OT: Washing machine pump, rattle, doesn't drain

[Joerg]

A sock in the pump will do that.

But it won't make a machine gun noise

 

[[email protected]]

But it won't make a machine gun noise

So *that's* where Bin Laden was hiding!

 

[hamilton]

They could have been his. ;-)

Yuck !! Now I don't what to think of that !!! ;-)

 

[Rich Grise]

Just wanted to know whether this is a fuggetaboutit situation by
default, like a blown cylinder head on a 15 year old car would usually be.

From the noises you reported, very probably yes. But it couldn't do any
harm to pull it out from the wall, take the back panel off, and take
a look.

Sorry.

Rich

 

[Joerg]

I could sleep in the same room with the Miele running full tilt, and
I'm a very light sleeper.

I sleep like a rock. In the army even the whistle and a metal buckt
thrown down the hallway didn't wake me up.

Anyhow, we just ordered a Maytag 2000-series, according to reviews
whisper-quiet. Not that I'd really care but that's nice. Did it through
the local Sears Hometown store. I could not believe how big that store
is, didn't even know there was one. And then they had the freezer I
ordered at Walmart for 30% less, but too late, it's already on the way :-(

 

[Joerg]

If it still agitates, its probably the fwd/reverse cam. Either something
came loose or broke.

On my washer, the pump always spins. For agitate, it spins in the direction
to pump water into the basin (which does nothing). For the drain direction,
the pump turns in the direction to drain the basin.

That's how it is on ours, too.

If the pump were seized, the belt would slip in either direction.

No belt, it's direct drive. Anyways, as of today the machine has a
residual value of negative $10, the pickup fee we just paid for when the
new one comes next week.

Then my wife will have the front load machine she always wanted back.

 

[Joerg]

Perhaps The ones I've seen have drawers for detergent, etc.

We ordered sans pedestal. I think a washer on a pedestal looks tacky. If
we can't bend down to do the laundry anymore some day in the (hopefully
very) distant future we either move to assisted living or hire it out.

They actually look rather nice (my pick-em-up truck is very RED ;-)

I wouldn't care one bit about the color or whether it matches the dryer.
But I am married, so ...

My concern is how well do the seals required by the front-loading hold
up over time.

I grew up with front loaders. Never ever saw one of those seal go bad.
What dies sometimes is the drain pump, or it gets clogged. Often front
loaders have a small lower panel that comes off and they place the pumps
right behind that. So not major teardown and disconnect like with top
loaders. Sort of an "outpatient treatment"

Nice surprise: We'll get a $50 rebate via our electricity bill for
buying an Energy Star rated front loader. Yay. One night of Sushi will
be almost free now.

 

[[email protected]]

We ordered sans pedestal. I think a washer on a pedestal looks tacky. If
we can't bend down to do the laundry anymore some day in the (hopefully
very) distant future we either move to assisted living or hire it out.

Don't know about a pedestal, but I wouldn't mind stacking them.

I wouldn't care one bit about the color or whether it matches the dryer.
But I am married, so ...
Ayup!


I grew up with front loaders. Never ever saw one of those seal go bad.
What dies sometimes is the drain pump, or it gets clogged. Often front
loaders have a small lower panel that comes off and they place the pumps
right behind that. So not major teardown and disconnect like with top
loaders. Sort of an "outpatient treatment"

The problem with front loaders is the main bearing. They have a *horrible*
track record. I thought I was getting around that problem with the Whirlpool
Cabrio, agitatorless top-loader. Nope, they have serious problems too. I
hope ours lasts another year or so, but I doubt it will.

Nice surprise: We'll get a $50 rebate via our electricity bill for
buying an Energy Star rated front loader. Yay. One night of Sushi will
be almost free now.

Stealing from the neighbors, again... ;-)

 

[Joerg]

From the noises you reported, very probably yes. But it couldn't do any
harm to pull it out from the wall, take the back panel off, and take
a look.

Took the easy road, to the Sears Hometown store a couple miles from
here, and ordered a new washer

 

[Joerg]

Don't know about a pedestal, but I wouldn't mind stacking them.

Not possible, we have hanging cabinets (fixed) and a window.

The problem with front loaders is the main bearing. They have a *horrible*
track record. I thought I was getting around that problem with the Whirlpool
Cabrio, agitatorless top-loader. Nope, they have serious problems too. I
hope ours lasts another year or so, but I doubt it will.

Can't say that. In Europe that's the only kind of washer there is and
I've never had a bearing go out on me. The drain pump on occasion but
that's an easy and fairly cheap repair. Then maybe a new belt every 10
years, not quite that easy but can be done in an hour, usually. I mean,
what's that bearing have to hold in comparison to the front tires on
your car? 30lbs of wet laundry, plus a little spin imbalance, plus maybe
40lbs for the drum? And the bearings I've seen where similar in size.

Stealing from the neighbors, again... ;-)

No, this is my first one in years, after getting a $25 or whatever
rebate for a low-flow toilet that usually needs more water than the old
one because of double and triple flushing

Seriously, neither they nor the tax authorities seem to have the
foggiest about real energy savings. The evap cooler I installed last
year dropped the consumption for that purpose from a whopping 7kW to
0.4kW. Any rebate or tax advantage? Nope. Nada.

 

[Joerg]

Just as a point of reference, back in the ballpark of 2000 I had a
frontloader I had bought used (it was likely already 10 years old), and
its front seal failed... although it did so gradually, so in the
beginning there were only small puddles on the floor.

