kenmore dd motor heating up

[Boman]

Have an older Kenmore direct drive washer 70 series. I noticed the motor gets very hot. I removed the motor and let it run with no load, and it still gets very hot, too hot to put your hand on it very long at all.
I tried another (used) motor with the same part number and got the same overheating on the machine or with no load beside the machine.

I called myself checking the tranny by attaching my drill to it and watching it agitate and spin. Does not seem to be a problem there.

I will pay closer attention tomorrow and see if the motor kicks in and out from the overheating, not sure I have seen it do that. It does seem like it takes it a little long to get up to speed in the spin cycle.

Will running these motors with no load cause them to overheat?
Will a bad capacitor cause a motor to overheat?
Will a bad centrifugal switch cause a motor to overheat?

I did put the drill on the motor itself, and the centrifugal switch sounded like it was kicking in mechanically.

When these motors get hot, they stay hot for a good little while. It almost seems like they get hotter before they cool off even when you turn them off.

I'm thinking part of the problem is two old worn out motors.
The machine seemed to do okay with the drill and coupler rig I have I use for that, but I do not know much at all about spin tubes, bearings, and such. About all I have to go by is noises if any.

[jeff1]

Will running these motors with no load cause them to overheat?

Not normally no.


Will a bad capacitor cause a motor to overheat?

Yes it can.


Will a bad centrifugal switch cause a motor to overheat?

Yes it can.
So can, something seizing/tightening up, timer contacts, speed switch ( usually on the consol ), loose/burnt wire, dust built up in the motor ends.

jeff.

[Boman]

I tend to think buildup at the ends of the motors may be the culprit here. I may have done more harm than good when I blew them out...or in ...or off with the air hose.
Really, there were both sorta gnarly looking. I bet over the years remnants of coupler rubber, dust, etc. may have done them in.

If the centrifugal switch is bad, does that mean the motor is running on the start windings only?
Does the capacitor come into play at any time other than startup?

With a digital meter, the cap showed high ohms at first then infinity. Normal, right? I will check it again to see if it is by some chance giving intermittent readings.

As far as I know, this machine does go all the way through the cycles. I just happened to notice the motor getting hot while checking it out.
Actually, I think I thought I might have smelled something hot while I had my head close to the motor listening for any strange sounds after I changed the coupler.

Btw, this old machine has the cleanest looking transmission I can remember seeing on a machine of its age. Thinking it may have been replaced at some point.
That may be a plus for me.

[jeff1]

If the centrifugal switch is bad, does that mean the motor is running on the start windings only?


Nope, but could be staying in start too long.


Does the capacitor come into play at any time other than startup

Start cap is for the motor starting up only.


With a digital meter, the cap showed high ohms at first then infinity. Normal, right? I will check it again to see if it is by some chance giving intermittent readings.

Use a needle meter!...
http://www.applianceaid.com/capacitor-testing.php

jeff.

[thefixer]

It is perfectly normal for these motors to be hot to the touch. The motor surface temperature is typically between 150? to 200?F. As long as the motor is drawing under 10 amps and isn't tripping the thermal overload, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Boman]

I tossed some towels and a blanket in it today and let it do it's thing. Did what it was supposed to do. Maybe I should try a big load.

I really had no idea these motors got this hot.

I was going to check the temp with my infra red toy, but did not want to look a battery for it.
I do miss using an analog meter sometimes.