Not sure what you mean by "basket became very rigid". It's supposed to be locked to the transmission shaft. Take the basket back out and run in spin without it. The entire transmission should rotate while in spin. If it won't, then something is binding. Either the tub bearing or you got the brake pad out of alignment.

Eric

So, I removed the spin basket and then put it into a spin cycle. The shaft did not spin, and the motor made sort of a buzzing sound (as if it was trying to start).

So I removed the tub / motor assembly, and flipped it over, and I found that I could easily move the motor pulleys in either direction. In one direction the pulleys simply turned, and in the other direction, the transmission would spin.

So I put the tub / motor assembly back into the machine (without the spin basket), and checking after each step that the pulleys would move freely by hand. I started a spin cycle, and the motor just buzzed without any movement from the shaft or the transmission.

Now this doesn't appear to be associated with the original problem, which was that dry bearing grinding sound (and I am pretty sure that was coming from the brake portion of the transmission / brake assembly - which I replaced), so I concede that it must be something that I induced during my dis-assembly and re-assembly.

As I try to analyze what (in my mind) could be taking place, The only scenario that makes sense to me is that the electric motor is trying to start, and it is unable to, and produces this buzzing sound as it tries unsuccessfully to get the rotor spinning (even though there does not appear to be significant resistance when turning the pulleys by hand).

I see that there is a capacitor attached to the motor (brown plastic secured to the frame just above the motor. Is that a "start" capacitor -or- a "run" capacitor? Is it likely that a failed capacitor could keep the motor from starting? Also, what is the pin-out for the motors' electrical connector? Can I measure the resistance across the motor windings to ensure that the motor itself is good, and if so, where should I take my readings, and what should I consider to be acceptable readings.

Or perhaps I am letting my thoughts take me in the wrong direction. Is there something that I am not considering?

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks...

Ron

I took the measurement from the terminals where red and violet/white connect (with the connector off) and I read 8.2 ohms. I will have to wait until this evening to get a measurement on the start winding since it appears that I will have to pull the motor out to get to the tab on the back of the motor, but it seems that if I am getting 8 ohms through the switch and the start winding, that the start winding must be OK.

Now you were saying that I should see about 5.3 ohms rather than the 8.2 ohms that I read across the switch, but that seems in the ball park to me (since it isn't 8.2 M ohms or something), or is the tolerance tighter than that?

So, if my thought process is correct about the switch and the start winding being in tact, does that take me back to the start capacitor? I don't know of a way to test a capacitor (short of having a tester that plots the characteristics as the voltage ramps up) other than visually seeing if they are leaking or swollen (which tells you they are bad -not- if they are good).

Should I just get a new capacitor, or should I pull the motor and get a reading on the start winding (have we proved that this is OK or not)?

Thanks for your help on this...

Ron

Well I tried to spin it enough to start it, but I think I was a little intimidated to get my hand in there too far. I wasn't able to get it started, but I did read the resistance on the run winding measuring between the terminals where the blue and the orange wires attach. I read 1.9 ohms. Is that reasonable, or is that too, outside of the tolerance when we pass a real voltage through it?

Also, is the motor switch replaceable, or is that just part of the motor?

Again, thanks for your help!

Ok, I pulled the belt off and was able to get it to spin when I started it by hand. It didn't seem to spin very fast, and it produced that buzzing sound, both while trying to spin (and not getting started), as well as while it was spinning (after starting it by hand). It would spin for about 20 seconds, and then the buzzing would stop and the motor would quit spinning.

After about a minute or so, the buzzing would start again, and I was able to start it spinning again (by hand), and it would spin (not very fast) for about 20 seconds again, then the buzzing would stop again as well as the motor.

This doesn't seem to be very encouraging, but perhaps there is still some life left in this.

Eric, I must say that you are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I appreciate the input and insight that you have offered to me.

Let me know what you think about the results of this last exercise, and if there is anything else that I can do to try and make this motor operational.

Thanks again,

Ron