Help with Maytag washer that won't spin out the water...

[ecfinn]

When we moved into our house about 5+ years ago, my wife's uncle gave us a brand new Maytag washer as a house-warming gift. Its been great until recently. In any cycle it will fill up, agitate and then the problems start. It never spins out the water. The dial will run through the rinse and spin cycles but it never does anything and the laundry still has the wash water in it. If we manually put it on the spin cycle it will spin out the water. If we put it back on the rinse cycle it will fill back up again, agitate and then do nothing. We have to put it in the spin cycle manually each time to get it to empty.

Does anyone have any ideas where to look to diagnose this type of problem? I don't think its a clogged drain line b/c it will drain if I put it back on the spin cycle, it just won't spin out the water when running in either wash or rinse cycles...

Any suggestions on internet sites/experts to contact would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[Hogwildz]

When our dryer stopped working, I found this site very helpful. And did find the info needed to repair my dryer.
http://applianceguru.com/
I think reading the forums is free. To post you have to join I think. And I think I paid $5.00 to post. Reading was free. The 5 was well worth what I saved over paying someone to repair or buying new one when all I needed was a $5.00 part.
YOu can search by make & model also. Hope it helps, it did help me alot.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Sounds to me like either the belt is bad or the pump has failed.

If it's anything like my Calypso, then it could simply be something clogging up the pump inlet or outlet. I had a couple of pennies and a few dimes. Problem fixed when I got them out of there.

So I would suggest draining the washer (no fun), then locating the pump and taking it off to see what's up. Check for obstacles or clogs in the pump's entrance and exit piping. Look inside the pump to make sure the rubber impeller spins freely. Check the drive mechanism for broken, stripped or otherwise compromised parts. Pretty easy to check the belt tension and condition while you're at it.

 

[ecfinn]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm currently registering on that site to ask questions. That's the weird part about it, Eric. It will spin out the water fine if I manually put it into the spin cycle only. It just won't spin it out after the wash or rinse cycles on its own. So I know the line isn't clogged or something. The lady I spoke with at Maytag has never heard of this problem and she's been doing it for 8 years. Just my luck. My search for knowledge continues...

Eric

 

[Eric Johnson]

Sounds like an electrical/switching problem to me.

 

[jqgs214]

Encountered this exact thing many years ago with my mothers of 1970's green Maytag, If I remember correctly is has something to do with the selector dial (the one you spin) (dont know if the new ones have that anymore) getting stuck and it would not switch into spin. Man that was a loooong time ago and dont remember what was replaced to fix it. I agree I think it has to do with the switching.

 

[burntime]

I agree sounds like the control. May be as simple as a relay?

 

[keyman512us]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm currently registering on that site to ask questions. That's the weird part about it, Eric. It will spin out the water fine if I manually put it into the spin cycle only. It just won't spin it out after the wash or rinse cycles on its own. So I know the line isn't clogged or something. The lady I spoke with at Maytag has never heard of this problem and she's been doing it for 8 years. Just my luck. My search for knowledge continues...

Eric

Eric,
I would lean towards the "electrical" aspect as well. Perhaps it is the 'selector' (which is most of the controls for the 'cycle') that is most of the problem. Maybe take a picture of the 'control top'...and post the model # etc. See what kind of info you can come up with and if you find the need to order a new 'selector' and don't have much luck...let me know...A fellow small business man here in my area (ApplianceMan, Athol MA) sells just about every part you would ever need very reasonably...and even offers 'free advice' so to speak...

Keep us 'posted'.

 

[Czech]

Another good site imho is repairclinic.com, I've used them often and the advice was right on saving many dollars. Does sound like a control at this point.

 

[GVA]

Just a correction here.
The washer doesn't spin out the water, it needs to pump out the water.
If you put it on spin and the water drains out chances are it is the pump plugged or not working for whatever reason, most of the above sound pretty good.
You may get lucky like Eric and make some money while fixing it

 

[ecfinn]

GVA, Sorry for the confusing terminology. It actually does pump out the water just fine, but only in the spin cycle. It doesn't pump it out after the wash or rinse cycles though.

Eric

 

[wg_bent]

Sounds like the dial control is missing a tooth. Is it electronic or a manual dial?

 

[begreen]

Is it having this problem on all cycles (delicate, etc.)? From the information provided, it sounds like the pump does not switch on at the end of the wash or rinse cycles. However, it will switch on during the spin cycle and at that point does empty the washer tub. Is that correct?

It sounds like the controller (timer) is bad. You've confirmed that the pump is working electrically and mechanically, so this is the only thing I can think of that is left. But it would help to review the schematic to see how it is controlled. Do you have a model number for the washer?

 

[ecfinn]

Is it having this problem on all cycles (delicate, etc.)? Do you have a model number for the washer?

