Thread Number: 97516  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Direct Drive 2 Speed To 3 Speed Conversion - Need Help 		[Down to Last]
Post# 1223841   2/8/2025 at 00:59 by DDFan92 (Boise ID)        

Does anybody have a diagram for a 3 speed Whirlpool direct drive without a speed selector switch? Trying a mod on my 1992 Kenmore 70 series, 2 speed-to-3 speed conversion. What I've found is that most 3 speed motors have a separate connector for the med/low speed with White>Violet being medium, White>Orange being low. On models w/o a speed switch, there is also an extra wire on the motor harness--Violet>White. Just need to know if & what then is the best way to wire that up so that the start capacitor and agitation direction is also in circuit with that. The med/low speed is going onto a separate SPDT toggle switch rated for that. Or do I need to have a whole separate timer cam for that? Generally you'd see said three wires on a separate cam altogether and the solid orange wire is still in tandem with the blue wire for high speed and the tan wire from the water level switch. I've added the wires for the two W-V & W-OR and it runs the med & low, but I still need to turn the motor manually to get it going. I just need to know how to wire it so it starts, and with that switch controlling it, starts in agitation direction only, because I don't want an ex-low speed spin of course lol.

Timer contacts on mine are as listed:

+______|_BK-W_+ BK
|__V__|_BK-W_+ GY
+_BK2_+_BK4__+ BK3
+_Y-R_+___P___+ BR
+______+___Y___+ W-BK
+_____+___R___+ W-BK
|_BU_|___T___| OR
+_____|___V___|

The 3 speed timers have it usually listed with that extra set of wires like this:

|W-OR|V-W |W-V

I'm thinking the V-W is what I'm missing here. But if I'm taking that set of wires and essentially moving it to the SPDT toggle switch, I just need to know what wire to "hack" to supply start power to that lower run winding. I wish Gordon was still around here regularly lol.




Post# 1223855 , Reply# 1   2/8/2025 at 08:39 by Combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
2 to 3 speed motor conversion on a direct drive washer

 combo52's profile picture
How are you gonna control the third lower speed?

It would be easier just to find a three speed Kenmore whirlpool or KitchenAid washer and convert the machine by changing the entire harness and control system.

Not saying you can't do what you're doing, but why it's so easy to find a three speed machine And have a nicer washer to boot cause I guess that's your goal.

John L

Post# 1223872 , Reply# 2   2/8/2025 at 12:50 by DDFan92 (Boise ID)        
Combo52,

 Bottom position toggle switch for low, top position for medium was my thinking. That way, it would only work if the machine is set to a delicate agitation cycle, and be dormant in heavy duty.

That I'm all well aware of, but then I wouldn't have a woodgrain 3 speed Kenmore with mostly all original components. It's a weird thing for me, I know. Just want to see if it's possible. Again, I've already got the speeds working technically, just need the starter circuit. R and W-BK are where my agitation direction comes from, so I just need to know essentially how and where to tie the missing V-W wire in (wouldn't actually be V-W). I think Gordon (Kenmoreguy64) would have at least had an idea because he's talked about his 93 Kenmore's timer a lot.

Post# 1228082 , Reply# 3   4/5/2025 at 15:36 by DDFan92 (Boise ID)        
Update:

 I did it!!!!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO DDFan92's LINK
Post# 1228095 , Reply# 4   4/5/2025 at 17:59 by Repairguy (Danbury, Texas)        

repairguy's profile picture
Congrats!

Post# 1228173 , Reply# 5   4/6/2025 at 14:55 by Dominic20 (Souix falls)        
Great job

 dominic20's profile picture
That's way cool never been done to a wood grain Kenmore great job bud!

Post# 1228193 , Reply# 6   4/6/2025 at 17:47 by Chetlaham (United States)        
You know better than Whirlpool

 chetlaham's profile picture

Want my honest opinion? All 3 cycle Kenmore washers should've had a 3 speed motor. Heavy duty agitation best works at 4 pole speeds, normal agitation best works at 6 poles and delicate agitation best works at 8 poles. 4 poles for heavy and normal spins, 6 poles for delicate spins. Its a shame Kenmore didn't do it like this.

 

 

 

I want to ask, how did you get it to work? Epic that you did it! Are the drains high? The spins? Much applause.

 

 

 

 

 
Post# 1228207 , Reply# 7   4/6/2025 at 20:46 by DDFan92 (Boise ID)        

I'll make a separate post explaining what I did, but I appreciate your guys' input!

Post# 1228209 , Reply# 8   4/6/2025 at 21:11 by Chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture

Thanks!

 

Brilliant idea put into action. 3 speed motors are what direct drives actually needed. One speed for a select for BOL, three speed anything higher up. 

 

TOL models would have come with a featured wash action selector such as:

 

 

high/high

 

med/high

 

low/high

 

high/med

 

med/med

 

low/med

 

low/low

 

Intermittent low / low

 

high/low

 

med/low

 

 

 

 

 

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