[BMW_E28]

My Hotpoint Model VBXR1060T5WB washer worked fine until the hub self-destructed. I replaced the hub and now the load is wet at the end of the final spin, and there is some water left in the bottom of the basket.

If I rerun part of the final spin with the lid open, so the basket doesn't actually spin, the remaining water drains completely in well under a minute. If I do the same thing with the lid closed, it doesn't, but the water sloshes up the sides of the tub so much that I'm guessing it never gets into the drain.

There is 120V at the drain motor during the final cycle regardless of whether the lid is open or closed.

The new hub looks nothing like the old one. The old one had two filters. The new one is just a metal cone, but fits perfectly.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

(I tried searching the forum, but I couldn't figure out how to AND search terms and kept getting loads of irrelevant results.)

[fairbank56]

Maybe some debris from the old hub got into the pump/hoses and is partially blocking the drain or the pump impeller got damaged.

Eric

[BMW_E28]

Originally Posted by fairbank56

Maybe some debris from the old hub got into the pump/hoses and is partially blocking the drain or the pump impeller got damaged.

Eric

There was plenty of debris from the old pump. In fact, a chunk of it destroyed the previous pump, which I replaced before I knew the hub was about to go. But when I replaced the hub I cleaned out the hoses and the pump before I reassembled everything. And as I posted earlier, if I don't let the basket spin, the pump clears out the tub in short order.

[fairbank56]

I think the problem may be that you shouldn't have installed the new hub without filters into the original basket. That hub is no longer available so the basket should be replaced with the new one (WH45X171) that includes the hub (without filters). Does your original basket have holes in the bottom of it?

Eric

[BMW_E28]

Originally Posted by fairbank56

I think the problem may be that you shouldn't have installed the new hub without filters into the original basket. That hub is no longer available so the basket should be replaced with the new one (WH45X171) that includes the hub (without filters). Does your original basket have holes in the bottom of it?

Eric

The basket has plenty of holes in the bottom. Also, the new hub has some small holes drilled in it, but their combined area is much smaller than the area of the filters in the original hub.

I'm not sure what the function of the filters is – the hub is a cone that goes up underneath the agitator, whose lower edge is about 1/4" from the bottom of the basket. I would guess there isn't much circulation up under the agitator, filters or not.

[BMW_E28]

Some more information:
-If I simply open the lid during the spin cycle, the basket stops as it should, and I can hear the drain pump running, but the tub doesn't drain.
-If I stop the cycle (and the drain pump) by pushing the cycle control knob in, then start it again right away by pulling the knob out, the tub drains properly.
-I want to emphasize that draining that doesn't occur during a spin cycle (i.e. that occurs when the basket is stopped) works just fine.

I inspected the drain pump and the impeller is good and is not loose on the motor shaft. None of the drainage hoses are clogged.

Could this be a cavitation issue in the pump?
Could the new hub cause such an issue?
If so, could drilling holes in the hub fix the problem? It's hardly worth buying a new basket for this washer when I could buy a new washer – pretty much the same model – for not much more.
How is the new basket WH45X171 different from the old one?

Thanks.

[fairbank56]

How high is the external drain hose to standpipe fitting? Should be less than 6'.

Eric

[BMW_E28]

The opening is about 7' above the floor – same as it's been for the last 16 years. The elbow is about 6' above the floor.

Today I tried drilling a bunch of extra holes in the hub. It didn't seem to make much difference.

My routine now is to stop the washer a few times during each spin cycle by opening the lid, pushing the cycle control knob in to turn off the pump (this step is necessary) pulling the knob back out to start the pump again, waiting for the tub to drain, and closing the lid to resume the spin.

[BMW_E28]

Ever since I drilled the extra holes in the hub, the main motor stops periodically during the spin cycle unless I force it to drain by opening the lid, then stopping and restarting the drain pump. I can hear the water sloshing around inside. I can see it too, because I removed the front of the washer so I can see what's going on. Ever since I replaced the hub it did the sloshing. This stop/start thing is new.

For my latest trick I fabricated a curved guide out of an old tin can that clips into the drain opening. The idea is that during the spin cycle, this guide will force water into the pump. In practice it accomplished precisely nothing. The next time I go in there I'm removing it.

[BMW_E28]

I just ordered the updated basket. I guess I'm throwing in the towel (and hoping it will be clean and wrung when it comes out).