I have a Kenmore 70 series washer, model 110.20722990. I replaced the motor coupling about 6 months ago and washer worked great until recently. The washer will fill with water but the agitator will not spin at all. It used to freely spin by hand counter-clockwise but now it seems completely seized up. It will fill and drain, but no agitation or spinning at all.
Is this likely a transmission or clutch issue?
Hi.
Does the motor run when it should agitate and spin?
Simon.
Yes, the motor is running. The agitator twitched, then nothing. But I can hear the motor and pump running.
The auger will spin clockwise (by hand) on top of the main agitator, but the dogs stop it from going counter-clockwise. Is this the normal behavior?
Hi.
Yes it’s normal. Check the coupling again.
Simon.
In taking the new motor coupling off, it appears as though the metal inner piece has broken loose from the plastic.Once that is off, I still cannot manually rotate the agitator blades in any direction. If the clutch or transmission froze up, could this piece have broken loose from that?
Damn, was hoping it would be the clutch or something similarly cheap. I have the transmission out. Is there any way to look at it and identify if it is bad or the clutch or the brake?
Grab the small shaft with a pair of pliers (where the coupling goes) and see if you can turn it without effort.
Jammed transmission should be replaced.
Simon.
Talked to a washer repairman today, he said a simple test of the transmission is to spin the coupler clockwise, the spindle should rotate back and forth as if agitating. If you spin the coupler counter-clockwise, the spindle should not move at all as that is the spin for the spin-cycle. Has anyone else heard of this?
I can spin the coupler by hand either direction, and the spindle alternates spins both ways.
bozeman75,
I don’t have an answer for you but you may have pinpointed the problem with my washer.
I’m not getting any agitation. Replaced dog ears so top of agitator works as it should…turns only one way.
But the main agitator only goes counter-clockwise. It pauses and makes a loud clicking noise when it’s supposed to agitate back the other way.
I took the transmission out thinking maybe the gears had broken teeth, but nothing shows. I haven’t disassembled the gear sets yet.
When I turn the coupler counter-clockwise, nothing happens. When I turn the coupler clockwise, the clutch turns but the shaft doesn’t turn at all. no forward/no backward.
So from what your washer repairman says, it sounds like something in my transmission is bad?
Hi, Ditosp.
Sounds like you need a new transmission.
Simon.
Hi, Bozeman75.
Recommend you to replace the coupling first and see what happens.
The info you’ve got from the repairman is correct, in one direction the shaft should turn back and forth and in opposite direction the clutch turns not the shaft.
Simon.
Simon, thanks for the input. Thinking that may be it but I did a little more checking.
It seems the shaft lifts our about a 1/4" from the half gear so that it disengages with whatever is below it so basically it’s disconnected. I noticed when I turn the coupler counter-clockwise, at some point it will drop back down and I get the agitating action. but if I turn the coupler clockwise again, it pops back out. Is that normal ?
Thanks again.
Hi.
The transmission is shot.
Simon.
Thanks Simon. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Please do so.
Simon.
To all those who helped me here, thank you!!! I replaced the transmission and washer appears to be working great. Put a new coupler on while I was there, transmission actually came with its side of the coupler on there. Forgot to plug in lid switch when I first finished, oops, but easy fix. Again, thanks to all who helped me.
You are very welcome.
Simon.