Or any good appliance technician. Here is the scoop.

I have a Kenmore, ( I know already) washing machine that has the timer quitting in mid-cycle. It stops at various points randomly on any of the four cycles. Using my polish logic, I thought it has to be the timer....

Well $100 bucks later with the NEW timer, its doing the same thing.

Evidently, the timer motor is losing power intermittently. Big question is why and where?

The unit is 8 years old and I want to milk this puppy out to atleast the first of the year so that my beer money will be there when the LEGP AK model hits the street.

Check this site and you might get an idea. I've used this place a couple times and it saved me some $$$

http://www.cheapapplianceparts.com/washer_repair.htm

Well that may help. I was going to hit the lid switch tomorrow and back track to look for loose leads. Thanks for the link.

Our Kenmore Elite dryer is a year old and I have noticed some strange behavior with the timer. Sometimes it just won't start. But I found through hit or miss that if you cycle the knob all the way around, it gets back in the proper mode.

I also noticed the newer models, such as our's, have a reset button, which I assume resets the internal CPU like some car stereos have. So, it could be some kind of chip in the sucker that needs to be reset.

OTOH, if it's stopping mid-cycle, it could be because the motor is overheating. You know you are supposed to vacuum out the innards once a year, right? That applies to both the waster and the dryer. And you need to check the belts as well.

Take it for what it's worth.

Could be the lid switch. They sometimes get crusted up with detergent. Could be the out-of-balance switch too. Take your multimeter and start tracing, Good luck.

Before you get too involved in the washer, check the wall outlet and the plug on the washer cord you're using. Make sure the connections are good and there's no sign of heat or a "sloppy" fit. Residential "stab back" plugs are notorious for getting loose and causing low/no voltage conditions.

jj

I'm no appliance repairman, but I suspect that the timer may be disabled until the washer fills up. This prevents the washer from starting prematurely before the tub has a full load of water (due to low water pressure).

Thus, you might look at temporarily bypassing the water level sensor (you know — that barometer-looking thingy that connects to the bottom of the tub through a long, thin plastic hose). If the timer works reliably after that (even though the tub doesn't fill completely), it's likely that the sensor has an intermittent problem.

I knew the Maytag man frequented this place. Hell, he has so much free time on his hands. Since it is intermittent, it may be a little tougher than if it just quit. My main thought was start tracing from where. What is the path that the voltage travels through before it gets to the timer motor.

Without looking at a schematic,I'm assuming that the wall plug is first, and the lid switch is last. What is the order between these two?

Always check the incoming power first, including receptacle, plug, cord, and attachment. Then, Make sure you've got consistent 120 to the timer. Using your meter on the voltage scale, clip the leads on to the incoming power terminal on the timer and the main neutral lug. then start a cycle, remember you'll have 120 esposed in there, so watch where you stick your finners. Watch for an intermittent drop in voltage, if/when you see it start working toward the power supply from where you've id'd the problem to be. On that unit there is a lid switch and I think a out of balance switch ahead of the timer. Don't remember what else. There may be a schematic either inside the top cover where you gain access to the timer, inside the back cover of the unit where you'd get access to the drum or in your book. That should help track what is on the line side of the timer. Also, make sure that the neutral, aka white wire, is making good connection to the timer, If that is loose somewhere it'll cause what you're seeing.
happy hunting,
jj

Was there an electrical schematic under the cover?  I've had to play with my appiances too and have always found a print pasted under the cover near all the controls.  It definately helps to see how it's wired.

If you think it is the lid switch then you could jumper it out to test it. Just in case it is losing power during one of the cycles.

Just keep the lid closed![:D]

BigDozer66

Since Kenmore washers are made by Whirlpool then try the Whirlpool man instead of Sears.

Call your local "Appliance Parts" wholesaler and ask them who they would recommend. You may get a knowledgable person who doesn't spend $$$$$ on advertising so in turn they don't have to charge as much to cover that!
That way you are not [:O]!

I work in an Air Conditioning Wholesale business so I know who gives the best service and reasonable prices!

Good Luck!

BigDozer66

Most of the lid switches are there as safetys during spin cycle ONLY. I would check any and all wiring... if it is a direct drive, there is a molex plug that plugs directly into the motor. see if that is loose or corroded. NEXT time if the timer stalls listen carefully to the timer. See if you can hear the timer motor whirring.

You guys are great. There is a schematic under the back cover. I just have to disassemble the cabinet to read all of it. Only the top of it is exposed when I flip the control panel back.

Ok, I have disassembled the cabinet and examined all wiring from the wall pull back up to the timer. No discrepancies. Metered out the lid switch and it checks good.  I couldn't find any thing that appears to be an "out of balance switch".

All connections are clean no corrosion. As best I can tell, there appears to be a temp switch behind the motor connector, but I can't really check it or get to it without dissasembling the motor and pump...Nyet...

So, I went ahead and bypassed the lid switch to eliminate that possibility. Will run through till I get tired or the laundry gets done. If it fails again, I will check the level switch and see if that is causing the break in the circuit.

I forgot to add in my discrepancy report, that every time it appears to hang, is after the wash cycle before it drains. Tub just sits full of water.

This has me leaning towards either the lid switch or the level switch. But since I am not a Maytag Man, I am relying on you guys for direction here.

Anyone see fault in my reasoning?

I can still smell that LEGP AK out there.

???

Ah, this is important! It may be that your pump isn't working. If it quits, the tub doesn't drain, the level switch doesn't let the timer resume it's duties, and the music doesn't come out over there anymore...(well, forget that last part...)

Most modern washers have a separate pump, with a separate electric motor. You should be able to hear the pump running at any point in the wash cycle when the tub should start draining. If all you hear is silence, either the pump motor's not getting power, or the pump motor's fried. Testing for power with your meter should tell you which one it is.

If you can hear it running but the tub doesn't drain, there may be an obstruction in the drain hose, or the teeth may be broken off the pump impeller.

well, i DID get 2 maytag 'multi-motors' running, last saturday. that's right...maytags used to have 2-stroke gasoline motors on them! woohoo! let's turbo the washer!

back to the whirlpool.

i had one that did the same thing. i replaced the pump (about $20-25 iirc) and it ran for another 5 years...and was running like top when i gave it to a friend.

take skibane's advice. check out that pump.

One motor drives the tub and the pump. The problem doesn't lean toward the motor, but what do I know.

The timer stops and as soon as I nudge it around a bit, the timer clicks over and the pump starts draing the tub. It actually hangs about 1/8" of dial movement BEFORE the point at which the pump kicks in.

According to the schematic, it appears that it could be either the lid switch or the level switch.....or THE MOTOR.

So going back to my A&P training that I forgot when I replaced the more expencive part first, I jumped the lid switch..(REMEMBER....ALWAYS REPLACE the easiest,or cheapest first)

Now I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, just the only one that is doing the clothes right now.....any thoughts???

sitrep?
did a cycle run with the lid sw bypassed?

here it is election day and we're fixin washers,
what a team...........

HIJACKING THE THREAD!

Sorry, didn't want to start a clone topic. I have a GE machine that is not aggitating. It looks like it's leaking transmission fluid, too. Anybody got a cheap fix for this???

No problem, speedy dry under the tub and get momma a hand crank......Just wait, the Maytag man will be back in a minute......Maybe we need an appliance repair forum...hehehe

And yes, the unit did run several loads with the switch bypassed.....but I ran out of clothes so an endurance test has NOT been accomplished yet.....