Zanussi FJ1296 - not spinning and irratic programs

[Griffo]

Our machine has stopped spinning or the spin fires then immediately stops, then it cycles through the remaining programs, say fron D (fast spin) through to O (finish), without triggering any filling/draining etc.

I have looked through some other topics and saw mention of a possible loose magnet on the back of the motor. I found a circular, castleated washer on the floor under the machine. This was a perfect fit in front of the magnet, which was loose and could be withdrawn, so I pushed it in, hoping this would be the cure - wrong!

Any ideas please?

 

[Griffo]

I seem to have cured it! I looked again at the magnet, withdrawing it and saw a circular piece of metal mounted on a plastic thread, which was unscrewed quite a way. I screwed this back in as firmly as possible, replaced the magnet housing and pushed the castle washer in firmly - it works!

All I need to do now is try to replace the awful bolts that hold the drum housing to the front weight unit (sorry I don't know the right terminology) to stop the dreadful noise when spinning. These bolts become loose and strip their threads for a pastime - not a good bit of design!

 

[fido]

The bit with the plastic thread that screws into the shaft is the magnet, the bigger bit with 2 wires coming out is the tacho coil. It is very rare for the front concrete ring to come loose on these machines so you are just unlucky if yours does that.

 

[Griffo]

Fido,

thanks for the reply. Actually, it's not the block that's come loose on the front, it's the long bolts that locate the outer plastic casing onto the block. These bolts keep working loose and destroying the threads, this allows the outer casing to bang against the block when spinning. Sounds for all the world like a knackered bearing!

Going back to the magnet and tacho (thanks for identifying them for me). After my 'fix' yesterday, plus tightening the bolts, the machine behaved great and was quiet again. I congratulated myself too soon. It stopped spinning again today after doing one cycle fine! This evening, I took the tacho off again to check if the magnet had unscrewed again - it hadn't. So I gave the inside of the tacho a wipe and the outside of the magnet, reassembled and it did a slow spin fine!!

What's going on - any ideas please?

 

[Griffo]

Just did a fast spin as well - but noticed a noise which I think is coming from the motor, sounds like electrical 'crackling/sparking'??

 

[fido]

Check the motor brushes but if they are OK you might have shorted turns in the motor. If this is the case you will need a new motor.

 

[kinmel]

Hi

I have this appliance too.

I have had the same problem and have tried a number of mechanical repairs to cure it.

However I have found it happens when the wash load is out of balance. Each spin cycle starts at low speed and builds up as the clothes move out to the sides of the drum. If the load does not balance it slows down again to drop the clothes off the edge and re-tries a faster spin.
If it unable to reach a balanced state after a number of tries, it abandons the cycle.

Re-distributing the wash load in the drum cures the problem for me.