I have had this washer now for roughly 11-12 years and have already replaced the water inlet valve once. I am getting issues now where I fill it up and turn it to normal express cycle and start it. It will fill the drum with cold water (slowly) and then just sit. When I come back in, its still sitting where it was when I started it so the knob itself never moved. I have to push the button in, set it to about the middle point of that phase of the cycle, and restart it to get it to start spinning. Only then will it complete. I also noticed if I do towels on hot, the water comes through much faster than if cold. I figure I have to replace the water inlet valve again but before doing that, I want to make sure that there isnt another problem that is causing the issue. Any other thoughts or just replace the water inlet valve?

I did remove the cold hose to see if it was blocked and when I turned the water on, it blasted out of there. I took the screen from inside and it was clean. The thing that made me wonder about the timer and filling up is that the timer doesnt move during the first cycle. But once I move it to the middle of that cycle and it starts spinning, then it seems to continue through the rinse and spin and finish.

Yes. I think it looks like a timer. Happened to me once too.