Our Kenmore Heavy Duty 70 washer (model #11082072110) has started clicking and chattering during the agitation phase. I popped open the back and can see two solenoids that control the action of the motor - one of these needs to be pulled up for the agitator to engage, and it's stuttering up and down. It needs to be up to work, and for most of each rotation it is, since every time it reaches the "back" of a rotation it lifts. This works for the wash agitation, but after it lowers for the spin it won't re-engage for the rinse agitation.
I've hooked a meter up to the connections and can see this is an actual voltage issue from the timer controller, not the solenoid. When there's voltage, it lifts, but it's not getting steady voltage.
It seems like this is pointing to the timer unit? My only real concern in just going for that part is how regularly the skip occurs - at the exact same spot on each rotation. Is there some separate timing unit that might be controlling this? It doesn't make sense to me that the solenoid would need to engage at a certain part of the rotation, it just needs to be up or down and it should stay there for the entire phase.
Anyone have any tips on this? The timer is $100, so I'm hesitant to go for this without some advice or confirmation about timing and my understanding of the solenoids / cams.
There's a diagram here:
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/getSubComp.pd?modelNumber=11082072110&productCategoryId=0153200&brandId=0582&modelName=AUTOMATIC-WASHER&diagramPageId=00002&componentDescription=DRIVE%20PARTS&documentId=00004570&backToLink=Return%20to%20Sub%20Components%20list
The solenoid unit is #9, called "magnet" in the diagram.
Thanks!!
Nate
I think the magnet you are referring to is the "wigwag" It's a control magnet used to raise or lower the plungers, shifing the cam bars to either the agitate or spin position. One coil shifts the cam bar that engages and disengages the spin cycle, and the other coil shifts the transmission into and out of agtation and also shifts the lever on the pump for drain or no drain. If the wigwag is not functioning properly, it could be causing your problem. Anyway, hope this helped and best wishes.
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Unfortunately I think the wigwag is working correctly - I swapped the leads and verified the solenoid on the agitator is working when it has voltage, it's just not getting any. Which makes me pretty sure it's the timer controller. I just started trying to remove the old unit and am stuck - I can't get the larger front knob off, and it seems like the rail with the controllers is glued in? How can I remove and replace the timer unit? Thanks!!
Fixed! After much testing and many dead ends, I confirmed the solenoid was good and the voltage coming out of the timer was correct for the agitate phase. This info gave me the confidence to check the wiring inch by inch, and sure enough I found a crack down near where it moves by the wigwag. Cut it, stripped it, soldered and wrapped it, and bam -- fixed!
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