Belt drive Kenmore will not spin

Chris -

Revvin Kevin had a couple videos at one time of a Whirlpool washer he was trying to fix. He took the videos, then posted them on Youtube for me to see what was going on. They may still be there. If I recall, that machine had a bent plunger.

Based on what I have read above, you have a fairly common situation going on. I have the exact model to your machine right now in fact, and it won't spin either. My mother's machine, which is very similar to yours, did something similar a few years ago. Here's what I would do in your case:

- Put the washer in spin, engage the timer and leave the lid up.

- Listen for sounds when you depress the lid switch. Besides hearing the light-weight click from the spin switch, you should hear a mechanical click coming from the wig-wag.

If you do NOT hear any sort of click going on within the machine, then the wig wag is not activating. Either the part is bad itself, OR one of the wires to it have broken. You should be able to hear the click/clunk of the plunger rising in the solenoid with the activation of the switch.

If you hear the solenoid activate but nothing happens, look specifically at the plunger itself.

Here are some recent situations I've had in this area:

- The machine like yours does NOT make any solenoid activation sounds at all. So, either a wire is bad, or the solenoid itself is bad. I suppose the lid switch could be bad, but I've not seen that yet. Either way, it's not even attemtping to engage. I will direct my attention there when I dig into that machine.

- I have a Whirlpool that definitely has a broken wire to the solenoid. It contacts with one 'swish' of the solenoid, then breaks the contact with the reverse swish. It's almost humorouos to watch it try to spin because it engages and disengages with the exact pattern of agitation strokes.

- I have another machine that most likely has a broken or deformed plunger. I can hear all the appropriate sounds of the solenoid engaging, but no spin activiity at all. If the tinnerman in the plunger breaks, it will not be able to move the spin cam bar, and this is what I'm pretty sure is happening.

- Lastly, I had a machine a couple years ago that had a frozen brake yoke support shaft. This thing was stuck solid, and no matter how much the spin cam bar moved back and fourth, spin was not activated in the basket drive due to lack of movement of parts to the clutch. This happened over time as the lubricant had basically become crystalized glue (not WP's original Rykon grease). I had to clean it all off with contact cleaner, and start over. It's been fine since.

Once you determine what your problem is, if you find that you have a bad control magnet (wig wag) I would not mess with trying to swap out one of the solenoids - it's hardly worth it, just get a whole new one. If the plunger is good, just clean it up by removing any grease or carbon and it should work fine.

Glenn is right - replacing the wig wag is easy if not a little tenuous due to tight spaces. Two control magnet/wig wags have been available from Whirlpool - one as a bare magnet, and one with new plungers, plunger guides, and tinnerman. I can give you part numbers for both if you don't already have them.

Gordon


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Post# 461716 9/6/2010 at 19:16 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes Hey guys my belt drive Kenmore will not spin. It will agitate and drain and fill but not spin. I already know it's not the lid switch and it's not the timer unless there is something wrong with the two timers i have for it. I would appreaciate any help you pros can give me.

Post# 461726 , Reply# 1 9/6/2010 at 19:39 (4,973 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes If the lid switch tests good and the spin solenoid doesn't engage, then maybe bad solenoid or broken wire.� The wigwag wires flex constantly when it's wigging and wagging so not unusual that they break after years of use. If the solenoid does engage but the cam bar doesn't move/shift, then perhaps a broken pin in the guide.

Post# 461727 , Reply# 2 9/6/2010 at 19:43 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes I don't think the cam bar moved but i am not realy sure. but i am not sure if the solenoid engaged how would i know if does or not? and i am assumeing (looking at it from the back of the machine) the spin solenoid is the one on the left i saw the one on the right move when it went into agitate and then again into drain.

Post# 461729 , Reply# 3 9/6/2010 at 19:44 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes if the cam bar move then should it move towards the back of the machine?

