[Henrici]

My Amana washer is no longer functioning in the agitate cycle of its wash. It will fill properly, and then the timer mechanism makes a clicking noise, which is followed about 10 seconds later by a lower-pitched electrical hum which I'm assuming to be coming from the motor.

The motor itself appears to be in working order, as I can still manually engage the spin cycle, which comes on as usual, drains the tub, etc.

I have two questions:

1) What's causing this problem?
2) If it's the timer, is there any way I can implement a short-term fix (maybe a little jumper switch or something) to turn on the agitate cycle manually until I repair/replace this washer at tax time?

[kayakcrzy]

In a perfect world, if you can throw the washer in a spin cycle, and see if the motor is getting power, and if it is it is the motor. If you would take an educated guess, it would be the timer. No, you cannot rig the timer. Tom

[ROCKY8]

Not a big fan of Amana washers...this is my second problem with this washer. First was a belt problem that caused water to spin out the top.

Now the washer won't agitate but does move in one direction and spins OK. When the spin stops, the tub seems to freewheel. From my research on the net...the timer seems to be the culprit. Any feedback?

If I had the extra cash, this washer would be in the dump but not sure what brand would be any better.

If it helps....model number is ALW880QAC

[kayakcrzy]

The part about the tub free wheeling makes me think we have a gear problem in the transmission. I am wondering if in your first post the motor hummed, and that could have been the gear was stuck, and then when it goes to agitate the gear drops, cause it turns the other way, and no agitation.

I seriously wold not put any real money in the washer. To answer your question on what product would be better, I would go with a Whirlpool.
Tom ********************************************

[ROCKY8]

I wasn't aware of the motor humming but doesn't mean it didn't. It does appear that it tries to agitate then just goes in one direction. Does the timer control a solenoid that engages and disengages the gear? If that's on the bottom of the transmission...I don't remember seeing it doing anything.

The timer doesn't seem to have as much resistance turning or seem to have as many audible ticks as it is turned.

Tom, thanks for the quick reply.

[kayakcrzy]

If you take the agitator off, and throw it in a wash cycle, look at the agitator,, and see if it goes back and forth. If it is totally dead in the agitation cycle, and there is no movement in the agitator, I would go with the timer. Tom

[ROCKY8]

got a new timer off of ******** and installed it. From what I can see is the tub goes in one direction and instead of the agitator going forward and reverse, only pauses. Still has the freewheel when coming off the spin...what engages the brake?

Went and looked at Whirlpool washers this week and about ready to chuck this bad boy and chaulk it up to a bad experience.

[kayakcrzy]

It has to be the tranny. Go with the Whirlpool. Tom ********************************************