You said "in the 3 o'clock position, you must have a "timer knob". I had this machine like that but it turned out that it really is not a clocked timer constantly running like gears and a motor. Instead the motor would turn on when it gets a signal of power and off when the power cuts off, so it would turn the knob fast basically when it was time to go to the next phase. Therefore it was still computer chip fully operated, not a timer running. However, behind the knob it has multi teeth to which complete the curcuit of multi switches in different patterns for different wash combinations. I BET at least one of those switches is dirty and its one that gets pressed right at the 3 o'clock position. Not easy to clean, need small strips of crocus cloth. You have taken apart the front panel yet, right? If that's not it then it must be your computer chip or circuit board is failing somewhere. Maybe some capacitors on the board. I am going to put a layer of fiber glass between the wash wall and the circuitry to lessen heat and corrosion.

I had a similar situation on an SPI2322/07. The thermostat contacts that are supposed to close at 85°C didn't. So the green wire from the timer lug that is soldered (through a black wire) to the timer motor never got Neutral after the timer stops to heat the water -> you get a steam engine - it just churns on and on a the same timer position.
I followed the green wire down to the thermostat and found it is a two-tier unit, having four contacts.
I took the thermostat off the heater assembly (it is inserted into a rubber bunghole in the top of the heater) and did not want to spend €60 on a new one. so I took it apart. The top comes off easily and there is the N.C. contact that controls the heater behind it. In order to get at the N.O contact that controlls the Timer Motor you have to "take off the top floor" - I drilled out the two copper rivets holding the assembly together and cleaned the contacts of the N.O contact. Don't lose or break the thin ceramic "push-rods" coming from the click-disk in the basement.
Re-assembly using 13A stripped copper wire to hold it all together, stuck it back into the bung-hole.
Works just perfectly now!

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I did NOT drill through the entire assembly but twisted the copper wire around the left and right half of the plastic (bakelite) part holding the contacts whilst clamping the two halves (tiers) together in the vice, and then soldered the copper wire together so everything is being held together securely. I left the headless copper rivets in their holes so as to have perfect alignment of both bakelite parts together with the metal bottom of the unit.

You could send me an email personally if you want ;) nick at reflex dot at (the 2nd at stands for Austria). I am having trouble getting into this board, it always slips away and becomes white!!