Post# 461745 , Reply# 4 9/6/2010 at 20:12 (4,973 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *When looking in the back.* the solenoid and cam bar on the left are for spin and the ones on the right are for the pump. I would set the washer in spin with the lid open and look underneath. At this point, the wig wag should be going back and forth and the pump should be engaged. Have someone depress the lid switch and see what happens. The spin solenoid (on the left) should then engage. See if the cam bar moves. If the solenoid doesn't engage, it's a broken or disconnected wire, or a bad solenoid. If the solenoid does try to engage but he cam bar won't move, it's likely a cam bar issue. Clear as mud? Dave

Post# 461750 , Reply# 5 9/6/2010 at 20:23 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes can a solenoid go bad realy quick? cause I just did a load and everything worked fine, but then on this last load it would not spin. how do you change one of those solenoids out?

Post# 461755 , Reply# 6 9/6/2010 at 20:47 (4,973 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Wig Wag Kit.* You can get parts individually or the whole thing (linked below). You can get it, however, for less than the $40.00 price below. Dave CLICK HERE TO GO TO Volvoguy87's LINK

Post# 461759 , Reply# 7 9/6/2010 at 21:05 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes ok thanks yeah i think it's the solenoid and i see there is a manual on how to change this part out. i can tell this is gonna be a * to change.

Post# 461760 , Reply# 8 9/6/2010 at 21:11 (4,973 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Kenmoreguy64* Before you start tearing into this too much, I would seek the advice of Gordon (Kenmoreguy64). He is the WP/KM Belt Drive guru. Dave

Post# 462142 , Reply# 19 9/8/2010 at 14:20 (4,972 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes That's great news Chris! We rock, don't we? LOL Gordon

Post# 461772 , Reply# 9 9/6/2010 at 21:28 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes ok thanks will do. i have also found this part if i have to buy this part for a lot cheaper than what repair clinic is offering. CLICK HERE TO GO TO cphifer5115's LINK

Post# 461780 , Reply# 10 9/6/2010 at 21:44 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes well i though i found the part for cheaper but that link above doesn't include the plunger.

Post# 461783 , Reply# 11 9/6/2010 at 21:49 (4,973 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes � Depends on the style of wigwag whether the solenoid is intended to be changed individually. It's not difficult to remove the wigwag. One bolt and it lifts off the shaft, just takes some maneuvering amidst the mechanism.

Post# 461784 , Reply# 12 9/6/2010 at 21:50 (4,973 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes � The plunger doesn't need to be changed unless it's broken/mangled.� The wigwag/solenoids are a separate piece from the two plungers.

Post# 461786 , Reply# 13 9/6/2010 at 22:00 (4,973 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes � The solenoid can also be tested for continuity with a volt/ohm meter to confirm it's bad or not.� And/or set the timer to spin (with the power cord pulled) and test continuity across the wires.

Post# 461788 , Reply# 14 9/6/2010 at 22:12 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes i don't have a volt/ohm meter but i didn't realize it was that easy so i don't need a new plunger then and the solenoids just sit on top of the plungers. i remember seeing a bolt in the center. is there a video anywhere on youtube on who to change it out? i seem to remember there was one that was part of an episode of this old house and it was a whirplool washer and they had to repair part of the wig way.

