Whirlpool Washer AWG 995 - Fills Too Much

[whirlwashman]

Hi folks,

I have a problem with a Whirlpool Washer/Dryer Model AWG 995. I've read the FAQ's here and as many posts as I can but I cant see a similar problem.

On a normal wash cycle, such as Programme 5, it starts filling the drum, but it keeps filling and filling. It doesnt seem to want to stop and doesnt seem to get to the stage of agitation properly. On manually moving the Programmer dial forward, it will reach the emptying phase of the wash cycle and the drum empties. It will spin it out when at a sin-only programme, such as B or D. Does anyone have any ideas?

It sounds like some sensor is not being set when the drum is sufficiently full. Also, at times it sounds like when it would normally begi to agitate that there is a click. From memory, the normal wsh cycle usually fills the drum partially, starts some agitation, and then fills some more, etc.

I discovered the problem when the machine was overfull and the warter was spurting out from the bottom of the door under pressure, as the drum was 100% (+ ??) full.

I have cleaned out the pump part but the fault is still there.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[breezer]

pressure chamber blocked, pressure switch dodgy (unlikely) leak in pressure chamber to pressure switch pipe (or even come off)

 

[whirlwashman]

pressure chamber blocked
pressure switch dodgy (unlikely)
leak in pressure chamber to pressure switch pipe (or even come off)

Hi, thanks for those tips Breezer. After some searching around on the web based on your tip, this area indeed sounds like a likely/possible cause. I plan to get a closer look at it later today and I'll come back with the prognosis.

Whirlwashman

 

[whirlwashman]

Okay, I took off the top, and couldnt really see it. I then removed the back of the machine. I think I have located it. When looking at it from the rear, it is to the left hand side, a narrow soft rubber tube, about 10mm thick, which starts at the base of the tub and ends at a switch-like device at the top.

Its attached at both ends with metal clips. It doesnt seem to be loose or anything. I perhaps could try the wash and see/feel if the rubber pipe/tubing starts to get filled with some water.

Another step I will take will be to take-off the tube and see if there is an air-leak in it.

If anyone is reading this and thinks I'm heading in the wrong direction, let me know.

 

[whirlwashman]

Update: I attempted to remove the metal clips from each end to take off the tube amd test it for leaks, but the rubber seems to be very stuck. Not surprising I expect given that the machine is 14 years old.

I inspected the bottom metal clip. Just after that point the 10mm rubber tube connects to a wider rubber connector. This seems to be a connection which as well as serving the pressure chamber (for water level checking) also feeds into the pump. I was thinking that if this part of the process had a leak, it would also have a water leak, so the problem cant be there.

Anyway, after that bit of rummaging around, I did another rinse-spin cycle. This time however, it sounded slightly different during the process of filling up. It started agitating, then more filling up, more agitation, etc. ie: it was working. So the cycle completed. Then I did it again and its back to the fault, ie: over-filling.

Therefore, my thinking is that there is something small stuck at the bottom of the pipe. My rummaging helped remove it perhaps but with perhaps the pumping process, it has gone back up the section of pipe that goes to the pressure chamber. Does that make sense to an expert?

I will now attempt to take off the bottom metal connector, and see if I can find something in the pipe. Access isnt easy as on this model you cant remove a side panel.

apologies for dragging out the description ....

 

[whirlwashman]

Update:

I got the rubber tube off both ends, tested it for being air-tight and it is airtight. It holds a vacuum and also passed a test under water.

The tube at the lower end attaches to a white nozzle which is an insert into a larger rubber pipe, the one that also connects to the pump. I cleaned this nozzle with a paper-clip size wire and a nail and it didnt seem blocked. I'll now try something longer.

Does anyone know if this white nozzle part comes out? I tried with a low level of force but it didnt budge. It may be integrated with the part.

My next step is to put it back together again, and wash. I expect it to wrok okay the first time on a rinse-spin cycle. It may then block on the 2nd cycle.

Any suggestions?

By the way, does anyone have a parts diagram for the model AWG 995 or similar?

Thanks,

Whirlwashman.

 

[Sleepyhead]

Certainly sounds like a blockage in the pressure chamber. Slight possibility of a faulty pressure switch. Have come across this previously in older machines.

 

[whirlwashman]

Thanks for that Sleepyhead.

Okay, here is an update, on lack of progress!

I went to put in something longer, into the white nozzle that is. Before I did that, I used the straightened paper clip again. However, I wasnt concentrating fully as it slipped from my grasp and it went into the nozzle and into the pipe! Not good at all! I shouldnt have used a fully straightened piece.

I got a longer piece of wire, and I could feel the two metal wires rubbing againt each other, one in the large tube and one held by my hand. Not good, but there didnt seem to be any way of getting it out.

So, I put the tube back on, and I did a rinse-wash cycle and it worked fine. So far so good, I expected the first to work, and I was hoping that the "consumed" straightened paper-clip would just stay in the pipe somewhere and not affect the working of the machine.

I did a 2nd rinse-spin cycle and it worked fine too. Things were looking okay, or so I thought.

Then on what I thought would be my 3rd and final rinse-wash cycle, I noticed some water on the floor.
Oh Oh, and Oh No!

There is now a leak, a new problem. On another rinse-wash cycle test with a sheet of paper under it, it seems to be coming from the 'likely area', ie: the joint pipes where the pressure chamber and the pipe towards the pump join together and where the wire may now be.

Perhaps the paper-clip wire that is still in it has punctured part of hte tubing system somewhere.

I'm now thinking that I will have to call in a service engineer, as working on this is not easy. It would be better to get under the machine completely but I cant do that, or I might place the machine on its front and try to work on it that way.

Am I digging myself into a hole?

I still cant be assured that the original problem has gone away either, and I cant trust the machine to work when filling as it could overfill again.

Any help/advice appreciated, Thanks.

 

[whirlwashman]

Hi again,

Okay, no progress since, although I havent tried anything. My next course of action is to bring in a service engineer. I will wait to do that depending on your thoughts.

It is of course the rush-rush Xmas season, not the ideal time for a household appliance to stop working. As I will be away for the holiday period, I'll be back around the 8th of Jan, the machine will not be needed until then. I will be back here on this helpful forum then, so please feel free to add any advice in the interim.

Have a Merry Xmas ...

 

[whirlwashman]

Okay, I think its fixed. Just to recap, I called in a Service Engineer. He looked at it today. I told him the saga over the phone so he knew what to expect.

He took off the bottom connector, the one that goes from the bottom of the machine to the pump and also to the air chamber pipe. Its shaped like a Y or V. The leak was not due to any cut in it. The straightened paper clip washed out. The gunge in the pipe was cleaned just with water from the tap. The the connector was reconnected and glued and left tro dry for several hours.

It has now passed several tests so far so my problem hopefully is gone. The pressure chamber swith is working and there is no leak.

The cause was a build-up of gunge (its a 14 year old machine) at the nozzle that goes to the air chamber. This was blocked. Whilst I was on the right track and cleaning it with the paper clip helped it to work temporarily, the problem would likely have returned at some point as the whole pipe needs to come off to get rid of the gunge. Note that this gunge builds up no matter what is done with the filter as it is inherent as suspended tiny particles in the water itself.

It seems that with my efforts in investigating the problem that I dislodged the connecting pipe slightly and that was the source of the leak, albeit a small one. The glue has made a new seal.

Parts Needed: none
Labour: 10 euro
Call-Out: 50 euro
Total cost: 60 euro
Total time: 30 mins

I'll drop back in if the situation changes.

Thanks for your help, and I hope that my story is of some use to anyone that has a similar sitiuation with their beast.

Whiteashman