Door lock light does not go on. Wax motor does not seem to actuate and door does not lock. Washer fills and pumps out water very strongly but does not go into fast spin. Looking at manual for a similar washer, the next step seems to be to check for voltage at wax motor. A parts supplier instead said that the motor is bad and needs to be replaced. Need advise on what to do next.
Also, why is it called a wax motor?
The wax motor causes your door to lock, and it is called a wax motor because, well, it has wax which is heated to cause the lock mechanism to work.
The factory installed wax motors fails regularly on these machines and have been revised and upgraded. Change yours out and look for any problems on the control board.
Here is a manual for your model.
http://www.servicematters.com/maytag_library/docs/16009127.pdf
Tested leads to wax motor and found 118 volts. Removed wax motor but could not replace yet because no parts in area. Simulated door lock by holding sliding gear to the right. Door lock light went on but still would not spin. Also did motor phase test. A & B drive turns drum slowly. Assume that is about 50 RPM at motor. Ditto C drive. Windings show 2.2 ohms. Assume motor is fine.Next step to replace wax motor. Any way to check control board? Visuals does not show any burns.
Well, put in the new wax motor and see what happens. Since you are getting power to the wax motor it may be your only problem.
If that does not fix things, try replacing the board as there is no good way to test it. If you buy from this site (no I am not affiliated with them) and the part does not fix your problem you can return it. See the returns policy.
By the way, thank you very much for the help. The manual was a godsend. Will order wax motor.
You are welcome, let us know how things turn out.
Replaced wax motor. It does not actuate during rinse, so no door lock light and no spin. Actually shouldn’t it actuate when wash is started? Still measured 118 at leads with leads disconnected. Could I be getting the voltage from the control board with insufficient amperage to drive the motor? I assume control board is next.
If you are getting proper voltage then you are also getting sufficient amps, so the next step I think is to replace the board.
If you buy from this site and it does not repair your problem you can return it for a refund, see the refunds policy.
Just so you will not get frustrated, Maytag Neptunes are among the most troubled machines ever built, and if at the end of the day you have to replace this thing it is not your fault, it is Maytag’s.
Ordered motor control board from APP. Board does not resemble the original board and is about 2 inches longer. My unit is and early MHW2000AWW. Might there have been a conversion at some point. Will double check with APP.
I don’t know whether the board was redesigned, or later models got a different board, but have your serial number available for APP and hopefully they can get you the right answer.
Maytag was always doing things like this, one of the reasons they are no longer an independent company.
APP does have a conversion board. However this is getting into more than what I want to spend for a ten year old unit. So it is goodbye Maytag.
Again, thank you very much for the assistance – and the pep talk!!
Can’t disagree with your decision. I strongly recommend a basic top loader without any electronic boards or controls, for reasons you are now only too familiar with.
Good luck!