Yes its having the same problem on all three cycles. The washer is model number MAV7550AWW.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[begreen]

Does the timer resemble this part?

http://www.partselect.com/xq/aspx/Inventory.64955/imgID.1/qx/PartDetail.htm?SourceCode=1

 

[Gooserider]

If you search back a ways, I had a thread with a problem on a clothes dryer, I found a BUNCH of advice sites, including the samurai guy. He looked good, but I didn't want to pay for the priviledge of posting, and found other sites offered similar advice for free... I forget the links offhand, but I'm pretty sure I've posted them either in that thread, or some other appliance problem thread.

That said, I would agree with those who say "timer" - which BTW was also the problem with my dryer...

Other things that can mess up a washer, but should be a more consistent failure is an over sensitive "out of balance" switch, or if you have a garment (usually a sock) jammed between the tub and the basket.

Gooserider

 

[begreen]

I've studied the schematic and parts diagrams posted at partselect.com and have to admit I'm not finding either a solenoid that controls the pump engagement, nor an output valve control. This is confusing because there needs to be a method to stop water from draining when it is not desired.

Eric, how are you checking the draining? Is the lid open or closed each time you check? (I'm wondering if this could be related to the lid switch.)

 

[Gooserider]

I've studied the schematic and parts diagrams posted at partselect.com and have to admit I'm not finding either a solenoid that controls the pump engagement, nor an output valve control. This is confusing because there needs to be a method to stop water from draining when it is not desired.

Eric, how are you checking the draining? Is the lid open or closed each time you check? (I'm wondering if this could be related to the lid switch.)

Most washers don't have an output valve - the drain hose loops up to the high mounted drain so that the exit of the drain is above the water level in the tub, and MUST be smaller in OD than the drain's ID, so that there is a "siphon break" effect at that point. The pump has to kick in in order to force the water out the drain hose, otherwise it just sits at the same level the tub is.

The pump engagement is controlled by the transmission on some machines, no solenoid needed. Instead the main motor is reversible, when it spins in one direction you get agitation, when it spins in the opposite direction you get tub spin and drive to the pump. At least that's the way it works on our washer, which IIRC is an older Maytag.

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

Eric, I don't know if this applies to your setup. But I was reading in that site I posted for you. And came across a subject similar. The guy had moved his set up so that the drain hose was lowered. Some machines must drain upward &/or the pipe the hose drains into must be approx. 30" high to drain properly. Did you by chance move the drain hose lower for any reason? Its a stretch I know, but worth a post. If give me your make & model. I'll check more specific posts towards that make & model on that site. I paid the 5 bucks when I had my dryer problem. I am not sure if it means I am still a paid member or not. But maybe I can still find an answer for you. That site has a lot of posts, so without the model its just too much to weed through without narrowing it down to specific model.

 

[begreen]

Thanks Goose. That clarifies the lack of a pump solenoid in the schematic. Hog, the make is Maytag, the model is MAV7550AWW.

Eric, Hog brings up a good point, the installation model has the specific height ranges for the drain hose. It should be between 3 - 5 ft.

 

[Hogwildz]

Sorry if repeating whats already been said.
So far looks like it could be one of the following:
Pump inlet/outlet clogged.
Pump shot.
Timer bad.
I'll let ya know if I find anything else.

One persons pump was clogged with a bobby pin stuck in it, so it does not take much.

 

[HomeOwner]

Eric,

Did you ever figure out the problem with your Maytag washer? I'm having the same problem with mine that you describe. It will go through nearly all of the cycle but when it gets to the rinse (and drain) cycle nothing happens. You can manually rotate the Cycle Select dial to initiate the spin cycle but not automatically. FYI, I have a Maytag washer with model number LAT8604AAM. I know that all else is fine with the washer (washes, agitates, drains, two belts on bottom connected to the motor are fine).

Thanks,
Matt (HomeOwner)

 

[Harley]

Sorry - couldn't resist.

Did you check to make sure there were no alligators in there? :bug:

 

[ecfinn]

Eric,

Did you ever figure out the problem with your Maytag washer? I'm having the same problem with mine that you describe. It will go through nearly all of the cycle but when it gets to the rinse (and drain) cycle nothing happens. You can manually rotate the Cycle Select dial to initiate the spin cycle but not automatically. FYI, I have a Maytag washer with model number LAT8604AAM. I know that all else is fine with the washer (washes, agitates, drains, two belts on bottom connected to the motor are fine).

Thanks,
Matt (HomeOwner)

Matt,

I've not dug into it yet. I did try cleaning up and banging on the lid switch as a number of things were pointing towards that with some type of intermittent contact. Its been better since then. Not perfect, but much better. Still tempermental. Your issue sounds eerily like mine. I have not done anything with the dial select or the pump. Thinking maybe the lid switch got gunked up or a loose connection on the back of it. When I get back from vacation I'll probably be looking into it some more.

Hope this helps,

Eric

 

[HomeOwner]

The problem with my Maytag Washing Machine (Maytag Washer) turned out to be a bad timer. I ordered a new one from PartSelect.com and it's been working fine ever since. Replacement was simple. In fact, my wife took care of it while I was out of town when the part arrived!