Whirlpool American style Top Loader

[DentedPorsche]

Hiyas,
Got one of these with an intermittent problem. (Works OK on visits).
Customer complains that when it goes to drain and spin, it stops. Water drains but no spin. Have replaced the clutch and brake actuator but still doing the same.
Question now is, do I replace the braking system or the gearbox?
Anyone come across this fault before?
All input, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Brian

[Penguin45]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

They get horrible sludging problems in the pressure bell.

Chris.

[DentedPorsche]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Ta Chris, it’s all clean. Pressure switch is working ok. From what the customer tells me, when it stops she lifts the lid, puts it back down and it carries on working ok. My original thinking was a faulty lid switch but this has been ruled out, next thought was a slipping clutch (replaced that along with the motor to gearbox coupling). However, as it’s still doing the same my thinking is now either gearbox or brake assembly.
I’ve never had one with this sort of fault so am working in the dark a bit, especially with not having seen the fault occur.

Brian

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

DentedPorsche wrote:… when it stops she lifts the lid, puts it back down and it carries on working ok. My original thinking was a faulty lid switch ….Brian

I dunno too much about these but I know that when you lift the lid on the old Hotpoint ATL it operates a big solenoid thing which disengages the drive.(IIRC). Could it be that by plonking down the lid she’s releasing a sticking solenoid or a relay?
Mike.

[Dave_Conway]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

No solenoid on these very basic (apart from the braking system) machines.

Have you checked the silly shaped bakolite brake operation “thing” inside the brake housing (requires gearbox removal to access) ?

They quite often snap but normally produces no spin at all rather than intermittent 😕

Dave.

[EFS]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

There are two kinds of gearbox on these machines.
Not so common is the neutral drain gearbox which as its name suggests drains the water out in neutral gear (no spin)
It requires the motor to stop and start again to throw it into gear and start spinning.
This is a timer function and if you have tried everything else then it could be this.
The neutral drain box is 4819 522 28008 which you can cross check against the model.

Good luck

Steve

[DentedPorsche]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Thanks all, the brake actuator (driver level brake) has been changed (part supplied with clutch). The rest of the braking system looked fine.
It’s not the neutral draining box on this machine , just the standard gearbox.
Job’s booked in for next Tuesday again, hopefully it’ll show the fault this time and I’ll get a better idea of what’s actually going wrong.
I’ve tossed the coin and ordered up the brakes and drive tube. That only leaves the gearbox if the fault persists.
Ta for the input.

Brian

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Brian, I’ve got exploded diagrams for a 3RLSQ8000 if you’d like them. It would have to be snail mail and would get sent Monday.
I got them off Whirlpool couple of years ago – just had to ring them.
There is a switch shown on the back of the motor which I think is linked mechanically to the lid actuator. But maybe that’s what you’ve already checked.
Mike.

[admin]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Have you examined the block to ensure it is gripping the shaft?

Kevin

[DentedPorsche]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Thanks Mike, I’ve got the diagrams from my days of working for the W/pool agent.
I did examine it Kevin and it all looks good. The fact it works after lifting the lid and closing it again is where I’m having the trouble diagnosing plus the piggin thing not going wrong when I’m there.
I’ve ordered the brakes and drive tube so hopefully it’ll cure the problem.

Thanks for the offer and input.

Brian

[EFS]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

All gear changes are done by the motor speed & direction.
If you lift the lid at any stage during the spin/drain sequence this will cause the gearbox to advance and you will miss the fault.
Have a look at the drive cone and nut which secure the drum to the drive tube as it can come loose and the drum can drop and catch on the bottom of the wash tub & stop the spin.
Next stage is when the friction melts the tub bottom and you need to look at the economics of the job.

Steve

[Tubs]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Hi Brian

Had this before on two machines, ended up changing motor on both of them. Put it down to the centrafugal assy at the end of the motor shaft sticking?.

Same symptons as yours, washes etc but just decides to stop and not spin every now and then. Like you changed everything else that I thought it would be but no joy 😥 . even the gearbox, changed motor and it cured it. Motors have a built in toc so whether this was failing prematurely is also a possibility.

Steve

[DentedPorsche]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Ta for that Steve. Going there tomorrow to do a complete strip down of the machine. Haven’t come across this fault before so really want to find the cause.

Brian

[roly16]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

What did you find in the end?

[DentedPorsche]

Re: Whirlpool American style Top Loader

Hiya,
Goodness me, forgot all about this one.
Replaced the gearbox and it was fine.

Brian. 😀

[Author]

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