Washer Fills, Then Stops

Washer Repair
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1

My inclination after reading a few threads is to just get a new one, and my mom’s experience with the repairman, three in a few years, reinforces my view. But I thought maybe it’s simple, and I’ve fixed a few things, so I thought I’d give it a go.

1.)Dryer fills, then stops. No agitating, no spin.

2.)Timer doesn’t advance, but stays at start.

3.)Advancing timer manually does nothing, with lid closed of course.

4.)No detectable burning smell was observed.

5.)Might not matter, but Washer has always been inside, not subject to weather, and as far as I could tell, there were no leaks of note. And it worked fine right up until this, with no observable symptoms.

6.)Green light on right is on. I’m not sure if that would be on anyway if a fuse is needed, but it is on. It’d be a nice easy way if it was designed that way, in the circuit, to tell if it was, indeed, a fuse. But I don’t know.

I see a lot of posts here about the lid switch–is that cheap enough, or worth it on a washer that is ten years-old, to even bother with, or should I just get a new one? I can’t afford a new one, but I don’t want to pay repeatedly for repairs either, that would amount to more than a new one.

Upside? Got to clean out all that cat hair that’s built up for quite a while!!

3

OK, took off front panel.

The fuse looks OK, but I’ve not tested it yet. But there was no spring, once I took out the fuse block. I see where it goes on the lever, but I’m not too sure to what you connect the other end of the spring. I guess it is possible it snapped off when I removed the block, but if it isn’t connected to the block, I suspect it was already gone. I can’t tell from looking at any of the diagrams. There was a lot of gunk, so it is entirely possible it rusted out.

I was wondering what it connected to, since it seemed to be just laying in there. I see the lever fits up into the slot, and I suppose the spring somehow keeps the lever in place? Is that right? IT almost looks like the lever could just drop down out of the plate.

Just for diagnostic purposes, the switch clicks when I actuate it from both directions. I know one allows it to agitate, and it appears that this may be the problem, that the lever somehow fell out of the bottom, perhaps losing the spring.

What does the pressure switch on the front-side of the block do? It’s smaller, and brown looking, and makes a little click too.

4

[SIZE=3]I should have said in my first post that the spring is under the bottom of the top but if it clicks when you open and close the lid I don’t think the spring is bad. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]The pressure switch cuts the water off when the water level gets to set level. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]If the fuse is not bad you may have a bad timer but that is difficult diagnose. I will help you diagnose further so post back if you find the fuse isn’t your problem.[/SIZE]

5

Well, I couldn’t find the spring, nor did I know where the top of the spring went. I found a spring I had saved from something else, cut it to about an half inch, and bent the ends in little loops. I put one end through the hole in the lever, and the other over the top of that little plastic piece that the lever inserts itself into, that has the button on the end, that actuates the switch, when the lid opens and closes. I assume that spring’s primary purpose is to hold the button-piece, and the lever together, so that was my best guess as to where the top of the spring went.

Apparently I had made the spring too short, so I had to stretch it, and mold it a bit, rebending the edges, but finally I had the button moving in and out nicely. When it was short, it caused sideways tension on the button, so it didn’t slide in and out smoothly.

Oh yea, it called for putting a one inch block between the lid and washer, I assumed not right in the middle, but it wasn’t clear. I put it along the front edge, but not in the middle. By the way, a nine volt battery is an inch across the long way. Then I adjusted it, by sliding the fuse block bacwards, (fuse good, by the way) until it clicked, backed off until it clicked again, and tightened the screw. It clicks at about 1 3/4 while opening the lid, as required by the manual, and the button goes smoothly in and out.

I used WD40 to lube it a bit, and by the way, I used a screwdriver with a rag around it to clean out that little hole that the button passes through, as it was pretty gunked up, possibly restricting the easy sliding of the button in and out.

Anyway, long story short, I think the spring had fell out, and the lever had just dropped out of the block. Not sure though, but the washer worked, as I ran a load afterward, it filled, washed, spun, rinsed, and spun, then cut off.

So, thank you for your help. You inspired me, and if I do need a part, I’ll come back here. I’m sure that spring isn’t going to last forever, and I’ll have to wait and see as to whether this was really the problem. You know how things are, you think you’ve got it fixed, and it comes back to haunt you.

Thanks again!

6

— Begin quote from applianceman;163303

[SIZE=3]There would have to be something major wrong for me to get rid of this machine! In my opinion this is the best washer ever made. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]More than likely the fuse is blown. Remove the back and you should see a fuse on a black plastic plate. If that fuse is blown I recommend changing the whole lid switch assembly [/SIZE][Clothes Washer Repair Guide](http://www.appliancepartspros.com/part_details.aspx?part_id=4026359&rdr=%2Fpartsearch%2Fmodel.aspx%3Fmodel_id%3D42087%26diagram_id%3D650809"][SIZE=3]http://www.appliancepartspros.com/part_details.aspx?part_id=4026359&rdr=%2Fpartsearch%2Fmodel.aspx%3Fmodel_id%3D42087%26diagram_id%3D650809[/SIZE][/URL][SIZE=3] Because typically one of the other switches on the assembly caused the fuse to blow. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Also there is a lever that activates the lid switch. This lever is attached to a spring and if the spring breaks the lever will not activate the lid switch so check that as well. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]If the lid switch/fuse isn’t bad post back and we will go from there. [/SIZE]

[URL="http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/clothes-washer-repair.html#Maytag)

— End quote

Howdy. I’ve been following this conversation and want to say THANKS because it helped me on the problem with the lid switch, which had become inoperative probably because the hold-down sheet metal screw for the switch assembly had worked loose. Anyway I got it working again. Whew, I was afraid it was the timer, and I think the lid switch just happened to have given trouble about the time I was trying to get the washing machine – Maytag Model LAT6914AAE – to quit shaking. I finally got it level north to south and east to west, but it is still shaking. What am I going to do about that? Thanks for your help.

I have read that I need to get underneath the machine, and I do need to change a squeaky belt anyway. The noise is a PITA. Thanks in advance.