My Whirlpool washer failed to drain

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human

human

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So I was washing a load of sheets a little while ago and when I went to put them in the dryer, I opened the lid of the washer (a classic style Whirlpool from the early 2000s) and found it full of water, having failed to drain on its final spin cycle. Fortunately, I able to just turn the knob clockwise to the next spin cycle and it drained normally. I've never had this happen before and I fully subscribe to the notion that once is an isolated incident, twice is a coincidence and three times is a pattern so until the problem begins to repeat itself, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. That said, it would be nice to have a idea of what caused it.
 
My

Washer did it last winter. The washer is top fill and it has no agitator in the middle like old ones. This means you can put larger loads in. I put 2 large blankets in the washer and came back a couple hours later. The drum has some sort of track or something that rotates the drum. The weight of the wet blanket knocked it off it's track. I took out the blankets threw them in the tub. I then just used a bucket and a rag. I used the bucket and when i couldn't get any more with the bucket I used the rag. I'd use the rag like a sponge and wrung it out in the water bucket.
With the water and clothes out I put the drum back on its axis. I turned it on for a quick cycle and it worked fine. I threw one blanket in at a time and the washer worked fine.
I'm guessing it went off its axis.
Les
 
Just to push my luck, I went ahead and washed my bedspread as well. The washer drained normally but it went through the "Extra Rinse (and spin)" cycle, which it normally does not. I'm not sure what to make of that.
 
Off

Is there a sensor acting up. I don't know if it's a newer computerized washer.
It could just need to unplug it and reset the settings. If it's older maybe check the dials haven't slipped.
Les
 
It's definitely not a newfangled washer, loaded with self-destructing circuit boards. It's a traditional design with an agitator and electro-mechanical controls. I think the control dial slipping a sprocket is the most plausible explanation. The washer came with the house and I'm guessing it's around 20 years old. Up until yesterday, it had never missed a beat. I would sooner replace the controller on that one than buy one of these modern monstrosities. A ~$100 part that will last a couple of decades vs. a $1,000+ washer that, if I'm lucky, might last five years before it blows an NLA circuit board? That's an absolute no-brainer. I hate living in a disposable society.

The dryer that was with the washer when I moved in was a Kenmore from probably the mid-'70s and was on its last legs. Shortly after I moved in, I replaced it with a second hand Roper by Whirlpool dryer, about the same age as the washer, for which I paid $50 or $60. I gave it a full overhaul last fall, which is copiously documented in an earlier thread, and I still have less than $100 invested in it.
 
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking may be the culprit. I've got to wash clothes this weekend and depending on how it performs, I may be getting online and ordering a part next week.
 
I'm going to bet

it has something to do with the mechanical timer, the dial. Had similar problem with a Whirlpool washer and the Sears service repairman said it was the timer. The little cams or lobes wear down and the timer skips right over one of them. He said the first thing to go is usually the spray rinse that occurs on the spin cycle between the wash and rinse cycle. Why? He says the spray rinse cycle isn't a full "click" on the dial, it's a half click and it's not even a click. If you tried to turn the dial while the machine is spinning the soap out, you would have trouble hitting the position where the spray starts most likely. I have skin problems if there's a lot of soap remaining in clothes, so a good rinse is important to me. Some of the new machines don't even have a spray rinse before or after the actual rinse and fill cycle. Long story, short lol, I'll bet it's the clock. He quoted me a price of 225.00 for a new one.That may have included install, but I know you can do it yourself.
 
My bet would be the the timer also.

Interesting note on the spray rinse - a half a click. You are right. My old Kenmore is similar to this also. Between wash and rinse (no spray there on this model), I very carefully advance the timer to the spray rinse at the end of the rinse cycle, as I like to make sure the soap is all out. One half click is the spray rinse, another half click right after connects to the motor speed selector switch; VERY soft clicks indeed. If doing delicates I have to get past both of them just right and not over turn or I miss the spray. My GF used to say I would make an excellent safe-cracker...
 
I'll bet it's the timer, but... I'd tend to think that the electrical contacts are dirty or burned. That seems much more likely to me. A piece of 500 grit and some patience might fix the problem.
 
So I washed two loads of laundry today and the machine did just fine except that it went straight into the 'Extra Rinse' cycle both times. At least it didn't shut off with a full tub again.

So, if you're counting, that makes one load where it failed to drain and three where it went into an 'Extra Rinse' cycle. I've always heard that once is an isolated incident, twice is a coincidence, and three times becomes a pattern. For the cost of repairing it, I think it's a pattern I can live with for now so I'm just going to let it ride until such time as it gets worse or fails altogether.
 
Yes, I would let it ride also.
My Kenmore every now and then skips drain and goes right into spin. After going back into agitate a few minutes and retrying, it works.
One or two times it continuously jumped between low and high speed after hunting for the second half-click. Never happened again.
Ghost in the machine...
 
Funny thing I noticed

about Whirlpools/Kenmores from the 60's-90's. If you lift the lid while the tub is draining and put it back down, the machine goes right in to spinning regardless of how much water is still in the basket. I've done that on purpose just to shave a few seconds when I'm really in a hurry to get the load in the dryer so I could get on my way.I've cut the final spin cycle down by a minute or two for the same reason. If you check the drain hose there's barely a few drops if any coming out on the final minute or two. Some machines have ridiculously long cycles. So this weekend your timer cycled over to the 2nd rinse, which means it cycled over the stop/off position then started up for the second rinse. Is this what it would have normally done had you set it for a second rinse when you started? Also, do you remember where the dial was pointing when you lifted the lid to a full tub of water? Was it at off position or at the drain/spin position. Just curious. Do you remember that show Colombo, where the detective would always say, "there's just one question", my mom would bring him up when I asked too many questions, O K Colombo!
 
The last three loads I washed, it skipped over the "Off" position at the end of the regular wash cycle and went straight into the "Extra Rinse". When it was full of water, it was at the "Off" position at the end of the regular wash, which it now skips over. I manually turned the knob past that "Off" position and restarted the machine at the "Spin" portion of the "Extra Rinse".
 
See! There you go,problem solved! I could live with that if it didn't get any worse. In any event they are great washers and worth fixing over buying new any day of the week,in my humble opinion.
 

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