GE top load washer noise

[Thingamajigger]

Need advice on a GE washer that's making a loud clicking sound.
It appears there's too much play between the belt pulley and the transmission hub or coupling.
Can the trans. coupling be bought and replaces separately or is it part of the entire trans. assembly?
I didn't see a separate part like it in the diagram.
If not, would it do any good to replace just the pulley?

Model WBSR3140G2WW





  

[Repair-man]

The pulley is directly attached to the mode shifter (pseudo-transmission)

It's like any other gamble...always replace the cheaper part first if you aren't sure. Go for a pulley...they have been known to malfunction as well as any other part.

[ryan111]

If it is making the clicking noise during wash take the front off and observe it while it is agitating. If the spin basket is spinning back and fourth during agitation the sifter coil is bad. When the sifter coil is bad and the spin basket is turning during wash the bottom shipping brace will hit one another this will make a loud click each time the motor changes directions during wash. If this is the problem you will see what I am talking about. Maybe this page will help more


http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/washer-repair.html

If this is the problem you will have to replace the sifter also called a shaft and tube. Should you need to do so this page will help

http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/GE-washer-disassembly.html

If the noise is during spin ignore this answer.

[Washaman]

I have seen nothing but bad news from these newer style GE washers. I have had a more than 6 lately where the motor was bad, showing motor clutch error. The price on the new ones were outrageous! Also two most recently with a noisy Shaft & mode shifter assembly. Also, sadly, I bought one of the 2 years ago brand new for $400, and I am thinking hard about selling it before it goes too. All the other ones I have seen were also 2 years old. There needs to be a recall on these.

[JWWebster]

Hydro Slosher Service Manual (printable version)

[Washaman]

Behold the blinking green light of death! Thanks for the link JW!

[Washaman]

Also, Could be just a $15 belt wearing out, seen that too. I would run it till it quits spinning, then remove the front cover and look at the blinking light on the motor. The motor fault codes are on the tech sheet behind the control panel. If you have the motor clutch code, it will be over $200 for the part (motor)

Behold the blinking green light of death! Thanks for the link JW!

. Just trying to save you some cash ahead of time. Most people said before the motor went out/ quit spinning, the spin cycle got louder and louder, then quit. You can spend the $114 for the shaft assembly now, then buy the $200 later for the motor, but in my opinion a little tickin wont bother me.

[ryan111]

I have seen a lot of these codes and 90% of the time if you clear the code it will not come back. However if it does the motor is most likely bad. 

http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/GE-washer-repair.html

[JWWebster]

If that light is not on you replace a line fuse in the red and white wire going to the motor.
The part you need is wh49X10041'
To reset the inverter: Push the timer knob in so the washer is idle. Unplug the machine for one minute. Plug back in and raise and lower the lid six times within 12 seconds.

After resetting the inverter board, put the machine in a spin cycle and see if it runs. If not, check for a green blinking light on the inverter board.

The motor blinks on and off all the time It blinks faster when running. That is normalment mon ami.
If it ain't acting right it will display flashes:

1 flash bad motor
2 flashes slipping belt
3 flashes corrupted software bad motor
4 flashes failed mode shift circuit
5 flashes little green men bad motor 
6 flashes locked motor check for objects between tub
7 flashes bad lidswitch.
8 flashes motor overheated too much soap
9 flashes brake resister is toast bad motor.

[Washaman]

Just to test this theory I pulled one out of the barn that had a bad motor error code and tried to reset it. It would NOT reset. Bad motor.

[JWWebster]

You may have to repete the process many times to reset the inverter. Were you getting flashes?

[Washaman]

Same flashes. I think it was 5 or 6, which means replace motor. I repeated the process 3 or 4 times, still same code.

[ryan111]

I am going to give some estimated stats on what I have experienced over the past 3-4 years. Note that this is only out of warranty stats because if it is in warranty I replace the motor without hesitation. Also this may not reflect what other tech may be seeing.

I have seen about 50-60 motor related problems with these washers.

About a dozen or so fuses blown. Replacing the fuse put them back to work with no more problems. Note that the fuse is not going to be on the models being made now.

I have had to replace 3 motors because the fault wouldn’t clear or it came back.

I had one fuse that blew as soon as I put it on and I believe the motor was bad but the customer opted out of the repair. 

The rest I have cleared the code without any more problems.

So I repaired all but 4 without replacing the motor. But it is bad I have had to go out on so many. 

[JWWebster]

Ryan in your opinion what are the people doing to cause these motor problems? Suds issues? Overloads? Is the washer just a POS? Or D. All of the above?

[ryan111]

I know on the early models there was a problem that when the customer opened the lid when the sifter coil was in the middle of sifting from wash to spin it would hang in sifting mode. This would cause the coil to have 135 VDC the whole time the lid was opened. During normal operation the 135VDC is only on the coils for the first 18 seconds when the washer is changing from wash to spin mode.

Naturally this would cause the sifter to fail. Then the motor will put the sifter code and the washer will not wash properly. 

The new motors will not do this. This is not something that the customer done wrong because it is supposed to be ok to open the lid at anytime.

As for the codes…

Over the years I have grown to hate self-diagnostics on appliances, which is what the codes are more or less. To often when I go on a service call for any appliance that is giving a self-diagnostics code the board that is doing the diagnostics is what the problem is to start with. (If this makes any sense).

I don’t think the customer is doing anything wrong.

Overall I like the design of this machine but they got some kinks they need to work out. Should have been worked out before they went on the market.

For anyone else that may read this thread…

Don’t just clear the code. See what the code stands for and check whatever the code says is bad. If it doesn’t seem to be bad clear the code. If it seems to be bad replace it then clear the code.

For example if it is the lid switch code check the lid switch and if the lid switch is ok clear the code. If the code comes back the motor is bad. 

Here are a few repair pages http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/clothes-washer-repair.html#HydroWave

As much as we talked about this washer on this thread we pretty much covered it all but those pages may help more.