Whirlpool top loader drain problem

[inisfad]

I have a rather old Whirlpool top loader, model LCR5244, that I use when I have to ration water (I’m on a spring). It’s in a shed – I load it with buckets of water, and it drains into a ditch, so it’s not connected to any plumbing. Yesterday I was doing a load of laundry – it agitated properly, drained properly, and just before it began to spin, it made a noise, which went away when the tub spun. However, in the spin cycle, where usually the water at the very bottom of the tub comes out, none did. The clothes spun, but were not as dry as usual. Today (with great difficulty) I disconnected the drain hose at the back of the machine – there was no obstruction. The pump is at the bottom of the machine, at the rear panel. I was able to get the hose off, between the tub and the pump – there was no obstruction there, either. I’m assuming that the pump is bad (sadly, I was unable to get the pump off yet – the bolts holding it are pretty rusty). I have a few questions…..Is there any way of testing the pump while it’s still attached to the machine? But, more importantly, is the purpose of the pump only to pump UP the water at the bottom of the tub, during the spin cycle? Since the external drain hose is connected to no plumbing, I am wondering if I lower that external drain hose, just before the spin cycle, so that it is lower than the tub, if the centrifugal force of the tub spinning, will get the excess water out from the bottom of the tub?? A weird question, but I really need the machine. Thanks!!

[electrofix]

yes the machine would spin with gravity drain but unless you stand by it and lower it every time it pumps out you could stand there all day

most machines do a wash and 3 rinses so that means it pumps out 4 times in a cycle

from what i can find abvout the pump it looks a standard askol type unit. there may be something inside it when you get it out.
try to get the rear of the pump off or the hose going into it as it may just be something blocking it

found pump image here if this is yours
https://www.appliancepartspros.com/whirlpool-pump-water-285948-ap3600732.html

Dave

[inisfad]

Yes, that’s the pump – or at least part of the whole unit? I found this, although perhaps part of it in your photo is at the back and not visible. The machine, on the ‘drain’ cycle, seems to drain out – I assume that the tub was draining via gravity until a certain point when the spin cycle would start, at which point the pump becomes important. My thought was that I’d just put the hose below the pump when the drain cycle starts, and let it go through drain and spin with the gravity flow. Then, when it’s time to fill the tub, I’d just put the hose up higher than the tub. I’m not really sure that the pump is the problem, but assumed so, as it drained ok, but then nothing came out during the spin. Would you say that this is because of the pump not working?? As I’m filling the tub manually (so do have to be present to fill the tub again at the beginning of the rinse cycle) it’s no big deal to deal with the hose during the drain cycle. My machine only fills (perhaps because I’m doing it manually now) once for wash, and once for rinse. Thanks for the info!

[electrofix]

if it wont drain by gravity or drain slowly again by gravity then you may have a blockage like a sock

Dave

[inisfad]

Thanks! I pulled off the hose from the tub to the pump, and it was clear. The drain hose from the pump going out to the ditch is clear, as well. I couldn’t really test the pump too well, but just by putting my finger all the way into it, the impeller was able to spin. As long as I know that I can deal with the draining, only by gravity, then I’m ok for a while, until I get the pump off to check and replace it. I imagine the short ‘groan sound I hear (it only lasted for a second or so – not like bearings groaning), may have come from the pump – I’m not sure. The only clue I had was that once the tub drained, I heard the noise, then the drum started to spin, but no further water came out of the drain pipe to the ditch, which is what made investigate if this could be the pump. Thanks for all your help.

[electrofix]

may be something in the pump. if you can remove the back and look inside. had a few with elestic bands wrapped around impellor, it will still turn but not start

Dave

[inisfad]

Thank you again. Will certainly try to get the pump off, at which time I’ll probably be back for more advice. In the meantime, at least I know I can still use the machine and drain via gravity, which is a relief. I don’t have that many clothes…lol

[inisfad]

