Hi,

I posted this question on another applianceblog (just happened to find it first) and got tons of readers but no answer, so I'm hoping I have better luck here! Doing a search here looks like there's some very knowledgeable technicians online so I'm hoping for the best!

I'm having transmission issues with my Kenmore Series 80 direct drive washer, which I understand is made by Whirlpool and probably the most common basic top-loading washer out there for the past few decades.

Problem started with the motor locked up and just humming one day. The transmission had been leaking for about 10 years, so I figured it finally seized up. I took apart the transmission with the help of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieZ5y47TAMk
and found nothing wrong. Pump is fine, coupler is fine, transmission guts appeared fine. Replaced the input seal on the transmission (the seal for the worm gear), filled it with 90w oil, replaced the coupler just because it was over 25 years old, put it all back together and ran the washer twice.

First time, after tub filled with water, I got no agitation on the first cycle although I could hear the motor turning. I figured something was wrong inside the transmission. Then it started pumping the water out, and it started agitation at the same time. I'm not sure if it's supposed to drain the water and agitate at the same time? I never paid that much attention the details of the cycle before. I'm also confused as to why agitation started working, I figured somehow something, maybe the piece of metal called the "shift actuator" in the manual, moved and the transmission started agitating correctly. I understand the motor has to spin counterclockwise for it to be in agitation mode.

Spin cycle worked correctly, although again for some reason it appeared to still be agitating as the spin cycle gained speed. (i.e., as the spin cycle started, it still appeared to be agitating, and as it gained speed agitation appeared to slow down and eventually stop after the tub was spinning at full speed.) Again, I'm not sure if this is how it's supposed to be?

So after the 1st spin cycle the tub filled with water again, and agitation and spin cycles repeated. This time it agitated, I didn't pay close attention to see if agitation/drain and agitation/spin occurred simultaneously again.

So I decided to run the washer again, to see if things got sorted out (i.e., transmission was going to work again), and this time, nothing happened except the motor and pump worked. I figured the transmission seized and I broke the coupler, and that's exactly what happened. I took the transmission apart again, and I found the plastic Agitator Follower broken. Well, I think it's the follower. I forget which plastic piece is the agitator cam and which is the agitator follower. There's a picture in this ******** ad:
http://www.********.com.au/itm/...t-WA285206-/310431822051
It's the one on the right. It was smashed to pieces. The piece on the left (the one with the tab) is ok.

Here's a link to a diagram: LSQ7533JQ1 | Automatic Appliance Parts : Appliance Model Lookup
The piece smashed to bits is #14.

So my question - what went wrong? I never really found what caused the motor to seize up originally. Is something worn out of spec in the transmission? Every part looked ok. The only thing that looks like it has wear is the metal shift actuator (the metal plate of #26 in that diagram). On just one of the 2 tabs that are bent down, there's some wear in the metal. Could this wear be causing the transmission to bind up and break that plastic cam piece? Could there also be something wrong in my timer control mechanism if it's not supposed to be agitating and pumping water at the same time? Could something halfway binding up cause the transmission to spin the drum and still have some agitation going on at the same time? I'm not sure how it can spin and agitate at the same time as I know the motor must be spinning clockwise for the spin cycle.

Anyway, I'm hoping to not just replace the broken parts and have things bind up and ruin them again. Any help you or anyone can provide will be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Tom

Thanks so much for responding in such great technical detail - this is exactly the answer I need! Sorry for the confusion about the model number. The forum software requires a model number and I did not have access to the washer when I originally wrote the question so I was forced to just look up a model number for a Series 80 washer on the internet. But my understanding is that the Whirlpool direct drive transmissions haven't changed. My actual model number is 110-82881100 and we bought it used back around 1990. Or maybe it was 1992 as I was still in a apartment in '90.

Thanks for explaining how the guts of the transmission actually work! I've searched the web for this info and failed to find anything and no one has answered my post on the other site so you're probably one of the few that truly understand it!

Regarding the YouTube video, thanks for pointing out the error in the agitator shaft part. I looked closely at the 1st part and I see how the cam and cam follower originally are oriented, and then when he skips to rebuilding the agitator shaft the 2 are reversed! I think this is why I smashed the cam to bits after my rebuild, as I followed the video exactly and assembled it in the wrong order! I did not pay close enough attention to it when I disassembled as the YouTube video was very clear, but unfortunately wrong.

I clearly see now that the agitator shaft does not have the cam and cam follower installed the same was as the one he pulled out of the transmission as you pointed out - does this mean that some models have these 2 parts reversed, or did he somehow have them reversed before shooting the video?

I'm going to go on the assumption that my original seized motor was due to lack of lubrication in the transmission as all the oil eventually leaked out. I think my shift actuator is ok as it's just showing some minor wear and scratches on one of the tabs. I'll put a new cam and cam follower in and run it with a drill and see how it goes. That's cheaper than a new tranny and I really see nothing else wrong with it.

Thanks again for the expert advice!
Tom

That's unfortunate that he reversed them as there's close to 100,000 views on that video! I wonder how many others have been led astray and smashed their cam to bits like I did. I'm surprised he didn't catch his mistake. I went to his web site and notified him so hopefully he corrects it. Just goes to show, you really can't believe everything you see on the internet!

Tom, what was your resolution to this? I'm having the same thing with my 70 series, except mine is the left tang that's not acuating, so I stay locked in agitate mode and never spin. I'm wondering if a new actuator is the fix?

Oops, you are correct, I misunderstood what was happening. It does into spin mode, but then will never re-engage the agitate gear. I will post a vid in my original thread to not hijack this one further. :o