[rjhenn]

Picked up this old Admiral washer. It washes and agitates fine, but only drains and spins sporadically. The timer runs through, and stops if you lift the lid. Sometimes, moving the dial to a different spin cycle will get it to drain and spin, but not often. Usually when you move it to another rinse cycle the washer will agitate, but sometimes not.

It seemed briefly as if unplugging the machine for a while and trying again helped it drain and spin, but I've haven't been able to repeat that. I pulled the timer, removed the cover, visually inspected it and blew air through it to dislodge anything that might be stuck in there. No change. Timer appears visually OK.

I'm on my third load of laundry with this thing, and can't get the third load to drain and spin. Had to try several times with each of the first two loads.

[sidfink43]

I cannot get your model number to come up, but I think I know the machine you have.

I suggest you take off the pump and examine it to see if it is clogged, broken or if there is an obstruction in the drain system.

Here is a service manual which I think is for your model even though it is not listed as such.

http://www.servicematters.com/maytag...s/16026502.pdf

If the pump/drain system is ok, and the machine sometimes works the problem may be in your timer or the transmission.

[rjhenn]

Thanks for the advice. The machine seems pretty old, but in good shape (except for this problem).

Yesterday I finally got it to drain and spin (no idea what, if anything, I did) the third load. Then it worked perfectly when I ran the third load through the rinse cycle again, and for another load. Then it gave me a bit of a problem, but finally drained. Now it's back to not draining. When it does drain, it seems to do it without any problems.

[sidfink43]

I am going to suggest that you replace the pump and belt, not that I know there is anything wrong with them, but that seems likes the Mr. Spock solution (logical) and I don't have anything else to suggest.

[rjhenn]

Well, I pulled the pump today. Spins fine. I just cleaned a layer of lint off it and put it back. The belt is a bit worn, but I tend to think the problem is in the motor. There's only one belt, running from the motor to the pump to the transmission, so the pump is always powered. But when it's supposed to be draining, I don't hear anything running, even the motor spinning. I read somewhere that the motor runs in reverse for drain and spin, and sometimes it won't start in one or the other direction. Does that sound like that could be what's going on here?

[sidfink43]

Well, just educated guessing here but if the motor works sporadically the problem may be in the timer not sending current to the motor some times.

There could also be a problem with the wiring going to the motor, so check that out also