- Some older washing machines are equipped with a transmission. Like any transmission, if the part is damaged, it might not be able to shift into the gear required for sufficient generation of speed. If the transmission stays stuck in a low gear, then, at best, a slow agitation cycle will be achieved. In the case of more severely damaged transmissions, the washer might not agitate at all. This is a problem that needs to be handled by a repair person.
- Problems with the agitator itself cause a washing machine to agitate more slowly than it should. If the agitator is the type turned by splines, they can wear down. This causes them to lose grip, and the result is a very slow moving agitator. An agitator with a clutch assembly could also move slowly due to an improperly functioning clutch, although a more common problem with the clutch forces the agitator to only move in one direction. This is a problem that needs to be handled by a repair person.
- Any time water is transferred from a pipe to the machine, whether from a hose into the tub or back out again, that transfer point is a source of a potential leak. The inlet valves where water is fed into the machine may leak, and the points where the water hoses connect at the intake, pump and drain are also all potential leak points. Fixing these is sometimes just a matter of tightening a hose or replacing a cracked one, which you may or may not be able to do, depending on your level of skill with appliance maintenance.
- The large tub where the clothes in the washer sit has a seal at the bottom that keeps the water from leaking out, but if that seal cracks or hardens, that point may leak. The water pump is a very common source of leaks as well. If the pump is leaking, have a repair person replace it. You can isolate the problem to the pump by taking off the access panel and running the washer. Watch the pump for signs of leaks to determine if that is the source of your problem.
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