Post# 461900 , Reply# 15 9/7/2010 at 12:59 (4,973 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes Chris - Revvin Kevin had a couple videos at one time of a Whirlpool washer he was trying to fix. He took the videos, then posted them on Youtube for me to see what was going on. They may still be there. If I recall, that machine had a bent plunger. Based on what I have read above, you have a fairly common situation going on. I have the exact model to your machine right now in fact, and it won't spin either. My mother's machine, which is very similar to yours, did something similar a few years ago. Here's what I would do in your case: - Put the washer in spin, engage the timer and leave the lid up. - Listen for sounds when you depress the lid switch. Besides hearing the light-weight click from the spin switch, you should hear a mechanical click coming from the wig-wag. If you do NOT hear any sort of click going on within the machine, then the wig wag is not activating. Either the part is bad itself, OR one of the wires to it have broken. You should be able to hear the click/clunk of the plunger rising in the solenoid with the activation of the switch. If you hear the solenoid activate but nothing happens, look specifically at the plunger itself. Here are some recent situations I've had in this area: - The machine like yours does NOT make any solenoid activation sounds at all. So, either a wire is bad, or the solenoid itself is bad. I suppose the lid switch could be bad, but I've not seen that yet. Either way, it's not even attemtping to engage. I will direct my attention there when I dig into that machine. - I have a Whirlpool that definitely has a broken wire to the solenoid. It contacts with one 'swish' of the solenoid, then breaks the contact with the reverse swish. It's almost humorouos to watch it try to spin because it engages and disengages with the exact pattern of agitation strokes. - I have another machine that most likely has a broken or deformed plunger. I can hear all the appropriate sounds of the solenoid engaging, but no spin activiity at all. If the tinnerman in the plunger breaks, it will not be able to move the spin cam bar, and this is what I'm pretty sure is happening. - Lastly, I had a machine a couple years ago that had a frozen brake yoke support shaft. This thing was stuck solid, and no matter how much the spin cam bar moved back and fourth, spin was not activated in the basket drive due to lack of movement of parts to the clutch. This happened over time as the lubricant had basically become crystalized glue (not WP's original Rykon grease). I had to clean it all off with contact cleaner, and start over. It's been fine since. Once you determine what your problem is, if you find that you have a bad control magnet (wig wag) I would not mess with trying to swap out one of the solenoids - it's hardly worth it, just get a whole new one. If the plunger is good, just clean it up by removing any grease or carbon and it should work fine. Glenn is right - replacing the wig wag is easy if not a little tenuous due to tight spaces. Two control magnet/wig wags have been available from Whirlpool - one as a bare magnet, and one with new plungers, plunger guides, and tinnerman. I can give you part numbers for both if you don't already have them. Gordon

Post# 461903 , Reply# 16 9/7/2010 at 13:14 (4,973 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks Gordon, I have already orded a new wig wag and have already taken off the old one. I can tell that the plunger is still good and I am pretty convinced that the solenoid has gone bad. i washed the machine last night from behind and the spin cam bar never tried to move. yeah the wig way was so easy to remove just cumberson to get in there to it.

Post# 461940 , Reply# 17 9/7/2010 at 16:42 (4,972 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes Chris - One thing I forgot to mention in all that I wrote above - my experience is that the wig-wags seem to alternately malfunction at times. I have not seen many that visibly failed. My mother's just wouldn't spin one day. I went over there, tried what I said above, then energized the plunger manually by taking a LONG screw driver and pushing the plunger up while it was in neutral - off the basket went. After that, it operated normally, but I was not willing to keep using the old wig-wag - didn't want to hear of that happening again. I have recently had two machines that would not drop out of agitate when they should. On the first machine, also very similar to yours, one that I have had for many years and have thousands of loads on the 'clock', it kept agitating into the spin portion of the cycle. It would eventually shift into drain, but this was sporadic - either within a few seconds of when it did normally, to several minutes. A new wig wag made that stop. Currently, my 1977 Penta-Vane equipped machine is doing exactly the same thing. In this one, I can hear the plunger rattling around, "wanting" to disengage, but for some reason, almost as if the solenoid has become permanently magnetized, gravity won't pull it out of the energized position. Rather than trace it as I did the other machine, I'll be changing the wig-wag, but this is not an every-load problem. It's weird how that is. Hopefully your machine will be fine once the new wig wag is installed. Gordon

Post# 462132 , Reply# 18 9/8/2010 at 12:48 (4,972 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes The Kenmore spins again. I got the new solenoid wig wag and installed it today and it's fixed. Thanks to all of you guys for the advice. I love this site.

Post# 462183 , Reply# 20 9/8/2010 at 16:45 (4,971 days old) by cphifer5115 (Jackson, TN)
Checkrate/Likes yes you guys do.