[fairbank56]

Well, that's a single speed motor. Every reference I can find for this model number washer says it's a 2-speed motor. Anyhow, the part you need is here but I would try to get the cover off the switch, you might get lucky and just be able to clean the contacts for the start winding connections between the red wire from the wiring harness to the black wire in the motor.

Eric

[englaisfitz]

Eric,

You are a genius!!!
I took the switch apart, removed the two switch terminals, they were black as... well, burned electrical connections! I took a wire brush to them, then wiped them clean, put them back in the switch housing, hooked the motor up to do the spin/agitate test I'd done before we wrote, and the motor started just fine in both directions!
As we're in the wee hours of the morning, I'm going to wait until after sunrise before putting the whole thing back together and giving it the full test, but you've at least helped me solve this one problem, and for that, I am in your debt, Sir. Now how may I repay you?

I'll let you know how it goes once I've tested it later.

Thanks again for all your help, time, knowledge, and patience. You ROCK Dude!!!

Mark

[englaisfitz]

Unfortunately, when I put everything back together, we had the same problem, I can start it by hand, but it won't start on it's own. So I took it apart again, inspected the switch, and everything looks good, clean contacts, etc. no burn marks. It was stiff to turn (I don't recall if it was more or less stiff than before), is there something that needs more lubing or something? As I say, it works just fine once I hand crank the motor.

More thoughts?

[fairbank56]

Since you had this problem with your test cable independent of the washer, the only common items are the motor, motor switch, capacitor and associated wiring/connections. I would double check the motor windings as you did before as well as the switch. It could be a bad wire in the motor or a bad wire terminal since you are messing with them during testing. Did you remove the motor switch from the motor when you opened it and cleaned the contacts?

Eric

[englaisfitz]

How do I double check the motor windings?
I checked the switch after this past time, having already cleaned it, then using it again, I feared the same blackening, but no, the switch was clean.
I had to remove the switch from the motor, there's only 1 screw holding the whole thing together, i.e. the cover on, but also holding the switch body to the motor.
I tested the motor alone after cleaning the switch, and it worked fine, it kicked in immediately. I put the whole washer back together and got only humming, so took it apart again and saw the same problem, it would start if I cranked it by hand, but not on it's own.
I can take pictures or even short videos of anything you want if you think that will help. All of the motor connectors to the switch are in good shape, clean and quite tight to get on, so there's a good connection strength there. Could it be a mechanical thing, that there's too much strain on the motor from something?

[fairbank56]

Check the motor windings and switch, the same as you did before. If they are good, connect the red wire from the capacitor directly to the motor black wire as you did before with your test cable. If it starts (don't leave it running) like it did before, it's the motor switch.

Eric

[englaisfitz]

Can I bypass that whole red wire by connecting the black to the capacitor terminal itself?

[fairbank56]

Yes, but if the motor starts, shut it off right away as the capacitor and start winding are not meant to be energized continuously, thus the purpose of the motor switch.

Eric

[englaisfitz]

Absolutely nothing. No power surge, no hum, no buzz, no movement, nothing.