Kenmore Laundry Washer only sometimes spins

[potatoboy]

My Washer will only sometimes spin.  During the first drain, all of the water will pump out, then the basket will release with it's normal click.  After that sometimes the basket will begin to spin, but sometimes it does not.  It makes noise as if the motor is still running, and some water will come out, but it seems as if it is only running the pump.

I checked to see that the basket is free and it is.  You can turn it by hand.  In fact, I was just able to "push start" it during a spin cycle.  While it should have been spinning, I gave the basket one small spin and it accelerated to a normal spin speed.

I have some mechanical inclination, so I assume this has something to do with the transmission or clutch, but I thought I would ask around before figuring out if this is something I can fix, something I should pay someone to fix, or if it was time to look for a new washer.

Model 11023912100

[potatoboy]

I should note that the washer agitates just fine.

[JWWebster]

This washer has a neutral drain kit in it's tranny. Old style washers like yours would spin and pump simultaneously. Newer models pump out the water first and then stop momentarily to release the spin pawl. That put a lot of strain on the motor so they installed a neutral drain kit in the tranny. The kit has a spin pawl mounted under the plastic main drive gear. When the washer goes into spin the spin pawl does not catch the boss on the inside of the drive gear. The water gets pumped out. The timer takes about 2 minutes to pump out the water but the timer may keep pumping for several minutes. If you live near the beach, sand can get into the pump and cause it to actually overheat.. The result will be a melted pump bearing, frozen pump, leaky pumps, all of the above. Only when the washer is momentarily stopped does that spin pawl get released. Then the next time power is applied the washer spins. If your clothes are soggy at the end of a wash then your drive coupling needs to be replaced.

[potatoboy]

Shouldn't be a sand issue.  I know when I first got the washer, It seemed to pump, then stop for 5 seconds, then begin spinning.  This is what it's doing most of the time, sometimes it's pumping, stopping for 5, then pumping more but not spinning.

The Drive coupling seems really easy to replace, so i suppose I can give that a shot first.  I was under the impression though that if it were bad I'd be getting no agitation or spinning ever, is that not the case?

[JWWebster]

That is not always the case. A coupling will sometimes work on the agitate side of the equation but slip on the spin cycle. Seen it. Many times.

[potatoboy]

Awesome.  Sounds like a possible quick fix.  Thanks a lot.  I'll try it and come back with the results.

[potatoboy]

Well, so far it seems to be spinning fine.

I'm going to have to keep an eye on it, since the coupler I removed didn't really look damaged at all.  Just the rubber was slightly looser than the new one.

Any other ideas if it keeps happening?

[ebgfixit]

Did replacing the coupler work. Curious, because I'm having the same problem. Thanks.