Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Estate washer just stopped!

My Estate ETW4400SQ0 just stopped on me. I came home and it smelled like a forest fire. I immedialely ran to the washer and the laundry room had this terrible electrical burning smell. I unplugged the unit and now it's just dead. When I try to start it, it makes a humming noise as if the motor is seized. Has anyone had this problem? How can I fix it?

lean washer back against wall and pop 2 clips off holding water pump onto the motor. leave hoses on pump but remove pump from motor and see if it will spin. if so then you have a sock in the water pump

lean washer back against wall and pop 2 clips off holding water pump onto the motor. leave hoses on pump but remove pump from motor and see if it will spin. if so then you have a sock in the water pump


Oh wow. I haven't taken anything apart. Do I need to start or can I do all that with everything intact. I have never taken a washing machine apart. Not hard is it?

dont be scared to work your magic on it

Hard part is lean it to wall, Pump is held on with 2 spring clips

dont be scared to work your magic on it

LOL. I think the MAGIC if fading. It seems like whatever I touch turns out to be a mess. I will try. My question was, do I need to take shell off to do this or not. Just lean it back and go to work?


I didn't tell you this information. The cycles stop with a TUB FULL OF WATER. Whats the best way to get it out? Any suggestions? Do I just get a bucket and start getting it out the old fashioned way?

take the drain hose out of the wall and put it in a bucket near the ground. water should siphon out. or you can use a shop vac on the drain hose

Just stick a length of hose in the tub and draw a suction into a bucket, let it siphon. Its a little harder to get the siphon started, but you can use a long garden hose to a low spot outside, driveway or street.

Or if you have an outside spigot that is much lower..fill the hose with water by letting it run into the washer tub, then turn it off and disconnect from the ouside...it will drain right out.

lean washer back against wall and pop 2 clips off holding water pump onto the motor. leave hoses on pump but remove pump from motor and see if it will spin. if so then you have a sock in the water pump

Not that hard. I leaned it back and popped the two clips. I pulled the pump off the motor turned the motor with my hands. I hope thats the motor. It had a shaft sticking out once I removed the pump. If it is a sock in the water pump, then what it my next step?

Leave the pump off the shaft and try it in the spin position, If the motor runs and basket turns than you will have to take off the pump. Take the 2 hoses off, ( there will be some water still there) Look in the pump you probably see something stuck in there. Usually you will have to replace pump. If you can get the object out you can reuse the pump.

Leave the pump off the shaft and try it in the spin position, If the motor runs and basket turns than you will have to take off the pump. Take the 2 hoses off, ( there will be some water still there) Look in the pump you probably see something stuck in there. Usually you will have to replace pump. If you can get the object out you can reuse the pump.


I plugged up the washer to see if the motor would run. NOTHING! That same humming sound. That humming sounds like money and I bet I have to replace something expensive. The pump was off the shaft and I did exactly what you told me. I bet I am looking at a new motor, aren't I?
Any more suggestions? I am going to get a drink

see if you can rotate the coupler(between the motor and gearcase) by hand. gearcase could be seized

Just a thought...don't know whether it applies or not..no appliance guru.

Magic..I know you said just humming..no nothing.....but is the motor actually turning? Or were you just watching the basket?

Reason I ask is that a motor running with no attachment to anything and no load..could possibly just sound like a hum.

We used to have about 30-40 washers at a barracks complex I ran...and there were couplers that we would purchase by the box. (Thats what happens when the Bosses buy residential machines for a commercial type application) I can't remember where they went in..but it seems like it was between motor and gearbox? There was really not much to trouble shoot...we'd check the machines...find one full of water, and my guys would drain it and replace the coupler.

Just a thought...I'm sure one of the Pro's will smack me down if its out in left field...lol

see if you can rotate the coupler(between the motor and gearcase) by hand. gearcase could be seized

Don't know what the gearcase is. Let me tell what I seee. I got the pump on the left side. I took it off, what seems to be, the motor. And the there is some other contraption that follows. Walk me through. Do I need to get a diagram from somewhere. I tried spinning the shaft from the motor and it is spinning. I plugged it up and leaned the washer back to see if it were spinning. NOTHING AGAIN.

What else to do?

Just a thought...don't know whether it applies or not..no appliance guru.

Magic..I know you said just humming..no nothing.....but is the motor actually turning? Or were you just watching the basket?

Reason I ask is that a motor running with no attachment to anything and no load..could possibly just sound like a hum.

We used to have about 30-40 washers at a barracks complex I ran...and there were couplers that we would purchase by the box. (Thats what happens when the Bosses buy residential machines for a commercial type application) I can't remember where they went in..but it seems like it was between motor and gearbox? There was really not much to trouble shoot...we'd check the machines...find one full of water, and my guys would drain it and replace the coupler.

Just a thought...I'm sure one of the Pro's will smack me down if its out in left field...lol

Sounds like a plan to me but tell me this...
Where is the gearbox and where in SAM HILL do I find a coupler? You're dealing with a newbie here.

Well, if the motor isn't spinning when power is applied..the coupler wouldn't be the issue...and I re-read and see you smelled electrical burning...sooo...

As I said, no expert....sometimes I'll break things beyond repair..just trying to figure out the problem..lol

Heres a parts drawing though...

Replacement parts for WHIRLPOOL ETW4400SQ0 | AppliancePartsPros.com (http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5137264)

make sure the 2 wires are plugged into the capacitor. you are going to need a voltmeter to figure out if its the motor, timer, or capacitor.

that doesn't sound very good. tell me. how much do you think it would cost to have a tech come out look at it. If its the motor, how much would it cost to replace. The washer was only 360.00.

Back again....
The fact you have a humming could be a positive sign. More testing..if you want to go that way..will determine that.

Some appliance parts houses MAY be able to test the motor..I'm not sure. Where I used to live could have been a fluke.

The capacitor will NORMALLY have visual indications of failure...at least in all the electronics and HVAC I've ever worked on..it did. Doesn't mean thats the only problem..I believe it can be caused by a bad motor.

Parts prices.....very rough! Motor.....$110-120 Cap...$15-20 Timer...$50.

These are all just quick loooks at a couple of sites...there may be cheaper..and none include taxes or shipping.

I'm going to let the experts respond to anything else...unless you need to know which way the plug goes in the wall...lol...j/k. I would prob be able to do more if I was there, but my remote visualization troubleshooting skills have gone waaaayyyy downhill.