Maytag Centennial MVWC425BW1 won't spin, already replaced actuator

[RScottS]

Model Number

MVWC425BW1

Brand

Maytag

Age

6-10 years

Washer won't spin. I replaced the actuator in Jan 2022 and it worked fine until last week. Now I get error codes F7E1, F2E1, and F1E1. Also, at the moment, the tub won't spin. I'm leaning towards main control board. Need advice. Thank you

 

[Jake]

I'm attaching your tech. data sheet below.

Clear the current error codes, On page 3 it tells you how to clear them:
--->2. To clear fault codes: Turn cycle selector knob until the status LEDs flash ON and OFF (see figure 2, page 2). Press and hold the START button for 3 seconds to clear all fault codes and exit Fault Code Display Mode.

Then after that do a drain/spin cycle and see if it drains and spins. If not, check to see what new error code you get.

Jake

 

[RScottS]

Thanks Jake. I had it unplugged overnight. I plugged it in and cleared the fault codes. Initiated the Drain/Spin cycle. The pump ran and it drained, then the lid lock light went off, no spin, drained again, at which point I lifted the lid and all the lights went off. The spin light was on throughout this process, which took 30 minutes.

I checked the Fault/Error codes and can't make sense of them (I have the tech manual). The only code is the Done light is on, if I rotate counterclockwise to check the prior codes I get the Spin light on, then the Spin and Done lights, then only the Rinse light.

I tried to run another load on the Normal cycle, think maybe it reset itself. It didn't spin while Sensing, the tub did fill with water but it's not moving when the Wash light is on. Once it drains I'll have to take out the wet clothes. Last night when the tub was empty I was unable to turn it from the inside by hand. When I replaced the actuator in January everything worked, but the Spin did seem to be faster than I previously thought.

Thanks again.

 

[RScottS]

UPDATE: I took the bottom cover off and the belt is good and the tub spins by hand, I can also turn the motor. I have a theory; the lid is actually locked when the light is on solid red, but it doesn't stay locked. My guess is the motor will not spin or move the tub if the lid isn't locked. So if lid won't stay locked when it's supposed to is that the problem, and is that controlled by the Main Control Board? Thanks

 

[Jake]

On page 18 of the tech data sheet you can test the lid lock switch--->TEST #8: Lid Lock

What worries me now also is you can't get it into diagnostics to check for error codes.

So you may have a bad main control board. On page 12--->TEST #1: Main Control

Here's the main control board for your model:
W10671342 Electronic Control Board


Jake

 

[RScottS]

UPDATE2: I did the Manual Lid Lock test successfully, but when I tried to do the Manual Spin or Agitation tests the lid didn't lock, so I couldn't test them.

 

[RScottS]

UPDATE3: Main Control Board test. Confirmed 120VAC, LED Diagnostic on, checked J2 Shifter Connector and could not get 13VDC; however when I connected the meter the washer started to cycle, and spin.

 

[RScottS]

Unfortunately the control board appears to be out of stock everywhere, including our local parts warehouse

 

[Jake]

Yes, that control board is out-of-stock everywhere.

Glad you found the problem.

Jake

 

[Kadiddlehopper]

UPDATE3: Main Control Board test. Confirmed 120VAC, LED Diagnostic on, checked J2 Shifter Connector and could not get 13VDC; however when I connected the meter the washer started to cycle, and spin.

How do we check the J2 harness connector? It has has small tubes or holes or shafts where the wires go in. The probes on my multimeter are small to go in, but they have ridges on their sides that prevent them from going in parallel to each other. I do not know if the probes touched anything useful. I tried inserting straightened paperclips into the shafts and then touching the multimeter probes to the paperclips. The multimeter showed no response. I am not sure if I the #3 and #4 wires have any bare wire that a multimeter could contact. I cannot extract the J2 connector from the control panel in order to understand its construction. How do we make the physical connection between the multimeter and the J2 harness connector?

