Brand:Kenmore Model Number:110.27731600 Main Symptom:Motor/Transmission Freeze during spin cycle What happens & when: I have a Kenmore Mdl 110.27731600. During “Spin” cycle it starts to slow down after reaching top speed then stops abruptly… motor humming. I got underneath it and tried to spin the motor shaft using the “Direct Drive Motor Coupling”. It’s stuck solid trying to spin motor shaft the direction for “Spin”; however coupling/shaft will turn freely the opposite direction for “Agitate” and agitator moves. I try turning it back the “Spin” direction… sometimes it only goes a few turns then freezes again… sometimes more turns, sometimes less? If I let the Washer stay “Off” for awhile, it works again?? Looking through A.P.P. troubleshooting possibilities, I found that if the “transmission” seizes or too much is put into the washer, that rubber “Coupling” is meant to break away to protect the machine? It’s old, dried out but not even cracked? So, I was thinking “transmission”? But the washer does get up to spin speed, slows then freezes? Sounds like transmission? But also sounds like the “2 Speed Drive Motor” since it typically works after it cools off a while? But again, when it “seized” motor shaft/drive coupling spined the “agitate” direction but not the “Spin direction”? Then I think bad clutch assy binding? I’m confused" - Do I need Transmission, motor… both? Neither? Thanks for your help!
Error Code (if any):None
Parts or tests already tried: Described testing above
Photos / video link:
When the motor coupling was used to rotate the motor drive shaft, was the drain pump attached to it? If it was, does the motor do the same thing if the drain pump is removed?
Thank you for the response. The motor/transmission shaft does the same thing with the pump attached and removed. Plugged in, will seize/lock up spin direction after only a brief period; however does seem to reach normal top “spin” speed. Then rapidly slows - then locks up.
With the power cord unplugged and the timer in the off position, the start capacitor for the motor will need to be accessed. After discharging the capacitor using a screwdriver with an insulated handle, disconnect one wire and the capacitor can be tested for capacitance -)l-. It should measure between 189-227 MFD. If it is outside of this range, it can cause the motor to not operate properly. If it is within range, the motor can be tested for resistance. From the yellow wired terminal to the black wired terminal, it should read between 4-7 Ohms. From the blue wired terminal to the gray wired terminal it should measure between 1-2 Ohms. From the orange wired terminal to the gray wired terminal it should measure between 1.5-3 Ohms. Do any of these tests fail to measure within the necessary range?
Thank you for your continued assistance William. I am familiar with motor starter capacitors in A/C Units. Likely similar concept with washing machines? I will check this if you believe a possibility. However, it’s not that the motor fails to start or running off speed. The shaft connecting the motor through the coupler to the transmission shaft freezes… I mean won’t move at all in the “spin cycle” direction when attempting to manually rotate it. The shaft will turn in the opposite (agitate) direction very easily. Attempt to rotate the coupler/shafts the opposite direction afterward; sometimes it will manually go a half turn… sometimes more, sometimes less, then freezes solid again - “spin” direction only. Let everything “cool down” for a while, it turns both ways O.K.; manually and plugged in. Plug it back in, works for a few minutes on spin cycle - slows fairly rapidly then freezes up again with motor humming. Will a starter/run capacitor cause the motor/transmission shaft to seize, only one direction when manually turning?
When rotating the coupler in the spin direction, it is not just the transmission that is being operated. Enough torque has to be applied to disengage the drive tube brake, and it requires a very good amount of torque to complete this. If the clutch backs off slightly (which it will when the coupler is rotated in the agitation direction), there will be some free movement rotating the coupler in the spin direction. The “seize” being described sounds like it is just the brake system operating the way it should. Since the spin cycle slows down rapidly, it tells me something in the motor circuit is happening because the motor is unable to maintain the necessary torque.
Thank you William for enlightening me regarding the “brake.” I learned something! (My old Maytag used to just gradually slow to a stop - no brakes? Almost like my car sometimes? lol)
I did check everything you asked. The Capacitor comes in at 198ufd, within range. The “motor wire resistance readings” I had to ad-lib a bit: Between yellow wire to the “black terminal” connection was 8.2 ohms, a little over by 1 ohm (there was no black wire in the attached harness, empty position, so I removed and measure between the motor terminals directly); Between blue wire terminal to and the gray wire terminal - 1 ohm (“gray” was the wire on the “harness”, but that connected to white wire on motor terminal - no gray wire on the motor terminal itself); Between orange wire terminal to grey wire in harness (again as above, connects to “white” on motor) was 2 ohms.
So, only deviation was 1 ohm between the yellow harness wire and black motor terminal directly.
Working on electronics, I know capacitors can degrade even just sitting on a shelf over time. Do you think it possible that capacitor is breaking down under load? No evidence of leakage, corrosion or overheating/swelling. (Original markings still very clear.) If I had one sitting around, I would have swapped it out just to test it under load.
It is possible that the capacitor is failing under load. Regarding the motor, I doubt 1 Ohm of resistance on the start winding would be a cause of what is going on unless the motor was getting hot from an overcurrent and tripping the overload protector. The only way I can think of identifying if the overload is tripping would be running the washer in a high spin cycle when the lid switch is bypassed and the motor is accessible. When the motor stops, if there is 120 Volts AC when testing from the blue wire to the white wire, and voltage (between 110-120 VAC) from the yellow wire to the wire coming in from the capacitor, the motor is likely tripping the built-in overload. However, if voltage stops reading at the yellow wire and the capacitor wire (verify 120 Volts AC output at timer from the yellow wire to the red wire), it would point towards the capacitor failing out.