But the bad news is that the washer quit

[Jake]

slangevin wrote: The local Sears parts center had the thermister, so I went ahead and bought it and installed it. The dryer has been on for about 40 minutes and so far, it's stillrunning. It looks like it is fixed, but it sometimes runs for an entire cycle. I wonder what the service tech did when he was here. He should have run a test on the thermister, and if that was the problem, I would say he didn't do it. Yes he should of done all the tests described in that tech. sheet.Lets start a new topic on this in the Washers Forum here.

But the bad news is that the washer quit while I was washing a load to test the dryer. It's a Kenmore. model 110.26912690. Yesterday my wife said that in the middle of a load, it started to buzz right before it drained to go into the spin cycle. She turned it off and advanced the timer a little and restarted it, and it finished normally. It did the same thing this evening, but before I could stop it, it stopped on it's own, and it won't restart at any point in the cycle. There was a burning smell, but not overpowering. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Steve

[Jake]

Jake wrote: Glad to hear the dryer is working fine now.:cool:

The washer going out after the dryer got fixed is very uncommon, very ironic, but i noticed this week doing service calls on appliances, that i have had very odd and strange things happen that i have never seen in my 17 years as well.:shock:

The problem with the washer sounds like a bad timer or motor, or the motor terminal block connectors burned out.

Does it wash now? and not spin now? or is it dead totally? any humming sound when it trys to spin?

Jake

[Jake]

slangevin wrote: Jake

I got the washer to restart later. Where it has stopped is where I think there is usually a pause before it drains. Perhaps I could have restarted it initially if I had advanced it further, or it would have restarted on its own. But there is definitely a problem. My wife had the same buzzing noise occur, and there was also definitely a burning odor of some kind. After I restarted it, and it finished the cycle,I put it on the beginning of the cycle and started it, and if began to fill normally. I then just shut it off. I don't want to keep running it for fear of damaging something since there is the burning smell.

Thanks

SteveI did a search on the wording burning here in the forums sections and this topic from Big Mike sounds similar to your washer problem:http://www.applianceblog.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=25&forum_id=2&highlight=burning (http://www.applianceblog.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=25&forum_id=2&highlight=burning)

[slangevin]

Jake

I read over the dialogue on Mike's washer problem. Sounds like his problem is worse than mine - so far. Like I said, it ran through the spin cycle after I restarted later. It's almost as if the timer is trying to advance to drain the tub, and it's sticking and making the buzzing sound. I'm running it through a cycle right now to make sure I have the details right. But I have a basic question - how do I get the timer knob off? It doesn't seem to just pull off, and I don't want to break it.

Thanks

Steve

[slangevin]

The washer went through an entire cycle normally. Last night when it stopped, it was prior to draining between the rinse and final spin. So it had drained and spinned between wash and rinse with no problem.

It had definitely stopped last night after it buzzed. It buzzed and then there was a click like a switch, and it stopped. Andit wouldn't restart right away. I had turned it off and opened up the top to take the timer out (when I couldn't get the knob off), but I pushed and pulled and messed with it for a whileand then quit.That's whenI tried to restart it, and it started and finished the cycle. Could there have been dirt in the timerthat I knocked loose? I'm guessing that the problem will recur.

Thanks

Steve

[Jake]

slangevin wrote: Jake

I read over the dialogue on Mike's washer problem. Sounds like his problem is worse than mine - so far. Like I said, it ran through the spin cycle after I restarted later. It's almost as if the timer is trying to advance to drain the tub, and it's sticking and making the buzzing sound. I'm running it through a cycle right now to make sure I have the details right. But I have a basic question - how do I get the timer knob off? It doesn't seem to just pull off, and I don't want to break it.To take the knob off the timer, some kenmore's you have to push the timer knob in then turn the timer knob the oppositewayit will un-screw, If yours is not the model that does that then you have to remove the hidden screws under the end caps, then the console will raise and flip back on its plastic hinges. http://www.applianceblog.com/washers/sears_washer_end_cap.jpgThen if you look on the back of the timer, you will see a black stem like plastic device thats in the middle, you will need to pull the stem out about 1 inch, then the timer knob will come off. I don't have a picture of that, maybe Jeff Dan. O or Mad Mac does.Jake

Thanks

Steve

[slangevin]

Thanks. I'll try that. The washer in the picture looks like my model. By the way, the new thermister looks like it did the trick with my dryer. You saved me $500+; I was ready to buy a new dryer. This web site is great!

