I'm having problems with my 7 year old Kenmore front loader washer. Last Sunday it stopped in the middle of the cycle. I can make it proceed by pushing in the timer and moving it manually to the next step. But then it gets stuck again after that step.

Based on the internet information, I determined that it probably was the speed controller. I received the new part from AppliancePartsPros yesterday and after installation still have the problem of not progressing through the different steps. This happens for all wash cycles. Within a step, all functions (add water, wash, spin, drain) seem to work.

One additional observation is that normally when I push in the timer knob, the lights go out immediately. Now the wash light will stay on for a little bit and then slowly fade out over 2 seconds.

Any suggestions on how to further diagnose would be appreciated

Thanks for the suggestion. I had already checked out those instructions but they address mostly when the motor does not run. In the mean time I found the complete Frigidaire Service Manual.

http://frigidaireservicetips.com/pdfs/360_TumbleActionWashers.pdf

On Page 47 it tells you how to diagnose a timer that won't advance. "Let the machine run for 3 minutes and then measure the voltage between pin 5 of the 10 pin connecter and pin 5 of the 6 pin connecter. If 120, speed controller is bad, if 0 timer is bad."

I measured from the back of the plugs, with the plugs in place and the machine running and I keep getting 120V. So my new Speed Controller is bad?

Then I tried to disconnect both plugs from the speed controller and connect the ground (pin 5 of the 6 pin connector) and the timer motor (pin 5 of the 10 pin connector) with a short wire. When I turn the machine on with the door closed, the timer still does no run, where according to the wiring diagram it should. Bad timer?

Am I doing my diagnosis from the service manual wrong?

Thanks

Thanks Gene, I got it back to working again. I ended up taking the timer out and connecting both black wires from the timer motor directly to 120V and it did not move.

Since we had been without washer for 6 days and my wife was starting to mention the dreaded p-word (professional repair), I ended up taking the timer motor apart until I had the motor core and the windings in my hand. Then I put it all back together and now its working fine. Got 4 big loads out of the way. Never knew that the sound of the end-of-cycle buzzer could be so sweet!

Probably will still buy a new timer as insurance. All I need to figure out if my speed control board was bad in the first place.

Thanks for all you help. I've learned a lot about our washer over the last couple of days. Especially the service manual is very cool. I don't think there is anything now that I can't fix on this machine.

Thanks again, Harold