After spin, clothes still very wet; sometimes agitates but not spin during spin cycle

Washer Repair
,
1

My washer is a

Maytag Ensignia top loader. from the 2007 timeframe.

Model MAV4757AWW

I’ve searched for and read many postings about washers that
still spin, but the clothes are still very wet after the spin cycle.

This situation has happened recently with my washer.

And have read that this can be due to problems with various parts
or clothes stuck in between the baskets or in the pump or pump hoses.

But since am seeing one specific behavior/symptom hardly ever mentioned,
I wanted to ask about that here.

Details:

  1. After the spin, (and I can visually see it spinning in this case), the clothes are really almost sopping wet
    which was not the case before.

  2. The washer fills, agitates, drains and rinses ok (drains completely in
    same short amt of time as in the past)

  3. Here are the specific behaviors I see related to the spin cycle now:

a. sometimes during the spin cycle, and there is no water in the tub at this time, since it has already drained out properly, the agitator agitates and keeps agitating, but the spinning does not start

b. but other times, the spinning does start and lasts throughout
the spin cycle, but as mentioned, the clothes are still wet
(and there is no water in the tub at this time also)

For both these cases, I can hold down the lid switch and can see the behaviors described.

c. when it does spin, it does start off agitating for about 10 seconds
until the drum starts spinning and then the agitating stops; I don’t know if this is typical or if not, if its an additional clue to the problem.

d. when it does spin, sometimes rarely there is a thumping noise
once or twice during the entire spin cycle, but usually not.
However, in general the sound when spinning is just not as I remember it;
which I guess makes sense since its not getting the spin speed
it used to get.

  1. From web searches, have read at least one item that said that if the
    agitator agitates during the spin cycle, and it does not spin, that it is a transmission problem.

  2. But since the "agitate during spin cycle/does not spin" situation
    happens relatively rarely, I want to ask if it still means that
    seeing this symptom at all does mean that
    it is a transmission problem

vs it perhaps being one of the many
other possibilities for the general problem of washer spinning
but clothes still very wet (but all water has drained from the tub) ?

  1. If it is the transmission, then I can stop and look for a new or used
    replacement, since the transmission parts for my model are very high.
    (and I’d not be able to do that level of work myself in any case)

But if not, then I can try to analyse further to see if its worth
having someone come out to look.

Thanks for any information on this situation and what you think the problem(s) might be. Please let me know if more details are needed.

3

Were you able to receive any feedback regarding your issue? I’m having a similar problem with a like model. I’ve checked the pump, the agitator, and the drain hose, and can’t seem to find what the problem is.

4

— Begin quote from sdharris;850719

Were you able to receive any feedback regarding your issue? I’m having a similar problem with a like model. I’ve checked the pump, the agitator, and the drain hose, and can’t seem to find what the problem is.

— End quote

sdharris,

I did receive some information on another forum, noted below.

I did see some other symtoms with mine that happened after
my post here and mentioned them as well in that forum.

The answer for my situation at least was its the tramsmission.

Have been researching current for the last few years and new
toploaders and frontloaders; reviews for all of these in general
have been bad and it seems in general, things don’t last they
way they used to, so we have been going to a laundromat
for several weeks; not fun.

also i see that the return policies of most big box stores, when
the small print is read, is very restrictive and some might say
misleading, so am trying to just accept that, like for a car,
once a washer is purchased, there is in effect no return
that can be done even if defective.

here is the ptr:

Spin cycle leaves clothes very wet - but sometimes during spin cycle, agitator agitates but no spin

5

sdharris,

did you find out any information on your situation with the non agitation
on spin ?

today, instead of agitating during wash cycle but still not spinning
during spin cycle, its now not agitating during wash cycle either,

though it is draining at least and its still doing the agitating during
the drain/spin cycle as before - but still not spinning.

am guessing this latest is just progression in the transmission
being broken, since i think it controls the agitation also, besides
the spin.