 

[Jake]

I cannot extract the J2 connector from the control panel

Just get a small flathead screwdriver and pry it up a little bit, so your meter probes can make contact with the metal pins.

 

[Kadiddlehopper]

The harness connector is secured good and tight. I cannot budge it.

I have been trying to figure out the design of the connector. It has two long levers on one side. When I depress the tops of the levers, the bottoms appear to release their holds on the jack on the control panel. Even though I depress these levers and release the jack, I still cannot remove the connector. I tried to stick my jeweler's screwdriver between the jack and the connector, but I cannot wedge this tiny screwdriver between the two parts. Is there another step to release the connector from the jack?

 

[Jake]

Nope, it will come off.

I've removed many of these before for my customers.

This video shows you how they come out:

The video says Whirlpool, but Whirlpool owns Maytag and its basically the same style board.

 

[Kadiddlehopper]

The video shows the construction of the J2 connector. It is as I expected. Knowing how the connector is made, I was able to remove the connector.

I then tested the #3 and #4 pins. The voltage there is good.

I did not pull off the main power connector, but I expect that the power supply is good. The washer still powers up.

The problem started a month ago when the washer stalled after the agitation and before going into drain-and-spin. Two or three weeks ago I replaced the shift actuator and the drive belt. These new parts made no change. That is when I started looking and testing the control panel. Finding no faults in the control panel, I tested the capacitor. It showed proper continuity.

After every change in the hardware, I recalibrated the machine. I think I have several times removed the stored error codes. But after every repair attempt the machine continues to give me error codes.

Two days ago the machine stopped agitating. It fills with water and does not move through the cycle.

The current error codes are F7E5 and F7E6 in that order. The tub and the motor spin freely by hand.

Sears has a relatively inexpensive control panel, but the Sears webpage says that the code here would be F1E1. That is one error code that I have not seen.

I have not taken the machine apart to inspect all the wiring. The wiring that I see in the console and underneath the machine all appears undamaged.

I cannot figure out what else might be wrong.

 

[Jake]

Yes, this is a difficult one to solve, if you've done the steps in the tech. data sheet for both those error codes, then I don't know what else it could be.

Its best to contact Maytag at 1-800-344-1274 and have a AUTHORIZED MAYTAG TECH come out, THEY HAVE THE MAYTAG FACTORY HOTLINE NUMBER, that they can call from your house to get them involved to see why this is happening.

 

[Kadiddlehopper]

Now I am exploring the splutch. I got onto this topic when YouTube gave me a video which happened to show the cam ring moving freely. In my previous exploration underneath, I noticed that my cam ring did not move. So I removed the pulley assembly and examined the parts. None appeared damaged. I reinstalled the assembly. Now the cam ring moves. It does not move as freely as the one in the video, but it does move.

I am now on my third load since playing with the splutch. The machine moves much more slowly through its cycle. It completed the cycle the first two times, although it spun and drained the load only the first time. The second load was heavier. I am working on a third load as I write this. On this third load the machine also made a loud, unfamiliar grinding noise during the first few minutes of the wash cycle but none afterwards. I have not yet found online a recording of this noise.

One item that I noticed is grease. It is on the transmission shaft. It is also inside the basket-drive gear and on its gear teeth. My understanding is that these parts are not supposed to be greased.

Now I am wondering if grease is leaking out of the gear case. If so, what kind of grease does this washer require? And how to put it in?

 

[Jake]

There should not be any grease, watch this video below, it shows the old gearcase VS the new gearcase, you see the new gearcase has no grease on the shaft?

Here's the gearcase(transmission) for your model you can order: W11454372

 

[Kadiddlehopper]

Yes, that is what I thought. The grease in the wrong place might explain the grinding noise that I heard yesterday. And, after the second and third loads I reset the sensors. I then ran the diagnostic function. Twice I got the F7E1 error code.

I did not want to spend any more money on this unit. We decided to buy a new washer.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jake]

We decided to buy a new washer.

Ok, sounds good, thanks for the update!