[Diablo1]

Old top loader Kenmore washer 110-02582110 will start and fill with no problem, but when motor starts to run in agitate or spin cycle, the motor stops after 5 seconds. The motor restarts by itself after sitting for a few minutes. Then the cycle repeats...off after 5 seconds of operation etc. Could this be a faulty motor start switch? Or more likely to be a timer switch problem? Any other idas? I have the lid switch jumpered so it's on at all times.

[fairbank56]

The motor has an overload switch inside of it that will trip if something is preventing the motor from spinning. It will reset itself after cooling off. Could be something has jammed the water pump. I would pull the pump off the motor and just move it out of the way with hoses still connected and try it again. If that doesn't work, pull the motor and set it on the floor still connected to the wire harness and first make sure you can rotate the motor shaft by hand. If it won't rotate, the motor is shot. If it does rotate freely, try starting it with your foot on it to prevent it from jumping if it does start. If it doesn't start, while its still humming, rotate the shaft by hand as fast as you can to see if it will start. If the motor does work just sitting on the floor, try rotating the gearcase input shaft by hand in each direction. CW rotation is spin, CCW is agitate. Report back with your findings.

Eric

[Diablo1]

Originally Posted by fairbank56

The motor has an overload switch inside of it that will trip if something is preventing the motor from spinning. It will reset itself after cooling off. Could be something has jammed the water pump. I would pull the pump off the motor and just move it out of the way with hoses still connected and try it again. If that doesn't work, pull the motor and set it on the floor still connected to the wire harness and first make sure you can rotate the motor shaft by hand. If it won't rotate, the motor is shot. If it does rotate freely, try starting it with your foot on it to prevent it from jumping if it does start. If it doesn't start, while its still humming, rotate the shaft by hand as fast as you can to see if it will start. If the motor does work just sitting on the floor, try rotating the gearcase input shaft by hand in each direction. CW rotation is spin, CCW is agitate. Report back with your findings.

Eric

Pulled the pump free of the motor. Pulled the coupler off the back end of the motor so there is no load on the motor. It spins freely by hand in either direction. I checked the start switch and the contacts looked burnt, so I replaced the switch with a new one. Remounted the motor to the machine, but without the coupler or the pump in place. Fired it up and the motor starts right away and doesn't make any unusual noise. However, it still shuts itself off in about ten seconds of running. Then I wait a few minutes and I can hear the thermal overload switch click and it runs again for ten seconds etc. So at this point, I'm thinking either the motor is bad or the timer is sending voltage to the wrong windings on the motor. What do you think?

[fairbank56]

It could be that the centrifugal mechanism in the motor isn't working. This operates the motor switch, one function of which is to open the start winding circuit. The start winding is only energized for about a second to get the motor going and is switched out of circuit when the motor comes up to speed. If energized continuously, it will kick the overload and can damage the start capacitor. You can try operating the switch manually by moving the switch away from the motor so you can operate the white lever that actuates the switch. So, with the switch pulled away but still all hooked up, you would have to hold the white lever closed while someone starts the washer and as soon as it starts, let go of the lever so that the internal switch opens. If it continues to run, then that is the problem.

Can you provide a clear picture of the wiring diagram located on the inside of the back panel? I believe this washer has a speed switch that if faulty, could be trying to activate low and high speed operation at the same time which would also overload the motor.

Eric

[Diablo1]

Originally Posted by fairbank56

It could be that the centrifugal mechanism in the motor isn't working. This operates the motor switch, one function of which is to open the start winding circuit. The start winding is only energized for about a second to get the motor going and is switched out of circuit when the motor comes up to speed. If energized continuously, it will kick the overload and can damage the start capacitor. You can try operating the switch manually by moving the switch away from the motor so you can operate the white lever that actuates the switch. So, with the switch pulled away but still all hooked up, you would have to hold the white lever closed while someone starts the washer and as soon as it starts, let go of the lever so that the internal switch opens. If it continues to run, then that is the problem.

Can you provide a clear picture of the wiring diagram located on the inside of the back panel? I believe this washer has a speed switch that if faulty, could be trying to activate low and high speed operation at the same time which would also overload the motor.

Eric

Thanks Eric! That last bit of info on the speed switch really helped. I operated the motor start switch manually and the motor still quit after ten seconds. I disconnected the speed switch and ran two jumpers to the switch harness connector according to the wiring diagram. Bingo, now the motor runs and stays running. So the speed switch is kaput, and you were correct about it trying to energize the high and low speed windings. That saved me from buying a new motor, which I don't need. I'll get a new speed switch in the morning. Thanks so much for steering me in the right direction.

[fairbank56]

No problem, let us know how the new switch works out.

Eric

[Diablo1]

Originally Posted by fairbank56

No problem, let us know how the new switch works out.

Eric

New switch fixed up the motor issue, but then I discovered the agitator only aggravates, but doesn't agitate. Back to the parts store to install an agitator cam drive kit. Now it all works. My only beef is the outrageous cost of parts that are inexpensive to manufacture. The speed selector switch was $42, and the cam repair kit was $30. I mean, really?