Washer just quit working

[zxcvbob]

Frigidaire front loader, with a mechanical timer and annoyingly-small door. (exactly like the old White-Westinghouses)  I think it's made by Electrolux.  I don't remember how old it is so I'll guess 8 to 10 years.  It worked fine yesterday.  This morning before we went to the hospital for her kidney stone surgery, Wife put a load of clothes in.  Kinda large load but not ridiculous.  We got home, and she asked me to put them in the dryer.  I start pulling them out and they are awfully wet and heavy.  (that can happen with an unbalanced load and it never spins up to full speed, but it seemed odd with this mix of stuff)  So I restarted it on a spin cycle, with high-speed spin selected.  I never heard the chime go off at the end; I went and checked on it and the clothes were still really wet.  I did the spin cycle thing again but stayed there to watch it.  The drum did move a little once, but it never tried to spin.  I tried a difference cycle (short wash) and the tub started filling and draining at the same time.  I moved to a regular wash cycle and it filled normally but never agitated.

Why does stuff always break on a 3 day weekend?

Sounds like a control board to me, but I guess it could be the motor (why not both?)  Damn thing weighs 500 pounds so I don't know if I can lug it up the stairs and get it in the back of the truck even with a dolly and a helper.  And I gotta take a bunch of wet clothes to the laundromat tomorrow.

[griz]

Does it have a trap/filter that it drains through?  Ours had some of the same symptoms, wouldn't spin fast, gave some weird error message that turned out to be an indicator that the drain was slow.  Turned out to be the inlet to the trap is just a fraction bigger than a dime, and that's what was in the way.  On ours it was under the cover at the bottom, just a plastic plug.

[zxcvbob]

I can check it tomorrow, but it's draining just fine.  It just won't spin or agitate (at all) and the timing seems a little off for some of the cycles that we don't use (like "quick wash" and "delicate")

[griz]

If it's draining well it must be something else.  Good luck.

[p12]

The Russians must hate you.


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[Nick1911]

Got the model number?

[zxcvbob]

Got the model number?

I just found it.  CRTR900AS0

[zxcvbob]

Possibly just a broken drive belt ($14 part that's easy to replace) but I doubt it; I'm sure I saw the drum move slightly, and I can't hear the motor running.  Motor control board is a $200+ part.

Just pulling the unit out enough to take the back cover off to take a peek will be a PITA.  There's no place to move it, and no room to work.

[Jim147]

You can do the belt from the top but I don't think that is the problem.

I have repaired those since the old Westinghouse days so get me more info. Is the door lock buzzing? Filling and draining at same time sounds like drain hose is too far down stand pipe.

Jim

[zxcvbob]

Door lock sometimes doesn't want to release, but it has done that since it was new (I would like to disable the door lock whenever it's not in spin mode)  No it's not buzzing.  The drain-and-fill-at-the-same-time thing is only on the very short cycles that I'd never tried before.  I will check the drain hose...  Also check the detergent drawer switch...

I haven't pulled it out yet, cuz I can't do anything with it until Tuesday anyway.  I don't think it's the belt either, just hoping

Edit: the stand pipe is pretty tall, and the end of the hose when it's pushed down in the pipe is about even with the top deck.

[zxcvbob]

I talked to the local appliance repair guy last night.  He had me put the washer on the spin cycle and watch what happens.  So I partially filled it, then move the timer knob to final spin.  The pump started up and it drained.  Then the drum turned clockwise about 10 degrees and stopped.  Pump still running.  Maybe 30 seconds later the drum moved slightly, clockwise again.  I never saw it move again after that, and the timer didn't advance.  I gave up after a few minutes and moved the timer to the end of the cycle and the door wouldn't unlock.  Came back about 5 minutes later and it unlocked.  I may try it again this morning and just leave it running to see if the cycle ever finishes on its own.

He says it's probably the door lock assembly, and it's a pretty easy DIY repair.  $85 for the part, and he has them in stock.  Does that sound right?  Would the washer fill but not agitate with a bad lock switch?  (it's not just the spin cycle, the wash cycle doesn't turn the drum either)

[MechAg94]

So my 22 year old Maytag washer/dryer set is still kicking along.  I noticed the washer sometimes delays a bit too long when it is supposed to start spin cycles for draining/rinsing.  Is that a future failure or not an issue?  I was wondering if the motor was having trouble kicking on. 

[K Frame]

My stainless drum Amana that my ex and I bought in 1994 is still humming along nicely. It's making a bit more noise than it used to, though, so I'm thinking that the transmission is starting to show its age.

If it starts screwing up I'm going to do everything I can to keep it running, though.

[zxcvbob]

I started it up on the final spin cycle and walked away.  It did finish the cycle (without spinning) and the door unlocked.  The door doesn't want to unlock whenever I rush it, once it gets to a spin cycle.  During the wash cycle I can shut it off and immediately open the door, no problem.

[brimic]

Anecdote, not sure if helpful...
My last washer (maytag stackable) started getting worse and worse at draining water and finally got to the point where it wouldn't spin reliably and had a 'burning' smell to it. I replaced the motor (used motor off ebay for around $45) and it ran like new again.

[zxcvbob]

The youtube videos show how easy it is to replace this switch, or to replace the door seal boot (the switch is behind the door seal, accessible from the front.)  The boot just slips off in seconds.  Except mine is glued in place -- glue from about the 12:00 position to 9:00 -- and removing it will probably destroy it.  What happened to the :cuss: smiley?

I wonder if you can get to the switch from the panel at the bottom-front?

[Jim147]

Not sure it is door switch. It is a three part system. Micro switch show door closed, Latch engages when machine started. (Without these two it does nothing) Wax motor get power in spin and has to cool off before door will open.

I've seen a bad timer contact do what you describe once. A door switch is a cheap try and I always had one on the truck.

I should be able to find you the service manual if you want. The motor and motor board tests are a bit much and I did fix one of these machines the factory couldn't. The pressure switch circuit can throw everything out of loop.

[zxcvbob]

I got the door seal boot loosened enough with a razor blade that I should be able to get the switch-latch assembly out when my finger stops bleeding (ouch.)  I don't think it's gonna leak when I put it back together, but if it does what kind of glue do I use?  Rubber cement?

The thing that bothers me about it being the door latch switch, is that the washer fills just fine.  Shouldn't the latch prevent it from filling if it thinks the door is open?

[Jim147]

Yes it won't fill with the door open but maybe the just part of the switch is not working.

The factory used super glue at a few points around the door boot. Don't rip the boot. You don't even want to know how hard that inner spring can be.

[Doggy Daddy]

I got the door seal boot loosened enough with a razor blade that I should be able to get the switch-latch assembly out when my finger stops bleeding (ouch.)  I don't think it's gonna leak when I put it back together, but if it does what kind of glue do I use?  Rubber cement?

I've never tried it, but others have told me super glue works on putting sliced fingers back together.  Is it still leaking?

[grampster]

^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^

[zxcvbob]

I installed the new latch, and now it buzzes and the Door Open light is on.  However, unlike in the youtube videos, the wires were short; you have to put the latch almost all the way into position and work blind in a cramped space.  There's really not room for you hands in there.  So maybe one of the three plugs is not all the way in (they are keyed, so I don't think I installed them wrong)

I would cut a big access hole in the side panel, except the panels look structural.

[Jim147]

If the dryer is not stacked on top it is a couple screws to get the top off and you can reach down and check wires.