I have a 1999-ish GE WPSF4170W1WW.
While washing a load last weekend, I thought I heard the machine making its normal spin-cycle sounds. (I was in another part of the house.) However, when it finished, I discovered the clothes sopping wet and a very strong smell, sort of like burnt rubber and dog urine (hey - that’s what it smelled like!).
I have run several loads since then, small ones so as not to stress the machine, and have kept a close eye on it. Everything seemed okay - no funny sounds or smells.
Until earlier today.
This time I heard the spin-cycle sound, and it seemed unusual. When I checked out the machine, the drum wasn’t spinning. But something inside WAS spinning, it simply wasn’t engaging the drum. Using a screwdriver, I depressed the door swtich to see what happened. As the spinning sound started up, the drum sort of "bumped" a little bit, and then maybe 10 seconds later actually maanged to hesitantly make a half-turn, but otherwise nothing. When I let off the switch, the drum "relaxed" again, as if something had been trying to turn it but then was disengaged.
Does this sound like a bad belt? I haven’t had a chance to look inside. I’m not even sure the spin cycle is belt-driven.
At the moment, I’m running yet another small load, and it’s made it through the first spin cycle already with no problems.