washer won't drain

Kenmore 90 series washer won't spin/drain. It fills/agitates, but when it hits the drain or spin part of the cycle it just stops. Thought it would be the lid switch. bypassed it with a wire in the plug, but nothing happens. What do I try now?

Basically there could be a couple things that you are going to need to look into.

First thing I would do in your shoes is try a different speed setting for the spin cycle.

The washer motor will spin in one direction to wash, and in the opposite direction to spin and drain.

You probably have a Low Medium and Fast spin speed, so try it in all the speeds to see if it works.

Next you will want to Check the Drain pump for an obstruction. For example, an underwire to a bra is the most common thing in those pumps. If its wedged in there just right it may allow the motor to wash, but jam when it tries to spin.

To remove the cabinet watch my video on cabinet removal for your machine. That way you can remove the pump from the motor and check it.

https://www.youtube.com/v/vogysB7XOc8

Let me know how you make out with that and we can go from there.

Thanks,
Bill

Tried in on various cycles/speeds. Same issue. Will fill and agitate in rinse or wash, but no drain or spin.

Cabinet is off. Not sure what to do from here to check the drain pump for obstruction. Got a groovy video on that?

Where did you jump the lid switch from?

the lid switch connector plug... it has three wires one side and plugs in to the machine under the console (not sure what it's called exactly -- the plug you gotta pull to take the cabinet off)... strippped a wire I had laying around (a braided one instead of a heavy duty one - so it could be i chose a bad wire to use for the test) and put each end in the two outside ends of the connector plug.

Cabinet is off. Not sure what to do from here to check the drain pump for obstruction. Got a groovy video on that?

Thanks for the pointer on the cabinet back on video for the pump. Here's my next question: Is there an easy way to force the washer to drain so that I can pull the pump and check it for obstructions? I'm guessing if I drop those two clips and pull the pump I'm gonna loose water all over the floor, right? Recall this thing is full of water. So, do I need to attempt to bail it out first, or is there a trick to force it to drain somehow?

Just unclip it and pull it away from the motor.

Jump out the lid switch, put it in spin and see if it spins.

If it spins then the pump is the problem.
If it still doesn't spin, then I would be checking to see if the correct power is getting to the motor when it needs to spin.

Let me know what you find.

Please use some common sense when you start the machine with the cabinet off!!

Thanks,
Bill

Hey Bill... by "just unclip it" are you saying i don't need to bail the water out first? Just want to be sure before i make a big ole mess.

I already jumped the lid switch and nothing happened. No spin/drain in any speed mode or cycle mode (or temp for that matter). I fiddled with the lid switch enough to make it "click" into the down position and off. Didn't fix it either.

How to I check for power supply to the motor when it needs to spin? (recall it is filling and agitating just fine)

Thanks for the quick responses, the video, and your help. I hope we fix this thing!! I'm a recently single (and pissed about it) mom of two who desperately needs to wash clothes at home.
:-)

When I say unclip it, I mean unclip the two metal brackets then remove the pump from the motor. You do not have to disconnect the hoses and make a mess, yet.

We just want to check to see if the motor is going to spin the tub without the drain pump attached to it.

Yes! Progress!
When i unclipped the pump and shorted the lid switch it tries to spin!
Does this mean I need to bail water now, so I can pull the hoses off the pump and check for blockage? Is there any other way to get the water out?

So, since it decided to spin, I tried putting the water pump back on (not as easy as it came off) and trying it again. it works!
I must not have had a good connection when i tried to jump the switch the other night.
Can i leave the lid switch jumped for a while - and do a bunch of laundry - while I wait for the lid switch part to arrive? Hell, can I just leave it jumped indefinateley?
Thanks again. You rock!

Awesome!!

I can't tell you to leave it like that. BUT.................

If it was at my house and I didn't have a lid switch, I'd jump it out and use it. lol

The shaft on the motor has two flat spots that go into the pump, they have to be lined up with the hole on the pump.

What do you mean tries to spin?
Bill

Wow. I can't believe I did it myself!!



Said "tried to spin" cuz I shut her down before I lost an arm or something - LOL. Wanted to put the cabinet back on first.

I put her all back together - the cabinet is even on right. It works. It works! IT WORKS!!!!! YIPPEEEE!

Running bleach through it now to get the yuck out from water standing in it, then I get to wash clothes!! Hooray!


Couldn't have done it without you!

Hugs!

Melanie

PS... now I got this toilet that keeps leaking water on the floor. seems the gasket the thing sits on is blown cuz I tighten it down good and it doesn't leak for a day, then it leaks again and the screws are loose again. Tighten em down againa nd its good for another day, then same thing. Think I gotta pull the toilet and replace the gasket, or is there a fix?

Nice Job!!

As far as the P.S. .....................Replace the Gasket. lol


Bill

well darn. Tightened the screw on thing and -plop- off the bolt came. no wonder it's leaking, huh? Is the bolt replaceable? This sounds like I might be getting in deeper than i care to go.

Can't give much more advice on that. lol

Good Luck
Bill

i have gone thru each step you have outlined to check why my washer will not drain. im to the point of checking if washer will spin with pump disconect from motor, motor starts to spin then stops. I took motor off and re-enstalled it, motor again started to spin then slowly stoped!
what do you think is wrong?

Go for the Clutch. When I get a few minutes in the next day or so. I can give some better advise. Most every time I get a machine with the slow spin then stops spinning but still sounds like it should be spinning, the clutch pads are wore out. Just make sure that your transmission is not leaking and causing the clutch to slip.

Let me know how you make out.

Bill