Monday, March 28, 2016

Kenmore Series 90 washer motor question and general help

(If this is duplicate I apologize -- can't find my prev post)

My basic question is: how easily should a washer drive motor turn when completely detached from washer? Mine turns very stiffly, using crescent wrench.

General problem: Kenmore washer series 90 hums gently when it comes to the wash cycle and does nothing. It seems to fill with water OK. I think the spin cycle has no hum but also will not spin.

I think the hum comes from something in the control panel, possibly the "timer".

I originally thought the hum was coming from the drive motor and that it might be stalled, based on some online service blogs. So I disassembled the washer, removing the pump, motor, and transmission to check them.

The pump seems clear, no jammed items, it will spin. The transmission spins OK by itself. When in the washer, I can turn the transmission and the tub seems to turn OK (slowly compared to transmission rotation).

The motor windings seem OK using an Ohm meter and checking against the specs of the wiring diagram I found in the console. The capacitor checked OK with an ohm meter.

The motor shaft can be turned with a wrench, but it is very stiff. So I'm wondering if that is normal or not.

I tried to test the motor electrically connected but mechanically disconnected by using by setting the console to the wash cycle, but I did not know how to correctly jumper the lid-switch connector. I jumpered all three pins together and I think that blew a circuit breaker. The wiring diagram and some continuity tests on the lid switch suggested that closing the lid connects all three pins, but I'm not really sure. I was not able to get the motor to activate in any case.

If it is a bad timer, is there a way to jumper switches to simulate the wash cycles to prove everything except the timer is working OK?

Any help would be appreciated.

-SB

via Kenmore Series 90 washer motor question and general help
by SB4

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