How to Fix a Drive Motor for a Washer That Has Spinning Issues

The cause of your washer not spinning may be a problem with the drive motor. The drive motor provides power to the washer to allow it to spin. If it is faulty, you may notice that the motor hums or buzzes instead of spinning. In this case, you will need to remove the belt or drive coupling and if the motor still just hums or buzzes, this is a sign that your washer needs a new drive motor. If the motor doesn’t make any sound at all, it may not be getting any power to it. This is a job that involves testing for live voltage using a multimeter.

What is a Drive Motor?

The drive motor is what powers the transmission that causes the basket to spin. All top-load washers use a motor to drive the transmission to spin. Many washing machine brands use a reversing motor, which means that the motor rotates in one direction for agitating and in the opposite direction for spinning and draining. The motor may operate correctly in the spin direction but not in the agitation direction, or vice versa. Some machines use a rotor and stator type of motor that provides rotation in both directions and at variable speeds.

Where is the Drive Motor Located?

The drive motor is found at the bottom of the machine, depending on your model either at the front or at the back of the cabinet. For front-load washers, the motor will be mounted to the tub, either on the underside or at the back of the washer tub.

FIX TIP

Remember that before handling any electronic appliances to disconnect the power source from your appliance before beginning to avoid electrocution.

How to Access, Remove, and Inspect a Drive Motor

1. You may need to remove the front or back panel or the whole cabinet and lay the washer on its back to access the drive motor. On some machines that use a rotor and stator type motor, it will likely be attached directly to the shaft that turns the inner basket.
2. Remove the motor cover, belts, and pulley.
3. Then remove the motor from the base by removing the screws holding it in place.

How to Test a Drive Motor

1. Remove the cabinet of your washer in order to locate and remove the drive motor. You will need to disconnect the wires attached to the motor in order to remove it from the appliance. Do this by pulling on the metal connectors, not on the wires.
2. Set your multimeter to the Rx1 setting. Test for continuity by placing the probes onto the terminals of the motor. You should receive a reading of zero or nearly zero.
3. To test the ground connection, leave one probe on the terminal and place the other on the metal housing of the drive motor. You should not receive any reading from this test.
4. If your readings differ from those described above, you'll need a replacement drive motor.

How to Install a New Washer Drive Motor

1. Remove the motor base and the ground wire from the old motor, so they can be used with the new one.
2. Reinstall the motor mount base and reinstall the nuts to hold it in place.
3. Now you can reinstall the motor cover, belts, and pulley.
4. Reinstall the front or back panel and readjust the orientation of the washer. Your repair is now complete!

Next: Troubleshooting the Rotor Positioning Sensor

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