# GE Washing Machine - No Spin?



## BDPNA

Went to empty the washer tonight to find soapy and soaking wet clothes inside. Smelled a burning smell (like a belt almost, burning rubber). Attempted to run another spin cycle, checked and it looked like things were spinning, walked back 5 minutes later. Heard the motor humming but no spinning. Took out all the clothes and tried again. Now it ran the entire spin cycle without a hitch. It seemed to be a little shaky inside the the drum (the spin) not sure if that is normal or not. Washer was empty at the time.

The washer wasn't overloaded or unbalanced at the time - Any ideas of what I can check? I bought this washer in 1999 so something could just be going bad with it.

Your thoughts would be most welcome! Happy to post a model number or further info if it would help. I'd just hate to call the repairman out if this is a simple one I can do myself.

B.


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## jeff1

Hi,



> Happy to post a model number or further info if it would help.


Great!
http://www.applianceaid.com/model.html Some model# helps.



> Went to empty the washer tonight to find soapy and soaking wet clothes inside


Did it drain? If the washer cannot drain it cannot spin.



> Smelled a burning smell (like a belt almost, burning rubber).


Motor, belt, wire?

jeff.


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## BDPNA

Thanks so much for the speedy response!

To answer your questions...

The washer is a GE Profile WNSR3100WOWW. Circa 1999.

I believe it drained...The clothes were soaking but they weren't underwater. And when I ran it without clothes in it drained completely, at least, I don't see any water in the tub.

So your early guesses are motor belt or wire -- That's a broad spectrum.  Any logical starting points? Like I said, the washer did seem to operate normally once I removed all the clothes and ran an empty spin cycle. It just didn't want to spin with the clothes in there.

Thanks for any help!


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## jeff1

> Heard the motor humming but no spinning.


The motor hummmmmming only would be bad.
Motor overheated and not running and just the drain pump was making a hummmm noise, motor running but the belt was loose and not turning, something seizing up holding the motor back from running, etc...



> So your early guesses are motor belt or wire -- That's a broad spectrum. Any logical starting points?


All are in the same area....belt is below the motor and burnt/loose wires to the motor plug are common.



> WNSR3100WOWW


That will be WNSR3100W*0*WW

Access helps:
http://www.applianceaid.com/genew.html#new_access

jeff.


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## BDPNA

Wow, that's a really nice site there Jeff, thanks. Since the washer worked fine without a load in it I decided to try and run a small load it in today...Guess what? It ran all the way thru, into the spin cycle and to the end, without a hitch. Is it possible I just had something get tangled up in there in that last load that caused it to seize up like that?

I guess I'll know more next time I throw a big load of laundry in there, and will of course keep an eye on it. If it does it again, looks like I'll be taking the whole thing apart and then may come back to you with another question or two once I get into the guts of the thing. 

B


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## jeff1

> I guess I'll know more next time I throw a big load of laundry in there, and will of course keep an eye on it.


With no kids or pets around you can baby sit a load or two with the front panal off so if something happens you will have a birds eye view.

jeff.


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## BDPNA

Not a bad idea. Oddly enough it's been fine since the issue, so maybe a fluke, maybe not. If it happens again, I'm going to take that advice for sure.

Thanks SO much for taking the time to reply!


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## raulbog

*Me too*

My Hotpoint washer (model VBXR1060T8AB) has the same problem.

On most loads everything works fine up until the spin cycle. Instead of spinning the motor just humms and something emits a nasty burning rubber smell. As with BPNA's washer, mine drains just fine before the attempted spin.

If I lift the lid while it is in spin cycle (but not spinning) and manually depress the lid switch with a pen the basket lurches but does not spin.

Interestly, sometimes it spins just fine. It might go through several loads in a row without a problem (although the spin is quite noisy), but then have several more loads without the spin leaving soaking wet clothes and a stinky utility room.

Any thoughts on the cause and if it's a DIY project to fix?


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## brentbordelon

Exact same problem with my GE Washer. I just finished taking it apart, and the belt is fine - it looks brand new, in fact. No dust or sign of any wear inside.

It does spin, but at the very end something changes (I'm not sure what it's *supposed* to do at this point), and it sounds like the pump is running. All the water is drained out, but nothing's spinning. Then the burning smell happens.

This is with an empty washer.

So, it's not the belt. It's as though everything works fine except that one last step.


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## jgutier26

I have the exact same problem dont know what to do to fix



brentbordelon said:


> Exact same problem with my GE Washer. I just finished taking it apart, and the belt is fine - it looks brand new, in fact. No dust or sign of any wear inside.
> 
> It does spin, but at the very end something changes (I'm not sure what it's *supposed* to do at this point), and it sounds like the pump is running. All the water is drained out, but nothing's spinning. Then the burning smell happens.
> 
> This is with an empty washer.
> 
> So, it's not the belt. It's as though everything works fine except that one last step.


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## brentbordelon

jgutier26 said:


> I have the exact same problem dont know what to do to fix


Everything I found pointed to the motor, especially since mine was clicking a lot during the regular wash cycle, then quiet on spin. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a motor cheap enough to justify fixing as opposed to buying a new washer.


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## gacleader

*Same problem, horrible burning smell, very soapy*

My washer is less than 2 months old, and I have had the same problem for over a month. Yesterday, the tech changed the timer, the motor, and one other thing (I'm not sure what)

Today, I had the same problem. No help from GE, they will only send out a tech to change parts. After multiple repair attempts, they will replace with another unit of the same model.

Gee thanks.

I think we can change parts all day long here, and the problem will persist.


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## FixitDragon

I realize, the thread started a long time ago, but since I have experienced and repaird this problem, maybe my experience can help future questions.

The spin with light load, no spin with heavy, and clicking sounds only point to one thing, the spin clutch. There should be no "easter egging" required by a good service man. You can verify a worn clutch if a empty or very light load will spin and a heavy load won't. Open the lid and press the button so you can watch. Can you get the tub moving by hand?

My mom had an old Kenmore washer that would do this. Light or empty loads would spin though it did not seem to get to full speed, and heavy loads would not spin. If I had the lid up and manually depressed the button, I could by hand start it spinning but it would slowly come to a stop. We had no money for a new washer, or even a expensive repair. Since I was a aspiring mechanical engineer I took it apart.

What I found is the washer has a transmission of sorts under the base of the tub, and inside there is an expanding ring clutch. When the spin cycle engages, motor side is at full speed, and the expanding ring clutch expands and 6 pads around the perimiter engage a slightly larger ring mounted to the base of tub and bring it up to speed. The pads had worn out.

New clutch was under $20. The anoying thing was the new clutch had 3 pads and the original had 6 but I could not locate one, so when spin engaged, the clutch would engage slightly caddywhompus and the washer would "click" until it spun up. It worked this way for 10 more years. 

So the part was cheap, but the repair was labor intensive, an experienced repair person should be faster than I was. If you are handy, it can be DIY


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