Steve

[Dan O.]

Jake wrote:
Then if you look on the back of the timer, you will see a black stem like plastic device
thats in the middle, you will need to pull the stem out about 1 inch, then the timer knob
will come off. I don't have a picture of that, maybe Jeff Dan. O or Mad Mac does.
Jeff has instructions for one design of plastic timer at the page linked below.

LINK > Appliance Aid: New twist to remove your timer knob... (http://www.applianceaid.com/timerfrigwash.html)

BTW. Some of the plastic timers have knob removal instructions printed onto
the back of their body (...once you open the control panel).

http://www.repairclinic.com/dbimages/00000307/00093824.jpg (http://www.appliance411.com/data.php?rc=2064)

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com (http://www.appliance411.com/?ref411=Kenmore+washer)
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Mad Mac]

Confused the hell out of me the first time I ran across one

tongue:/cheek in (I must have slept through the extensive factory training we Sears techs no doubt received on this)

tongue:/cheek out

[jeff1]

**I must have slept through the extensive factory training we Sears techs no doubt received on this**

While not with Sears...but I must admit that almost every time a movie or slide show is shown at one of the schools I have a tendancy to nod off :shock:

At night school the teacher stopped teaching because he couldn't talk over my snooring ZZZZZZZ

Mildly embarrasing http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/embarassed.gif

jeff.

[Chris]

Curious if this was ever resolved as I now have identical symptoms on my (almost) 4 year old Kenmore Elite washing machine.

The unit stops before the rinse cycle, makes a slight buzzing sound and then produces a distinct burning smell. Randomly adjusting the controls sometimes allows the unit to spring back to life. This is not a constant problem, though. I'd say it happens once a week or so and it is used almost daily.

Any ideas towards a solution will be highly appreciated.

[Jake]

Good question, the person with that problem never came back to update us.

It would either be a bad timer, motor switch, motor bearing.

Here is a great website Jeff1 has that should help you alot:
http://www.applianceaid.com/direct.html

Jake

[Chris]

Blast!

I checked out his page and didn't find anything that matched this as close as this thread but there is a wealth of general diagnostic info that I'm going to dive into. I also just sent Slangeven a PM in hopes he catches it. If I find a solution, I'll be sure to post it.

In the meantime, I've taken apart the console and everything looks good, including the timer contacts. Thanks for the pictures in previous posts. Very helpful! The only problem I've found is in the temp control. When filling the tub during rinse cycle, I can't seem to get the water temp to change from cold no matter which temp setting I set (even ATC). I doubt this is related to the original problem and I don't want this thread to go off on a tangent. Unfortunately, my VOM gave up the smoke and I haven't invested in a new one yet. :(

[Chris]

Just to add a little more info:

When the buzzing/burn smell happens, The timer still progresses and water dispenses through the fabric softener dispensor. I believe that should be happening during the first rinse, correct? If that's the case, it just seems as if the motor is not engaging for that rinse cycle and the water is not draining. Also, I can't seem to locate the wherabouts of the source of the smell. My best guess is it is coming from the back of the unit, below the panel. The smell is noticable in the tub but does not seem to favor the panel or the bottom of the machine where the mechanics are.

I have yet to remove any of the rear panels. That will be my next endeavor.

Chris

[Mad Mac]

I have yet to remove any of the rear panels. That will be my next endeavor.

Chris

EEK!!!!! Don't do that....PLEASE check Jeff's "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Getting Into A Whirlpool-Built Direct Drive, But Were Afraid To Ask" at

http://www.applianceaid.com/procedures.html

[Chris]

Warning heeded.

I haven't done much since the last post. It still locks/buzzes a few times a week. Tonight, it happened again. I took the console off again and listened for the sound. It seems to be coming from the left rear (as you are looking at the unit). I've attached a few pictures. The sound (and smell) are eminating from the hole under the left part of the console. This seems to rule out the motor and timer. What is found in that location anyway? There is some wiring down in there but I'm not sure what it is.

