frigidaire frontloader (GLTR1670AS0) the other symptoms, i.e. motor won't run

[archibald tuttle]

so i appreciate the manual links on this site but through no fault of appliance junk, the frigidaire manual turns out to be junk on this problem -- well that might be a little harsh.  there's some there there, it's just not all there.

the first check is easy.  ohm the motor off the 6 pin connector (which is the larger of the two connectors even though the other is a 10 pin).  I'm at 2.9 on all windings and factory is 2.6 so I think I'm in the ballpark (either accuracies on my meter or slight degredation but basically right there).

next check for power through door switch, thumbs up. (one problem with all these tests is they give you pin numbers, but of course the connectors aren't numbered.  now the 6 pin connector is a single row so you got a 50 50 chance and given color codes it is pretty easy to see which end is ground, line and neutral (4,5,6) so then you know which is 1,2,3 but when you get to the 10 pin connector forget about having any idea which pin is which pin).

so now I'm down to testing the ten pin plug.  depending on the cycle chosen I'm getting 120 to up to 4 of the pins but I find no neutral on any of the pins.  the manual says to test with pin 5 as the common. as noted above there is no way to know which is pin 5.  after some study i can figure it out by tracing wires.  pin 5 comes from the neutral side of the timer, but you're only going to read neutral if -- as i read the diagram -- contact 8 on the timer is engaged.  which as far as i can tell is different from cam 8 but maybe i'm wrong.

and to top matters off , there is no reference to this contact in the timer cycle chart and there is no reference in that chart whatsoever to what keeps the timer motor running.

so I confess I'm looking for some help to take the next step.  I think I have both the timer and the motor controller from another machine so I can swap out, but I'm retentive enough to want to know what isn't making. anyone have any idea how the pins on the 10 pin connector are actually numbered and which cam is supposed to run the timer motor?

and I know the timer motor is running, if anything its running too well.  the machine fills and the timer runs like crazy. the entire cycle from wash to spin takes about 7 minutes. it empties and fills accordingly several times durning that brief cycle but i assume normally when the motor controller supplants the timer because a normal cycle is much longer than that.

any info, theories, etc. appreciated.

brian

[archibald tuttle]

ok, the schematic in the envelope under the machine has the pinouts that match the service manual as well as better wiring diagram with wire colors, so i was able to figure out which is pin 5

 the problem with testing to pin 5 is that the cam that makes the connection to neutral for the timer motor and for pin 5 goes on and off so frequently I found it virtually impossible to get the timer hung so I could test to neutral in the plug, but it was easy enough to just ground on prong of the tester to the body and then test for voltage on the specified leads.

so this lead me to the conclusion that speed controller was shot and , low and behold, plugged in one i had and it worked, took out the old one and could immediately seen burnt spot on the board that was on the concealed side of the mount against the wall of the appliance so i couldn't see it until I took it off.

but while under there noticed it has a broken shock.  second one of these I've seen that way.  Have the new shock because they come in pairs and only needed one the last time but the plastic force pins they put these in with are a pain in butt to get out easily, and if you wreck 'em, you can't buy another one.  wuwt?  i tried 1/2" plastic bolts but they seem just too small in diameter. 

so still wondering how i get in touch with someone at frigidaire.  just bugs me that they sell two shocks with 1 pin when you need 4.  and they are a pain to get out without bending or deforming modestly.

and if they had just made the shocks with a good fit for 1/2" it would easy to substitute.

anybody had any luck on this score.  I'm going to take the pins out of the shock.  The lower one isn't as hard to get to and with somebody in the front and somebody in the back of the machine I should be able to have one of us hold the keeper in while the other is pulling on the pin with vice grips, but the upper pin is hidden behind the concrete counterweight and the top of the bellows trap that leads to the pump so it is much harder to do well.

any hints welcome.

speaking of the drain bellows, this is yet another example of one supplied without a strainer in the bellows.  some come with, some don't.  i can't figure out why. if you want to keep coins out of the pump, i think the strainer is the way to go. 

[tgoods]

With a nutdriver, push on the pointy end of pin until it stops at the tab.  Push the tab in, it will stay in. Push it out the rest of the way.  Haven't broken one yet.