope with the tech sheet in it.

[Brad Johnson]

Got it into test mode (on the first try, thank-you-verra much). Went through everything without a hitch.

We had a couple of power glitches in the last few weeks. Think it could have futzed something in the processor that unplugging it and doing a hard reset would fix?

Brad

[Jim147]

99% of them won't go into test mode that's how crap that board is.

Yes like a network guy unplug it for 10 seconds hahaha. It might work.

[K Frame]

Hello, this is "Steve" at Maytag Help Central in Mumbai...

Have you tried unplugging your washer, waiting 1 minute, and then plugging it in again?

[Brad Johnson]

Did a plugs-out reset a couple days ago. Tried a load this evening. Same result. It's almost like it tries to start a spin cycle but doesn't quite get everything going. After that it just sits there with the Spin light lit and nothing else happening. Doing the pause-and-restart sequence kicks everything back into order and it finishes properly.

One piece of extra info... it hangs only on the first spin cycle. With 2nd Rinse option selected it kicks into Spin portion of the second cycle without incident. Both spin cycles seem shorter, much shorter, in comparison to previous operation. By "much shorter" I mean a 10 or 15 second runup then coast to a stop versus a previous operation's minute or so of high rpm.

Replacement control board is $290 if I provide the labor. New similar washer can be had currently for $399 (regular $549). Kinda a no-brainer.

*Edit to add*
Even more information. Tried a strait Drain & Spin cycle. It drained and tried to spin but only got the basket up to a few RPM before stopping and sitting there with the Spin and Lid Locked lights blinking. Possible transmission or shifter failure?

Brad

[charby]

Stator might be failing in the drive motor.

[Brad Johnson]

Stator might be failing in the drive motor.

I'd think a failing stator should affect all cycles, not one specific cycle. Everything seems to run normally, including basket movement during the wash cycle. It lays over only on the Spin cycle.

Brad

[Jim147]

I had a customer telling me hers wouldn't spin sometimes but I could never catch it.
I put an actuator in it and she said it's worked fine since.

[Brad Johnson]

I had a customer telling me hers wouldn't spin sometimes but I could never catch it.
I put an actuator in it and she said it's worked fine since.

Not much more to the drive system than that and the transmission. That being the cheapest part I'll put one in. If that doesn't work I throw a transmission at it. Nothing else in the drive assembly to fail except the motor and that's working fine.

Ordered an actuator. I'll see if that does the trick. If not it's only $28 so it's no big deal. I'll chalk it up to preventive maintenance.

Brad

[charby]

I'd think a failing stator should affect all cycles, not one specific cycle. Everything seems to run normally, including basket movement during the wash cycle. It lays over only on the Spin cycle.

Brad

I said failing, not failed. Could fail when rpms increase but fine at lower rpms.

[Jim147]

Sorry busy day o the roof of a dinner working on a walk in cooler. You have it ordered already? If you haven't ordered pm me I will do cost plus shipping and tax.

[Brad Johnson]

It's on the way but I appreciate the offer.

Brad

[K Frame]

Helped Castle Key with his washer problems last night.

His high-end unit started throwing an error code. Turns out it was the fill level sensor switch.

Hardest part of the repair was lifting the dryer off the washer so we could pull the access panel.

[Brad Johnson]

....aaaaaaand nuttin. No joy. Same issue.

Next step mechanically (well, only step akshully) is the transmission. Really didn't want to take it that far but I guess it is what it is.

Brad

[charby]

I still say main drive motor.

[Jim147]

I've never seen or heard of a transmission failure on that model. Won't say it's impossible but not very likely.

[K Frame]

Researching more about this...

I think it's the framzitz lever from the renoobulator to the wojick stub.