[Chris]

he he....

Probably just a coincidence but the machine cranked right back up after putting it back together. I did unplug the wiring going down into the tub area and verified the buzzing stopped when unplugged.

[Jake]

2 things i can think of, But we will need your model# to verify if your model has these 2 parts, as some models don't.

1st is the Off-balancing mechanism,

2nd is the suds-saver.

I was also thinking the water valve possibly as well.

Jake

[Chris]

Is this what you need?

SM 9711034

I don't think it's the water valve since the water is dispensing normally.

When the buzzing/burn smell happens, The timer still progresses and water dispenses through the fabric softener dispensor. I believe that should be happening during the first rinse, correct? If that's the case, it just seems as if the motor is not engaging for that rinse cycle and the water is not draining.

Also, I moved the tub around (by the agitator) while it was stopped. It didn't help. Would that rule out the Off-balancing mechanism?

[Jake]

Is this what you need?

SM 9711034

No, that looks like the serial#, the model# starts with 110. it should be under the lid.


Also, I moved the tub around (by the agitator) while it was stopped. It didn't help. Would that rule out the Off-balancing mechanism?

Not necessarily, it can still buzz, you would have to actually touch the Off-balancing mechanism lever to check.

Jake

[Chris]

Oh, the number listed next to "Mod". :p

110 22972 101

The other number I grabbed was on the buttom of the lid.

[Jake]

Well, i don't see a Off-balancing device or a suds-saver, its possibly the water valve or motor.

Jake

[Chris]

Thanks for the info.

This may be just a coincidence, but I've been able to restart the motor twice now by following these steps:

1. Disconnect power from wall
2. Press the timer control in
3. Disconnect both wiring harnesses that connect the console to the remaining part of the machine
4. Reconnect the wiring harnesses
5. Reconnect power to wall
6. Pull the timer control out (turn on machine)

Obviously, some of these steps are not needed (power control) but that's basically the pattern I followed.

[Jake]

Sounds like maybe you have a bad connection in one of the wire harness connectors, or the timer contacts itself is starting to fail.

Jake

[Chris]

Yep, it was just a coincidence. The third time I tried this "fix" it didn't work. What finally got it going was tilting the machine slightly forward and then letting it fall back to the floor. The rear feet were maybe an inch or two off the ground when I let it fall. Fixed it right away. I still want to get into the machine to see if I can find the source of the burning but I have yet to take the time to do this.

[Jake]

Good job Chris!:)

Hopefully you can find the burning smell,

Jake

[Chris]

I finally got around to opening up the case. I believe the source of burning is eminating from the left side of the motor (as looking from the front). Take a look at the attached images. Notice the white melted plastic and the darkened wiring. These symptoms only occur on that side of the motor. The first image is looking at the motor from the front left corner of the machine. The second image is from the back left corner, near the transmission. Your thoughts? New motor?

By the way, the low res images I've attached have decent enough clarity to see the details I'm pointing out. I still have the high res images if needed and can email them if you need a "closer" look.

[Jake]

Great photo's! Sure looks burned to me.

Here is the motor to your model#:

Motor, main drive (3 Speed) (http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=1265&N=831562)

Jake

[Chris]

Thanks!

The part number on the motor says 8314869. Is that comparable to 831562 (the one in the above link)?

[Jake]

Yup, Its Identical.:)

Jake

[Chris]

I finally got around to changing out the motor. I've had a new one for about a month now. In the meantime, we ran the machine on gentle cycle with no problems, further backing up our theory that the motor was bad (gentle cycle shouldn't use as many coils in the motor). After a few days on the new motor, everything seems to be working fine. My wife says she still smells a burning smell, although I don't. We joke that I don't "smell" (things) very good. :D Would a new motor smell at first as it "burns in"?

Lessons I learned:

-Changing out a motor on this machine was not very hard.
-The metal clips that hold the motor in place make very loud noises when you release them
-When the motor is released from its mounts, there is enough potential energy to break a finger when it falls against the bottom frame of the machine (don't worry, I didn't suffer a broken finger....just a hurt one).

[Jake]

Glad you got it fixed Chris!:)

You may have a new motor smell, it should go away over time.:)

Great lessons you listed!:)

Jake