Maytag Intermittent Agitate & Spin

Washer Repair
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1

Great forum! I’ve learned alot, but still need help.
I’ve read a lot of treads before posting but I’m still not sure what the most likely problem part is.

The timer rotates and the machine will properly fill in all modes, Soak, Regular, Perm Press, and Delicate. It almost never will agitate, spin or empty in regular or perm press. Sometimes it will cycle through ok (agitate, spin & empty) in delicate mode. Also if I slowly manually advance the timer, I can sometimes get the agitate to work in regular, and spin to work in regular and perm press.

The lid switch seems to be adjusted and working. I tested it for continuity with a multimeter and it clicks on and off with the lid (power off, I didn’t check current/voltage with power on.)

I pulled off the front cover and removed the "hood" from the motor. As the timer advances the motor will typically "jog" about 1/12 turn but not run. If I continue to advance the timer manually, I can sometimes, get it to run. It is most likely to agitate in delicate, but I did get it to agitate once in regular too. When I can coax it to spin it is mosly in delicate too, but I have managed to get it to spin in regular final and perm press first spin cycle a couple times, again this is by mannually advancing the timer.

I opened the switch on the motor and the contacts were blackened, but still looked like they were connecting. I cleaned the contacts and it did not seem to make much difference.

Both belts seem to be ok. Haven’t noticed any burning smells, but the machine typically is running unattended, after startup, so maybe we missed it. Definately nothing since trying to troubleshoot it.

The pump pully seems to turn freely.

I can turn the agitator by hand but it sometimes feels stiff, and other times very stiff. I didn’t note what cycle it turned easily or stiffly.

Suspects:
Timer: But I read this is often mis diagnosed, and the motor does react to it (but usually just barely) and the timer does turn on its own. And if I were patient enough, it would probably operate properly on its own, but only every 20 or so cycles. I read one case where the timer was trying to turn the motor in both directions at once. Could that be my issue?

Motor or Motor Switch?: But it does seem to run in all modes, sometimes.

Pump filter clogged?
Sock/etc stuck between inner outer drum?
Mechanical / transmission binding?
Water fill switch turning off water but not turning on agitate?

How do I proceed to isolate this?
Thanks!!!

2

I removed the belts to see if some kind of drag/resistance was keeping the motor from spinning up to speed. Same result. As the timer cycles through, the motor lurches/stutters but doesn’t start, except once in a while it will spin or agitate.

I tested the two lid switches again with a multi-meter and they seem ok. But since there is one on either side of the trip bar, as a cross check I cycled through the timer with the lid up. The motor does not lurch like it does with the lid down. That leads me to believe the lid switch isn’t the problem.

I was all ready to go pick up a new motor, but I found the test harness diagram so I tested the motor. It tested ok. Wired direct to a power cord it starts instantly every time.

Water level switch is ok, continuity is correct for both full and empty.

Checking the timer is a little more cumbersome, since the leads are close together and there are multiple leads that are suppose to be connected at once. But I checked the leads that are suppose to be connected for spin and agitate and they had continuity when dial was set to any cycle with agitate or spin.

I pulled the plastic cover off timer and the contacts look clean, although its hard to see the actual contact surfaces. The plastic "player piano" drum looks ok, no pegs obviously broken or chiped. But they do show some wear.

Could these be worn down enough to not force the contact together completly?

I haven’t traced every inch of wire harness from controller to motor. I think I give that a look.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!
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3

After taking the timer apart, I was able to see that there was a burnt contact. I cleaned it off, and was able to get the machine to run, but the contact points are pitted, so I’ll be replacing the timer. The contact "fingers" component isn’t available by itself, as far as I can tell, so I’ll be replacing the whole timer unit.

The motor and other parts seem ok on the old one. If anyone has a timer with a bad motor (not advancing the dial on its own) this could be an option. Let me know

Good luck!

4

Glad we could be of some help lol

5

l have a maytag washer that keeps on blowing the breaker when it goes into the spinning cycle. Hope you can help me out. thanks Douglas

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it blows the breaker just when it starts to spin. the model is a maytag A882.