Drain pump started making grating noises a few days ago, and occasionally refuses to spin during rinse cycle. Tub does spin properly during other cycles. Sometimes will get an F02 error, sometimes timer freezes at whatever time is left and does not advance, nor does the cycle.
Cleaned out the pump basket and found a quarter and a penny. Was unable to look into opening towards black colored motor, so unable to see if impeller is damaged or has foreign objects within. Basket itself was almost totally clean, with only a few long hairs caught in it along with the coins...little to no sludge on basket.
Removed gray corrugated hose from rear of machine and found thick gook at outlet near wall drain. Also found thick gook inside the elbow at the rear of machine, where hose attaches (strange that no gook in hose itself near that elbow). Cannot figure out if there is gook in the translucent hose running from pump up to top of machine, nor how to clean it, although a strong flashlight does show some discoloration inside hose when shining it through from outside. I'm assuming there is some gunk in there. Curious if compressed air from a compressor will dislodge gunk, or possibly cause damage to hose.
Saw some posts on other forums, with no answer....if pump is having problems, will that cause the tub to not spin?
Ran through the diagnostic test C:00 - C:08. Don't have a Prewash Option, so used the Rinse/Hold button to advance through steps (Machine will automatically advance through each step even if I don't touch the Rinse/Hold button). First time through the diagnostic, pump started grating at C:06, and continued all the way through to the end. Every step along the way seemed to work properly. But still had sopping clothes in washer, so decided to run diagnostic a second time. At C:06, grating noises began again and tub spun at C:07, but this time, at C:08, tub would not spin at all although pump was still on and making grinding noises. Let it run about a minute, but no spin at all. Then it erroed with a SUD code. When trying to turn machine off during this C:08 step, all controls seemed to be disabled. Had to unplug machine from wall to get it to turn off.
Tomorrow will pull pump out to check impeller, and will bring in a compressed air line from garage to blow out the translucent hose(does this hose go directly to the exhaust elbow on top right rear of unit?). Still unsure if it's solely a pump issue, or if there's a motor(spin) related issue as well. Back to the question of whether the malfunctioning pump will prevent the tub from spinning.
Saw a replacement pump for a very cheap price of $80.00 (others were asking $135.00), but would hate to replace it if this might be a gookus issue or something entirely different.
Sorry for all the words, but trying to give as detailed info as I can :)
Thanks in advance for any guidance!!!!
Andy
If the drain pump is damaged to the point where it generates an error code, the washer typically will not complete a wash cycle. Although it is normal for the pump to get noisy with age, it should not be excessive.
"F02" is a Long Drain error, usually associated with a pump that is either restricted in its ability to drain, or a pump that is not running properly. The "SUD" error is commonly displayed in conjunction with the the "F02" error code. This is caused by the presence of air in the pump.
It doesn't take much to damage these pumps. The items you found (particularly coins) can cause irreparable damage to the pump motor and/or impeller. The impeller blades commonly get sheared off, or become stripped and will free spin on the motor shaft. The black portion of the pump you mentioned is the motor. The impeller should be located on the inside. You should be able to see it with the access cover on the clean out trap removed.
Another recommendation for clearing the drain lines is to remove the drain hose from the standpipe and pull a vacuum with a wet/dry shop vac. This will pull water from the tub, through the pump, through the lines. If there is a clog anywhere, the vacuum will strain and the drain lines should collapse. If the lines are clear, you more than likely have a bad pump. If the error code will not go away, it is recommended that you replace the pump. If you need instructions, the following link explains how:
http://www.fixya.com/support/r401845-replacing_drain_pump_whirlpool_duet
Searspartsdirect.com carries your pump for about $71. Just type in your model number and look under the "Pump and Motor" heading for item number 10.
If you have questions, or require additional assistance, please let me know. I hope you find this information helpful.
NOTE: When attempting to clear any error codes on the washer, you need to unplug the unit for AT LEAST 30 minutes.
I applaud your efforts in troubleshooting, but the only way you can purchase the pump is by buying the whole assembly. I have not ever been able to order just the motor, or individual components. And, to the best of my knowledge, the impeller should free spin with no resistance. The web source I provided to you was the cheapest I was able to find this pump priced.
Glad I could help you. Unfortunately, in this modern day age of technology many of the component level troubleshooting procedures have gone by the wayside. Manufacturers seem to think its more cost effective to throwaway perfectly good parts in the process of replacing one simple component on the entire assembly. This generates more waste than efficiency in my opinion. I feel the same frustration as you do at times and have never understood why you can't purchase certain parts. Good luck to you.
×
1,500 views
Usually answered in minutes!
Thank you for your assistance!!!
Went back in and removed the pump and separated the pump impeller/motor assembly from the pump housing. The impeller looks pristine and I found no evidence of anything having ever hit or jammed it.
When spinning the impeller by hand, it rotated freely about ¾ turns and then felt as if it was pulled to one of the magnets, yet it didn't seem to do this when spun in the other direction. So, I removed the coil assembly from the impeller housing, and found that the impeller did not always move freely without any stiction. It will turn 2 or 3 full revolutions and then bind up slightly, and then spin a few more turns and bind again. It's almost as if there might be something inside free floating around that occasionally gets in the way. So, I'd like to just replace the gray impeller housing/impeller/O-ring. Everything else seems to be OK.
First, should the impeller when removed from the coil, spin freely with no stiction? Or, does it need the magnetic field to keep it floating centered within the housing? And second, is it possible to just buy the gray impeller housing assembly, without having to purchase the coil and pump housing? I could only find a parts # number callout for the whole thing.
Thank you once again!!! Your help is greatly appreciated!!!
I ordered the pump assembly from Sear. Now for the long wait (specified as 11 days), and many trips to the laundromat :)
As to troubleshooting....I was one of those kids who had to take clocks apart to see how they worked. I was fascinated by the gear trains and springs and such. Most of the time I was even able to get them back together and fully functional, although sometimes I would have an "extra" part or two leftover. Nowadays, when thinking back, I'm surprised that my parents didn't lock up the screwdrivers as they did with the alcohol, cigarettes, and toxic under-the-bathroom-sink chemicals. So, with that said, taking things apart to see how they work is standard operating procedure with me. I just wish that when things needed repair, individual parts were available, without needing to purchase whole assemblies. It just kills me to have to purchase housings and bushings, and shrouds and gaskets, etc., when all
I need is a shaft housing. :)
Thanks again!!!
Andy
×