F & P GWL 11 - Trouble in Spin Cycle

Does the noise occur only during spin, that is, when the basket is rotating at 300+ RPM? Not during agitation? Not during EcoActive recirculation or neutral drain?

Check the pump to eliminate (or confirm) it as a source. Get into diagnostic mode. With Power off, press and hold Wash Temp Down, then press Power at the same time. Should get two beeps and some panel lights. Release the buttons. Then press Regular cycle to turn the pump on (or off). Does the noise occur when the pump runs? If so, there may be lint or a foreign object caught in the impeller, or the pump is going bad. Turn off the Power to exit diagnostics. If the pump is the noise source, then it should (theoretically) happen at the start of a load (on all cycles except Perm Press) during the EcoActive wash period, and during drain/spin.

Note: Even if the pump sounds good, I'd suggest a visual examination of it for signs of leaking just for insurance. DO NOT use the machine with a leaking pump. A wet pump can short-out and kill the controller board, which turns a $70 repair into a $200+ repair. Replacing the pump is very easy, no tools needed!

If suspect a bad main bearing (not common, F&P uses good bearings) ... rotate the basket manually (as fast as you can). Noise? Set it to the final spin on Regular or Heavy cycle, with no clothes. Noise? If you want to see it spin, easiest is to raise the top deck so you can see under it with the lid closed. Open the lid, carefully pry out the two lid bumpers near the front corners. Remove the screws. Pull the tub to the left-front to help the off-balance lever (protrudes down from the control panel at the right-rear) clear the tub when the top is raised. Raise the top, close the lid. Set it to spin. Remember to pull the tub to the left-front again when lowering the top.

If the noise is confirmed during basket rotation/spin, and not related to the pump, then there could be a foreign object or a piece of clothing (sock, wash cloth) under the basket.

Another possibility is a problem with the basket drive coupler. Broken, or clogged with lint/debris causing the basket to slip. The agitator and basket are driven directly by the motor shaft, no transmission. The basket sits on a toothed coupler, the agitator bolts atop that directly to the drive shaft. When the machine fills, air is trapped beneath the basket in a molded air dome, causing it float upward and disengage from the coupler so the agitator can oscillate separately. When the water drains, the basket settles back down on the coupler to spin as a unit with the agitator. The drive motor pulses clockwise and CCW a few times before spin so the electronics can confirm by way of rotational inertia that the basket is down. If the drive coupler is broken or the basket is slipping on it, spin would be noisy and lethargic.

Removing the inner basket to check the coupler or for something caught under it is not difficult.


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Post# 354651 6/4/2009 at 14:18 (5,438 days old) by thomasj49 ()
Checkrate/Likes I've had this washer since 2004 with not a single problem. Today for the second time in two days it's making a terrible sound when it enters the spin cycle, almost like something grinding would be the best way to describe it. After putting the machine in pause in order to unlock the lid, I notice the water is drained out but the tub was barely spinning. I thought at first it might be that it was out of balance, but that noise sounds kind of serious. Any idea what it might be? Thomas

Post# 354686 , Reply# 1 6/4/2009 at 16:51 (5,438 days old) by super32 (Blackstone Massachusetts)
Checkrate/Likes Perhaps somthing between the tubs? Hopfully, thats simple. I never had much "major" trouble with these machines. Only had to tear down a few because of major leaks and/or drive problems.

