Washing Machine timer repair

It's only one model, etc. But it's an idea to file away.

In 1994, when I moved into this trailer, the folks moving out left me a Whirlpool LXA5300W1 washing machine. Top loader, mechanical timer, and fairly plain looking machine.

I met the woman once, and she said the washer needed a $65 part, so they were leaving it. However, they were taking the dryer cause it still worked.

After some trouble shooting, I found the motor was siezed up. So, I took the motor out, and wrenched on the pulley with a Channelocks. Got the motor shaft to turn, and pumped in some two cycle oil to lube the berrings. Machine worked nicely for about 7 or 8 years, and then had to oil the motor again.

The latest was the timer. It jammed in fill, between wash and rinse. I came home one day after church and found it had been running fill water for the last four hours or so. Fortunately, down the drain not onto the floor.

It did it again a couple days ago.

I called the parts house, and found out it takes a 365002 timer. Which was NLA, No Longer Available. But, when it was avail, it cost $95 or so.

A quick Google search found a couple such timers. One was about $125, through a historic parts house. Another was about $77 through Ebay.

It did occur to me that maybe I could oil the motor. Worked on the main motor. I took the assembly apart, that holds the timer. The motor was held on to the back of the timer switch with a couple little screws. They were between the two sizes I had in my socket wrench set. Larger than 5/64, and smaller than 3/32. But a very tiny crescent wrench did the job.

When I got the motor off, it looked as though the gear pack in the timer was coated in smokers film. It occured to me that perhaps it was dried oil or grease. I blasted as best I could with aerosol parts cleaner (trichlor) and let that dry a bit. And then a blast of penetrating oil.

Put it all back together, and, uh, give it a whirl. Sorry. Seems to work now.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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You may wish to check the fill level sensor. This is a pressure switch connected to the bottom of the tub with a plastic tube. On my machine the tubing had hardened where it mated to the sensor and slowly leaked. Result machine over flowed. I cut off about an inch of the end of tube and put it back on the sensor. So far so good. Usually when the machine fills the timer stops until the pressure switch senses the machine has filled then starts again since time to fill machine varies depending on water pressure etc..

Reply to
Jeff

That is really excellent advice. I found the fill sensor, which is up by the timer. Of course, the bottom end of the tube is down there some where.

The fill sensor is OK -- cause for the first fill (wash cycle) the water fills up adn shuts off. I'll remember the advice for when it over fills, over flows, etc.

Was there a hose clamp on the bottom of the tube?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I didn't check the bottom since a leak there will cause water to drip under the machine. Also more difficult for water to leak compared to air. The tubing was in good shape except the piece over the fill sensor. A simple test. Let washer fill, as soon as it stops turn it off and wait an hour, turn back on. If it starts to add water then it may have a problem.

Reply to
Jeff

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