My kenmore washer will not drain it was working fine before we moved however the first time that we tried to use it after a couple of months with it in storage it filled up with water went through the aggitation cycle and then stoped it would not drain I had to drain the machine manually. I pulled the casing and the pump everything appears to be in good condition. i was thinking that it could be the pump solenoid or the main timer. Any ideas??

If the is a TOP LOADING washer, the problem actually may be a very simple one. The most common cause of the symptoms you just described is a lid switch malfunction or lid strike (actuator) problem. Symptoms may include, filling and stopping on the intial fill cycle, stopping right after the wash cycle, not advancing to rinse or spin cycles, and a wash tub that may not drain. Since the washer was in storage, it switch may have come loose while moving, the lid actuator may have broken, or (depending on where it was stored) rodents have been known to chew electrical wires.

The lid switch is usually mounted under the washer top casing, on the right hand side on most top load models. It is activated by a plastic piece on the lid (called a "Lid Strike" or "Actuator") through a small hole on the rim of the wash tub opening. In many cases the lid strike breaks off the lid, or the lid switch becomes loose and no longer makes contact. Inspect the lid to make sure the lid strike is still intact, and then inspect the mounting screws (adjacent to the small opening on the wash tub rim) and make sure they are tight. Sometimes these screws will loosen, causing the lid switch make intermittent contact. If you determine the switch to be defective, the following link explains how to replace one:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3557193-replacing_a_lid_switch

On some models, the lid switch is located under the top casing by one of the lid hinges. You will know if you if you have this type of switch, because it does NOT have a lid strike (actuator) and the small hole on the right hand side of the wash tub will not be present. This type of switch is actuated (toggled) by a rod on the lid hinge. With this type of switch, if you locate it and it can be toggled by hand, you may only need to adjust the actuator rod by bending it slightly.

NOTE: You do not have to drain or bail the water from the washer tub to perform this repair. Once a defective lid switch is replaced, the washer should drain normally.


Replacement parts (if required) can be purchased at any of the following web sites:

searspartsdirect.com
pcappliancerepair.com
appliancepartspros.com
repairclinic.com

The first three sites on the list, include helpful exploded view parts illustrations to assist you with locating and properly identifying any parts you may need.


NOTE: Banging or slamming the lid can actually cause more harm than good. These switches are fragile and can break easily in this manner.

The average price of a replacement lid switch is about $20 - $30 if you perform the repair yourself. The lid strike (if equipped) usually costs less than $5. Prices will vary between sites so shop and compare. If you have questions, or need additional assistance, please post back with your complete MODEL NUMBER and let me know. This is a very simple repair that you can easily perform without the assistance of a repairman.


NOTE: If this advice does not help you enough, repairclinic.com has a Repair Manual you can order to assist you with all your repairs. The part number is 1170635 and is priced at about $20.

Searspartsdirect.com also has a repair manual for about the same price. Part number 4314044L. I hope this information is helpful to you. FYI: If you ever have to drain the wash tub manually in the future, you can use a wet/dry shop vac to pull water from the tub. Since most of the wash tubs have about a 30 gallon capacity, it may take several trips to empty the vacuum. Another method is simple gravity by placing the drain hose lower than the wash tub into a bucket or drain.