Continiental L140 Washer Need Help Please

[krs_med]

I have a Continiental L140 washer that has me pulling my hair out. I am also a green horn with theses washers. The washer is a coin drop model. When you start the washer the mech. timer goes to the wash cycle and then nothing. The door never locks or the water valves never let water in. I cleaned the drain valve which was full of coins, braclets, screws, and a allen wrench. Also replaced the timer with a used but working one. What do I check next? I am not sure on theses washer what to check. Any help on trouble shooting this machine would be a great help to me. Also cleaned the incoming water screens. I just purchased this equipment and need to learn them so anything anyone has to offer would be a help.
Thanks Very Much!
Keith

[Gatorlenny]

Door actuator. Just replace it. For fun, bang on the door a couple of taps with a hammer right behind the lock. Close the door and lock it. I bet it will start right up. The actuator is probably just sticking or is done. Should take you about 15 minutes to change it. Just make sure to turn the power off before you change the part out. The actuator and diaphrams are the biggest problems with continentals, but are relatively easy to diagnose and repair.

[krs_med]

Can you give me the info on gaining access to the actuator? Thanks so much for the information!!!
Keith

[Gatorlenny]

Hmmm, ok, open the door. Turn the power off. Look at the end of the door handle. On the other side of the handle there is a plate. 2-3 screws take that off. You ahve to take off the glass. Use an open end wrench and take off the bolt, and the glass door comes off. You also need a small allen wrench set. The actuator is the brown thing with a small tip coming out of it. On the bottom of the door is where you can insert the allen wrench, take off the 2 screws, use another open end wrench to remove the whole actuator mechanism. Take off the power leads and reverse the whole process to put it back together. Voila!

If I missed something, someone else please chime in:)

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

Remove glass from front of washer using a stubby open end wrench or pliers. Remove the 4 screws holding the door lock cover plate. Remove plate. You now have access to the door lock switch. With the power on and the door open start machine and press the black switch on the door hindge and then press the door lock switch lever inside the lock assy. If the machine starts then you have a bad actuator (most likely).

Let go of the switch lever and continue holding the black switch in. Feel the body of the orange actuator and see if it is getting warm/hot. This is normal. If the plunger of the actuator is not moving after 30sec or it is cold. then you most likely have a bad actuator.
Although you could also have a bad connection to it somewhere. That is where a meter would be useful to be sure.

Of all the cont I have worked on i could say that 99% of the time it is a bad actuator. They usually short rather than become open though, blowing the fuse in the process.

BTW it is a L1040 = 40 lbs

[krs_med]

Thanks very much for all the info. It was indeed the actuator, the entire back was blown off. Very easy to replace had it back up and going in less than a hour.
Were to any of you buy your parts from direct OEM or from a second source. I am in the need of water valve diaprams and another actuator, and a few other things?
Thanks Again,
Keith

[Gatorlenny]

Ahhhhh Continental parts. What you will always need to keep on hand: actuators, and diaphrams. Any local or internet source will do just fine. I keep about 10 diaphrams on hand and 3-4 actuators. Just depends on how many machines you have. There are 2 size diaphrams, the same size for hot and cold. Then once ina while when the machie is off and you hear water running through it, change that diaphram, it is a larger one. If you have the old mechanical timers, a can of WD40 is a must! Spray the timers, and I mean soak em down. Keeps them from sticking. Make sure to use WD40. WD stands for water displacement. It won't absorb water. Those items will be about 90% of your issues.

Chow!