Post# 354701 , Reply# 2 6/4/2009 at 17:49 (5,438 days old) by dadoes (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes Does the noise occur only during spin, that is, when the basket is rotating at 300+ RPM? Not during agitation? Not during EcoActive recirculation or neutral drain? Check the pump to eliminate (or confirm) it as a source. Get into diagnostic mode. With Power off, press and hold Wash Temp Down, then press Power at the same time. Should get two beeps and some panel lights. Release the buttons. Then press Regular cycle to turn the pump on (or off). Does the noise occur when the pump runs? If so, there may be lint or a foreign object caught in the impeller, or the pump is going bad. Turn off the Power to exit diagnostics. If the pump is the noise source, then it should (theoretically) happen at the start of a load (on all cycles except Perm Press) during the EcoActive wash period, and during drain/spin. Note: Even if the pump sounds good, I'd suggest a visual examination of it for signs of leaking just for insurance. DO NOT use the machine with a leaking pump. A wet pump can short-out and kill the controller board, which turns a $70 repair into a $200+ repair. Replacing the pump is very easy, no tools needed! If suspect a bad main bearing (not common, F&P uses good bearings) ... rotate the basket manually (as fast as you can). Noise? Set it to the final spin on Regular or Heavy cycle, with no clothes. Noise? If you want to see it spin, easiest is to raise the top deck so you can see under it with the lid closed. Open the lid, carefully pry out the two lid bumpers near the front corners. Remove the screws. Pull the tub to the left-front to help the off-balance lever (protrudes down from the control panel at the right-rear) clear the tub when the top is raised. Raise the top, close the lid. Set it to spin. Remember to pull the tub to the left-front again when lowering the top. If the noise is confirmed during basket rotation/spin, and not related to the pump, then there could be a foreign object or a piece of clothing (sock, wash cloth) under the basket. Another possibility is a problem with the basket drive coupler. Broken, or clogged with lint/debris causing the basket to slip. The agitator and basket are driven directly by the motor shaft, no transmission. The basket sits on a toothed coupler, the agitator bolts atop that directly to the drive shaft. When the machine fills, air is trapped beneath the basket in a molded air dome, causing it float upward and disengage from the coupler so the agitator can oscillate separately. When the water drains, the basket settles back down on the coupler to spin as a unit with the agitator. The drive motor pulses clockwise and CCW a few times before spin so the electronics can confirm by way of rotational inertia that the basket is down. If the drive coupler is broken or the basket is slipping on it, spin would be noisy and lethargic. Removing the inner basket to check the coupler or for something caught under it is not difficult.

Post# 354763 , Reply# 3 6/5/2009 at 00:44 (5,437 days old) by thomasj49 ()
Checkrate/Likes Thanks DADoES for the lengthy reply. I'll try the diagnostic and see what I come up with. I talked to one service guy and he mentioned the bearing possibility, but you mentioned the fact that F&P uses good bearings so hopefully it's not that. I guess I could also remove the pump and check it. Thanks again Thomas

Post# 355548 , Reply# 4 6/8/2009 at 09:22 (5,434 days old) by gizmo (Victoria, Australia)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Thomas If you need to remove the basket, here's how... (based on the older F&P Smart Drive machines, but I think the operation is about the same - if you find your machine doesn't match this text then stop, they must be more different than I thought.) - Unplug the machine from power supply. - Open the lid to vertical, grasp lid on both sides, yank it upwards to remove the lid. If you can't remove the lid, don't worry it isn't important but it stops it getting in the way. - at the front of the lid opening there are two rubber buffers. Prise them up and out, they cover two phillips head screws. - Remove the two screws. - lift the top panel of the machine from the front, it will hinge up and back. If you pull the whole machine a bit out from the wall, you can lay the top assembly with or without lid against the wall so it doesn't keep falling forward and getting in your way. You don't remove any mountings from the rear of the top assembly, it just tilts back. - You are now looking at the top of the tub assembly. You should see four phillips head screws holding down the plastic tub cover, a plastic circle. Remove the 4 screws, then lift the tub cover up and away. There might be a spring from the top left front of the cover to the front corner of the machine, if so, disconnect the spring. Put the tub cover aside. - you can now see the gap between the inner tub (basket) and the plastic outer tub. See if there is any foreign object, like an escaped sock, a nail, or a bra wire. (bra wires are a common culprit.) You will probably need to remove the inner tub (basket) to get at any obstructions. - To remove the inner tub - remove the agitator top cap (softener dispenser). Peer inside the agitator, you can see a plastic wing nut. Put your hand down the agitator and undo the plastic nut - it is a normal thread so turn anti-clockwise to remove. When the nut is removed, wiggle the agitator while pulling it upwards. It should come off the shaft. - Now grasp the top edge of the inner tub (the basket) and pull upwards. It is reasonably heavy. You can lift the tub up and out. It might take a few tries to come free. - once the inner tub is out, you can look for anything that was trapped underneath, jammed in the pump hole in the bottom of the outer tub; anything sticking through the perforations in the basket, like a nail; any damage to the teeth of the matching pair of drive dogs, one underneath the basket and one around the spin shaft at the bottom of the outer tub; any tangled or matted fibres twisted around the agitator shaft. reverse the above procedure to re-assemble. Good luck with it. Chris.

Post# 355595 , Reply# 5 6/8/2009 at 13:42 (5,434 days old) by dadoes (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes Chris, there are no screws holding the tub ring on a GWL11. It simply snaps on/off, anchored by tabs molded into the edge of the tub. There is a bias spring that connects from the tub ring to the left-front suspension rod.