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I bought these Whirlpool washer/dryers from Home Depot in 2008, turn-knob style and they have been working flawlessly since then for the last 16 years. Have only done yearly house dryer vent cleanings.
Recently, when starting a new load in the washer, I PULL the knob to start the machine and the water takes almost 45-60 seconds to start flowing and the water sputters sometimes. Once it starts, the flow is regular/normal. It does this no matter the water temperature knob setting. The water pressure seems fine in the rest of the house. Once the water starts filling the machine, the rest of the cycle works flawlessly. When doing a 2nd load of laundry right after, the water starts to fill quickly like before.
Any ideas on why the water takes almost 60 seconds to start flowing when I pull the start knob? It’s a noticeable change, it used to start right away. Water, pressure, valve, some circuit board issue?
Trying to keep these machines going because the minimal use of electronics in these!
I remember finding a British tech there who specialized on keeping old Whirlpool machines going. When I looked I was trying to fix an old gas dryer and his technique worked. I bought a part on-line for $10 and was soon back in business.
Sounds like the inlet valve(s) maybe going…
Depending on your water quality, they can get contaminated/fouled and stop working (hopefully in the “off position”).
I would do the obvious easy stuff first. You make no mention of the hoses leading to the washer. Both are past due for replacement. First, locate the MAIN water shutoff in case you get into trouble. Then cut off the water at the pipes leading to the washer. While the water is turned off and the hoses removed, look for little inlet screen filters on the washer itself and remove and clean those. Before attaching the new replacement hoses, use a bucket and let the water run full force into the bucket for fifteen seconds through the new hoses. You might find debris. If you find parts of a rubber washer, you can guess what else needs repairs (and be thankful you know where the main shutoff is).
Why are you assuming that the water hoses are "past due for replacement"?
Just because of the age, or because they possibly cause OPs problem?
Simply put, the hoses going to washing machines commonly age poorly. The hot water hose in particular gets exposed to higher temperatures and the elasticity of the rubber or other material gets lost over time. In an extreme case, a hose will crack and leak water for hours before the leak is discovered. In the case of a hose that has a metal sheath, the waterproof material is thinner. The means it could slough off in tiny flakes and clog the inlet screen.
Hoses that are never touched may last well beyond the suggested 10 year lifespan. Once you start messing with them, as is going to have to be the case here to do any diagnostics, you can start an active crack in the hose material without noticing it. If you are lucky, it leaks immediately and you see it. If you aren't so lucky, it lies in wait until you go on vacation, playing the "Jaws" theme.
The metal fabric sheathed hoses can still leak. That strong metal fabric hopefully keeps a tiny leak from becoming a catastrophic gusher.
My vote is for failing water valves being the issue. Depending on when the hoses were last replaced, it might be a good idea to replace those too.
If you're talking about the valves at the wall, those won't cause a DELAY in the flow of water; they might cause a slow flow rate which isn't what OP's complaining about. I'd bet on the water inlet valve IN the washing machine, which is a solenoid valve, and which could certainly be slow to act due to mineral deposits in the mechanism, or a degraded seal that's shedding bits of rubber and jamming it.
If you're talking about the valves at the wall, those won't cause a DELAY in the flow of water; they might cause a slow flow rate which isn't what OP's complaining about. I'd bet on the water inlet valve IN the washing machine, which is a solenoid valve, and which could certainly be slow to act due to mineral deposits in the mechanism, or a degraded seal that's shedding bits of rubber and jamming it.
Agree. I was talking about the water valves inside the washing machine. I had a similar problem and replaced the valves and all was good. We are on well water so mineral deposits are a thing.
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