Washing Machine runs for a bit and then stops.

thereds

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2000
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Now I've got a washing machine with clothes fully soaked in soapy water.

I can turn the cycle knob back around, wait a bit, pull the knob to start the cycle from where it left off and it starts back up only to stop a while later.

What the hell could be the problem?
 

spaceman

Lifer
Dec 4, 2000
17,563
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ugh, otbs...home depot is doing 0%apr and zero payments for a year upon signing up for a card.
if that doesnt work.,look on your local craigslist.ask around(family,friends)..washing machines are fairly easy to score 2nd hand on the cheap.

washing machine, arent they mostly a chuck away affair today?
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: KLin
Sounds like it's broken.


I am sorry but that made me laugh :p


Seriously tho, you might have a safety switch on the lid which is not making a connection which could be shutting off your washing machine.


Ausm
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,295
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Sounds like a busted belt for the spin cycle or even the transmission. Does it make any noise at all or just comes to a complete halt?
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,295
391
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Sounds like a busted belt for the spin cycle or even the transmission. Does it make any noise at all or just comes to a complete halt?
 

thereds

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: Ausm
Originally posted by: KLin
Sounds like it's broken.


I am sorry but that made me laugh :p


Seriously tho, you might have a safety switch on the lid which is not making a connection which could be shutting off your washing machine.


Ausm

Pretty sure thats not it as the machine runs with the lid open as well.
 

49erinnc

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2004
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Originally posted by: Ausm
Originally posted by: KLin
Sounds like it's broken.


I am sorry but that made me laugh :p


Seriously tho, you might have a safety switch on the lid which is not making a connection which could be shutting off your washing machine.


Ausm


Beat me to the punch. I bought a used washing machine at a yard sale not too long ago. Really nice model and not used much but the people were relocating. I got it home and the damn thing did exactly what's happening to the OP's. I was close to going back over to their house to complain about a damaged washer. But it turns out that the little shutoff/safety switch just wasn't being pushed down enough from the weight of the lid. But I noticed that if I just pressed down firmly on it one good time, it was enough to keep the safety switch off. You can even set something a little heavy on top to help.

Make sure it's not the same simple problem before you replace it or pay for a repair.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,215
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Originally posted by: thereds
Originally posted by: Ausm
Originally posted by: KLin
Sounds like it's broken.


I am sorry but that made me laugh :p


Seriously tho, you might have a safety switch on the lid which is not making a connection which could be shutting off your washing machine.


Ausm

Pretty sure thats not it as the machine runs with the lid open as well.


I forgot to mention some machines are not that way and I think you are right in your assumption too.

Ausm
 

49erinnc

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2004
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Pretty sure thats not it as the machine runs with the lid open as well.

So did mine but it won't run every cycle with the lid open. Mine ran fine that way which is why it took me a while to figure it out. But on the drain cycle, my lid has to be closed with the safety switch pressed in.

That may not be your problem but as I said, mine was doing the exact same thing as yours and it was definitely the switch.

If you want to be sure, when the machine is on the soak/drain cycle, just stick a flat-head screwdriver down the hole while the lid is open so you can manually push in the switch. When I did that, my water started draining instantly.
 

RayH

Senior member
Jun 30, 2000
963
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If the water does not drain even when you try to start at the drain cycle, the pump is either burned out or has broken impeller blades. I had that happen last year when a nickel found it's way into the pump and broke off the impeller blades.
 

thereds

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: RayH
If the water does not drain even when you try to start at the drain cycle, the pump is either burned out or has broken impeller blades. I had that happen last year when a nickel found it's way into the pump and broke off the impeller blades.

That could be it. Water is not draining off.

Fsck me.
 

GalvanizedYankee

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2003
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I had a kerchief get between the tub & tank. It clogged up the suction pump.

There are diagnostic sites on line for appliances. Washing machines are a simple repair as long as the gear box, motor & seals are OK. Everthing else is a simple fix. The major timers & controlls can be expensive though.


...Galvanized
 

thereds

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
I had a kerchief get between the tub & tank. It clogged up the suction pump.

There are diagnostic sites on line for appliances. Washing machines are a simple repair as long as the gear box, motor & seals are OK. Everthing else is a simple fix. The major timers & controlls can be expensive though.


...Galvanized

I"m subletting this apt., so I don't want to do sh|t that could fsck the machine up further.

My stupid roommate must have left some ****** in his pockets that cocked this appliance up.
 

RayH

Senior member
Jun 30, 2000
963
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I changed the pump myself and it wasn't too bad. If you're handy you can remove the access panel and listen for the pump motor. If it works but water's not draining, remove the plastic drain pipe at the back and have it drain into a bucket close to the floor by trying the drain cycle again.

Once you've got most of the water out, unplug the electricity, layout some old towels on the bottom and remove the pump. Pump will usually have a part number on it or it will be in your original manuals. Either lookup the part number or use the model number of the washer at various net appliance repair sites like RepairClinic

Cost me around $80 to fix myself.
 

CocoGdog

Senior member
May 31, 2000
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Common sense man... You've overloaded it with too much clothes - such as jeans and heavy towels. Reduce the load and restart the wash.

If it's not heavy clothes, then you've got a repair bill.
 

MrBond

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2000
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I doubt it was something in your roomates pockets. There's usually a screen before the pump to catch things like that.

I bought a used washer and had a similar problem. Turned out the clutch was slipping under load. It'd spin just fine if it was empty or with a very small load, but if I had a normal sized load in there, it wouldn't work. I took it back and spent the $300 on a new Kenmore and am very glad I did.