Well, I’ve answered my own question….lol. The centrifugal force of the spin cycle won’t allow the residual water in the tub to drain out. Of course, I may have connected this up the wrong way – I connected the pipe AFTER the drain pump, rather than connecting to the hose that comes from the tub itself. But I do have a couple of more questions…..does the drain pump for this machine have a ‘drain pump filter’? The lint catcher in this machine is actually visible in the center of the tub, but I’m reading about drain pump filters. I was wondering if anyone here knew whether this has it or not. I suspect that if I want to continue with the ‘cheap repair’ of this machine, I will need to hook up a hose to the hose that comes out of the tub itself, rather than the actual outlet at the back of the machine. This machine cost me $400, 27 years ago. I’m somewhat hesitant about putting $100+ into it (although I did find this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenmore-Washer-Drain-Pump-285948-60864-3969712-ASMN-/153734966293?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c4#viTabs_0. It says Kenmore, but the page that leads to it says Whirlpool. And all of this depends on whether I can actually get the old pump off – I haven’t tried. In the meantime, I’ve read that the drain pump is activated shortly after the spin cycle begins – my machine drains, but then stops draining when the spin cycle starts, so I’m assuming (without any testing) that either the pump is completely gone, or, if there is some kind of filter in that pump, there’s something stuck in it. So, of course, my first question is….is there a drain filter in this pump? Thanks for any info you may have on this. 🙂

[electrofix]

if it did have a drain filter it would have to be accessible to the user so its unlikley

Dave

[inisfad]

I’m going further with this. I bought a pump and was able to take mine off. I’m apparently unable to upload a photo of it, due to my ‘user group’s upload quota’???
I followed your instructions from your video here:
https://youtu.be/BBT273vncp4
My impeller doesn’t have that magnetic stop action that your video indicate. When I use my ohmmeter, however, it shows that the electrical circuit is good. I ended up buying the pump in the link above – but the pump that I removed, while the white part looks the same, the motor area looks entirely different. How do I upload a photo??? Thanks

[inisfad]

https://imgur.com/a/gCddqQC

[electrofix]

your pump is the earlier type not used these days. The main reason is leakage and possible fire.

you pump will turn smoothly as the motor has no permanent magnets within it which cause the new type to go round in jerks

your link above to the Kenmore pump is correct . Whirlpool supplied these machines to othe suppliers. These days the new ones will be manufactured under the maytag brand to name one

you can see they have started using the later type of pump as well so to replace yours you would have to find the new type unit

Dave

[inisfad]

Thanks again, Dave, for your response. And fortunately, my early type pump didn’t cause any leakage or fire, but I’m glad to replace it. I am still unsure as to how to determine that the pump is the actual cause of my problem – I assume so, as after spinning there is still about 3 gallons of water in the machine. I read that the pump activates during the spin cycle, and as no water is coming out during my spin cycle, I assume that this is my problem.
Have some compassion for me! I am a 68 year old female, trying to repair this machine (a couple of years ago, I put bearings into my house machine, a Hotpoint 95360). My neighbors think I’m nuts and should just buy new machines, but if these things can be fixed, I see no reason to toss them. Anyway, I read on one of the purchase sites for these new pumps that there is a bit of electrical modification that needs to be done. Ugh. But I hope I can handle it. Anyway, thanks again for all your info.
Kind regards
Jane

[electrofix]

the electrical mod will only be how the wires attach to the pump

as for not working
the pump has an impellor, a small under water fan, this pushes the water out of the pump which suck in more water to replace it. If the coil of your pump is ok that means it should try to turn. if the pump bearings are ok otherwise the rotor would catch and jam then all that is left is a damaged impeller. had lot of them where the blades had snapped off over the years so the would not work

if you problem is electrical or if its not pumping out because its not spinning the water out then changing the pump wont fix anything

have not done a bearing change on a 95360 for years. Well built machines that were easy to service. could do a bearing and spider swop in under 90 mins if all went well

dave

[inisfad]

In the photo of my pump, there seems to be two ‘fans’, one on either end of the pump, when I remove the housing. The white fan is underwater – the yellowish fan is not. I’m kind of assuming that the voltage from the wiring is connected with the yellowish fan – that turns, and then turns the white fan which is pushing the water out. Do I have this correct? I suspect that there is no way for me to test this, to see if the fan spins? I’ve read (for other pumps) that the resistance across the electrical tabs is meant to be 5-10ohms or similar, and that if it’s infinity or 0, then the pump is no good. I understand what you mean about if this is an electrical problem then changing the pump won’t do anything, but you seem to also be saying that if it’s not spinning the water out, changing the pump won’t do anything….that I don’t understand. That is my problem – the water is not draining during the spin cycle. Is there any way of testing this pump when it’s off the machine??

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