I came to this site looking for something for my car cd player, but I had to answer this question, because I just finished fixing my mid to late '80s kenmore washer last night (kenmore and whirlpool are the same thing btw).
I had to answer becasue it sounds like my washer was doing the EXACT same thing. i bought a repair manual fromEB publishing at www.appliancerepair.net and it was very good for walking me through many steps of testing componants, but ultimately I had to go a couple of steps beyond it.
before i go any further, be warned that if your problem is what mine was, it is not easy to determine for certain, and it is not both cheap and easy to fix - it's one or the other (i.e. replacing the timer=easy but not cheap - about $125 for my machine, or taking the timer completly apart and cleaning off all of the burned/corroded contacts (which i did) = cheap (free), but NOT easy!!!)
Also be warned that IF your problem is electrical, the best way to diagnose the problem is through continuity testing with a multimeter - that means using a device available for about $16 at Radio Shack to make sure that each part of a circuit is actually carrying electricity. To do this you will need to spend a little time learning how to read an electrical schematic diagram and figuring out which componants to test. I don't mean to scare you off, but just to understand that this is no easy diagnosis unless you have a digital machine with error codes.
But before you get to the electrical testing, there are a few things worth checking first.
1. when you pull the knob, does the motor sound like it is running, but neither the agitator or the basket moves? If so, there is a plastic/rubber coupling between the motor and transmission that has sheared off to prevent damage to the motor. (I doubt this is the case for your machine, because the pump should still work to drain the water) fixing this is addressed in the above manual.
2. when you pull out the knob and the motor should be running, is there a loud buzzing followed by a click? If so, the motor may be stalled, and probably needs to be replaced or repaired - check with a parts house.
3. will it drain/spin when the water is manually drained? (this is what I found with my machine, and might be a key point of diagnosis)
To manually drain your washer, just use gravity - lower the end of the drain hose into a tub or bucket on the floor - you can always kink it and lift if above the water level of the tub if you have to empty your bucket before it's finished draining).
if it will spin (on the spin only setting - mine is on perm press), then the motor is PROBABLY fine and you probably have some certain switches or jumpers in the timer assembly that are not making connection (if it is a "mechanical" timer (knob turns in a circle, clicking as different cycles kick in).
If you want to get into testing the timer, and you don't know about multimeters and schematics and how to remove the timer and safety issues, etc., I suggest getting the manual I referenced above - you get immediate online access for 30 days and they send you a print copy in the meantime, and it goes into more detail on these subjects than i have time or energy for.
It will give you at least enough information to test it. The manual recommends testing the timer last and it recommends replacing it if it is bad. If it is bad, and you are not up to taking it all apart and putting it back together, you might find a parts/service place willing to do that for less than having a technician make a service call, and/or they might have a rebuilt one to sell you for less than a new one.
As far as specifics of testing the timer and getting it apart and fixed and back together, I won't go into any more detail, because 1. yours might be different than mine and, 2. if you can't figure it out going step by step on your own, you're probably not handy enough to successfully handle the different things you could encounter.
anyway, good luck, and hopefully this can save you some of the more extensive trial and error that i went through, and maybe still let you save the cost of a service call.
just be aware that if you don't test thoroughly, and just replace a part, like the timer, you *could* spend money on the wrong part, and probably can't take it back.
lots of luck - i know how frustrating it can be to be without a washer. oh, and don't be too hard on the kids, other than for doing what i presume you told them not to. but their interrupting the cycle may or may not have anything to do with the problem. (nothing like that caused my problem - i don't know what did).
Matthew, January 2006
