GE washer clunks when a spin cycle engages. Suggestions?

[RocketGremlin]

Hello fellow brainiacs and wrench turners. I have this GE top loader WBSE2090A2WW that starts clunking when a spin cycle engages. The apartment lights flicker when it is making the noise, which makes me think solenoid/clutch? I have a small 45 sec video of it on youtube. Any suggestions? I am looking for possible solutions before I just tear into it, leaving us without a washer while I wait for parts. Washer works on other cycles so except for the noise, we still use it....daily. I'm sure It's going to just worsen though. Thanks for any input. Brian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOZON1P0sn0

[thefixer]

Faulty motor. This motor is no longer available and has been replaced with a new type of motor that also requires installation of a capacitor, relay and pigtail wiring harness that gets spliced into the existing harness. Comes as a kit. Very expensive.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/ge-motor-and-clutch-wh49x10035-ap3160670.html (http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=153&N=963750)

You could just wire the existing motor to only operate in high speed to eliminate the problem. Unplug washer. A few inches from the motor connector, cut the blue wire and white wire. Strip the two ends of the blue wire and the one end of the white wire that comes from the control panel. Twist these three wire strands together, apply a wire nut and tape it up good so the wire nut cannot vibrate loose. You will no longer have low speed which means if you use delicate cycle, it will run in high speed versus normal low. Parts of other cycles will also run in high versus their normal low speeds.

Eric

[RocketGremlin]

Thanks Eric. I pulled the panel off today. I see just what you mean. So basically when the motor receives a signal to spin, it will only spin fast. Sounds good to me. Thanks for the help. I'll post a follow up when I get a chance to do it...probably Tues or Wed. Brian

[RocketGremlin]

So I did it. It seems that when it engages the "low speed" (where the clunking would start before), the motor don't turn and starts smoking. If I advance the washer's timer, It will go into high speed afterwards. Is the wiring correct? Can I just simply disconnect the "low speed" signal wire? (white??) I'm open to ideas.

[thefixer]

Explain exactly what you did. You were supposed to cut the blue wire and the white wire, then connect the two blue ends and the one white end from the control panel, not the end from the motor.

Eric

[RocketGremlin]

Correct. Spliced the 3 and I taped off and isolated the remaining white wire coming from the motor . . to be safe. Brought my DVOM home from work in case I need to check anything. I put it back to it's abnormal clunking mode for now.

[thefixer]

Don't know what to tell you without getting my hands on the machine myself. Seen this symptom many times. Power to motor for low speed is via the white wire and for high speed, via the blue wire. Power for high speed goes directly to high speed winding, does not go through motor switch contacts. When low speed is called for, power is via white wire to motor switch. Initially, this switch connects to the high speed winding to start the motor. Once motor starts, switch changes position and connects power to low speed winding. When those contacts are faulty, connection is not made, motor cuts off, slows down, switch reconnects to high speed winding and motor starts again. Process repeats, thus the clunking (motor starting and stopping). Wiring white wire into blue wire bypasses the motor switch and should cause high speed operation only. Has always worked for me.

Eric