[quote=fairbank56;805241]The washer either spins on low speed or high speed depending on the wash cycle you have selected. For a regular or normal wash, it will spin on high speed. There is a brake, clutch and belt tension spring on the motor so these three things will cause the actual basket spin speed to vary as the water is spun out of the clothes eventually getting up to around 620rpm if everything is working properly. Reach up under the basket between the basket and outer tub and feel for any clothing that may be caught in there. If that’s clear, I would first tilt the machine back, remove the belt and rotate the pump pulley to make sure it spins freely. Then check that the motor pivots freely. Then check the brake adjustment. Pull the cap off of the bottom of the main drive pulley. Rotate the pulley CCW until you feel the pressure of the brake releasing. The reference arrow on the cam should fall between the reference ridges on the pulley. See bottom of page 2 of this service bulletin. Report back with your findings.
Water in the pump hoses is normal. Clothing between the tubs can do anything from slowing the spin speed to stopping it altogether, depends on whats in there.
Eric[/quote]
[quote=fairbank56;805249]Well, actually, your just probing with your fingers between the basket and the outer tub cover. This is where clothing typically gets caught on this washer. It is possible for clothing to get past this point and get further down between the basket and tub at which point you would have to at least open the top panel and remove the outer tub cover to be able to better see down between the tubs. If it’s down too far or between them at the bottom, you would have to remove the basket. Not that difficult on this machine. Just remove the agitator and the four bolts holding the basket down. Pump problems have been a common problem with slow spin speed symptoms. If the water doesn’t get pumped out fast enough before spin speed builds up, water gets trapped between the tubs and can’t get to the pump. Excessive sudsing due to using too much detergent can also cause slow spin, but as I said, other things can cause slow spin. Motor pivot problems causing the belt to slip, improper brake release, bad tub bearing, bad clutch spring in the transmission…etc.
Eric
Eric[/quote]
[quote=fairbank56;805458]Did you check the reference marks on the bottom of the pulley as I suggested? The brake is just above the drive pulley (center pulley). This pulley drives the transmission input shaft via a two part cam setup. The lower cam is on the very bottom of the input shaft below the pulley. The upper cam is an integral part of the drive pulley hub. When the pulley goes in the CCW (viewed from below) direction the two cams begin to rotate together but the lower cam which is splined to the input shaft will only rotate until the “anti-backup” pinion gear in the transmission stops it. Now the upper cam “rides” up the lower cam so the pulley moves upwards. There is a thrust bearing on the upper side of the pulley that pushes up on the brake rotor which is splined to the lower stem of the transmission housing. With the brake released, now the lower cam can drive the input shaft again which will now turn the whole transmission housing. The upper stem of the transmission housing is attached to the basket. When spin stops the spring in the brake pushes the brake rotor back down, the lining on the spinning rotor contacts the brake stator and stops it. The rotor being splined to the lower transmission stem, stops it and the basket. Hope I didn’t lose you there. Anyway, rotate the pulley CCW and the brake should release and the basket should rotate, in theory. This doesn’t always work so well when doing it by hand as the brake spring is exerting 200 pounds of force on the brake rotor. In actual operation, the motor provides much more force to get the spin going. So, at this point, everything else seems to check out ok, so that leaves the brake thrust bearing, cams or the tub bearing as possible problem areas. The thrust bearing and cams are relatively easy to replace and is a common failure point so I would suggest replacing it. It comes as a kit with new pulley, lower cam and bearing parts.
Eric[/quote]
[quote=fairbank56;805559]The belt shouldn’t be that tight. When I said to check that the motor pivots ok, I wasn’t talking about the motor pulley, I’m talking about the whole motor. It has a spring that keeps tension on it but it should pivot. This action regulates the belt tension. Doesn’t matter anyway, if it agitates when you turn the pulley in either direction, the transmission is bad.
Eric[/quote]
[quote=fairbank56;805572]Yes, a transmission will run $226 and you still would have to install a new thrust bearing kit and who knows what else you will find when you take the machine apart to get the transmission out. This has been a common issue with these transmissions.
Eric[/quote]
Eric, thanks for posting all this useful info about how the cams in the pulley work. I am trying to troubleshoot between the thrust bearing/pulley and transmission and could use some help. I posted my issue here in this new thread http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/washer-repair/572128-default-maytag-norge-style-starts-agitating-spin-cycle.html. In short, the washer stops spinning and starts agitating in the spin cycle which based on your post would indicate the transmission is bad. In addition, with the belt removed, when I turn the pulley in either direction CW or CCW, the agitator moves back and forth while the basket stays does not spin (it stays still) which would indicate the thrust bearing kit. Any advice or further troubleshooting ideas would be helpful.