Although come to think of it... it had begun to make a LOT of rack while
it would spin up or slow down. That probably was the bearings, eh?

Most likely the dampers, if the noise was more of the rumble kind. The
essentially work like the shocks in a car.

 

[[email protected]]

Not possible, we have hanging cabinets (fixed) and a window.

I'd reduce the floor space for them and increase counter space, but I don't
get the choice in my house either.

Can't say that. In Europe that's the only kind of washer there is and
I've never had a bearing go out on me.

In case you hadn't noticed, this isn't Urup. The manufacturers have cut them
to the bone, and beyond, evidently. Do a web search on various models.

The drain pump on occasion but
that's an easy and fairly cheap repair. Then maybe a new belt every 10
years, not quite that easy but can be done in an hour, usually. I mean,
what's that bearing have to hold in comparison to the front tires on
your car? 30lbs of wet laundry, plus a little spin imbalance, plus maybe
40lbs for the drum? And the bearings I've seen where similar in size.

It's a lot more than 30 lbs. That's not the point, though. It's an off-axis
thrust on the bearings. The *do* have a serious problem with the American
models, anyway.

No, this is my first one in years, after getting a $25 or whatever
rebate for a low-flow toilet that usually needs more water than the old
one because of double and triple flushing

Seriously, neither they nor the tax authorities seem to have the
foggiest about real energy savings. The evap cooler I installed last
year dropped the consumption for that purpose from a whopping 7kW to
0.4kW. Any rebate or tax advantage? Nope. Nada.

There shouldn't be *ANY*. ...but I'll put in a split AC unit in the attic I'm
finishing, if the rebates ever come back. ...likely will next year anyway.

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:

[...]

My concern is how well do the seals required by the front-loading hold
up over time.

I grew up with front loaders. Never ever saw one of those seal go bad.
What dies sometimes is the drain pump, or it gets clogged. Often front
loaders have a small lower panel that comes off and they place the pumps
right behind that. So not major teardown and disconnect like with top
loaders. Sort of an "outpatient treatment"
The problem with front loaders is the main bearing. They have a *horrible*
track record. I thought I was getting around that problem with the Whirlpool
Cabrio, agitatorless top-loader. Nope, they have serious problems too. I
hope ours lasts another year or so, but I doubt it will.

Can't say that. In Europe that's the only kind of washer there is and
I've never had a bearing go out on me.

In case you hadn't noticed, this isn't Urup. The manufacturers have cut them
to the bone, and beyond, evidently. Do a web search on various models.

Well, we ordered a Maytag 2000 series, just discontinued so we got a
deal. I don't like the new roundish designs anyhow. At least it's a good
brand although the fact that they already purged the model from their
web site doesn't come across as very professional.

Their typical tub bearing prices seem to be around $20-30. I usually
check that stuff before a purchase.

That may be, but it's a $700 job to put them in.

But that's the same on a car going across a bumpy road. Which in the
currents state of affairs most roads are. Plus the slightest curve
creates lots of off-axis load.

There are inner and outer wheel bearings for that.

So why don't they just tear down a Miele, Siemens or Bauknecht and see
how they dunnit? Those don't break down.

It has nothing to do with "how". It's how to do it *cheaply*. Thay got that
down pat.

I agree that there shouldn't be. But if there is then at least they
should get them prioritized right.

How about investing in that stuff (capital improvements) *instead* of fuel
assistance? These toys end up subsidizing the rich.

 

[Rich Grise]

Took the easy road, to the Sears Hometown store a couple miles from
here, and ordered a new washer

Probably cheaper than a repairman!

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

I kinda figured the pedestrals were for older folks so that they don't
have to bend over quite so far?

As for red... I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder there!

Remember when men put their women on a pedestal? There's no point any more,
since all the women started wearing pants. >:->

Cheers!
Rich

 

[josephkk]

No, they are great. We had them in Europe where those agitator washers
went obsolete in the 50's. Yes, the wash cycle takes longer, uses less
water and energy. But with shirts you see a major difference. After
20-30 washes you can't wear it to a fancy board meeting anymore. In
Europe that never happened, the collars and all didn't wear off at all.
You could essentially wear it until out of style (my wife needed to tell
me when that was ...). A lot of things that would instantly tear up in a
top loader can often safely cycle through a front loader. Meaning less
hand washing.

Problem is, I know the brands from way back over there but not LG and
all those that we have now. Like this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...d=10051&catalogId=10053&superSkuId=202705384#

I have a Frigidaire GLTF1040AS. Front loader, mechanical timer about 8
years old and runs like new. (About 1 load a week.)

 

[Uwe Hercksen]

Front loaders are so... so... so Obama green, and lousy washers :-(

And all those extra seals... all made in China

Hello,

the font loaders I used in the last 30 years never had problems with the
extra seals needed for a front loader and they were good washers. What's
the problem if a washing maschine uses less water and less energy if the
laundry is clean?

Bye

 

[Uwe Hercksen]

But it won't make a machine gun noise

Hello,

a coins or other pieces of metal in the pump may cause such a noise.

Bye

 

[Martin Brown]

Hello,

the font loaders I used in the last 30 years never had problems with the
extra seals needed for a front loader and they were good washers. What's
the problem if a washing maschine uses less water and less energy if the
laundry is clean?

Profligate waste of resources is the American way.

He might have had a point about the quality of seals on front loading
washing machines as late as the early 1980's. I remember a friend had
one with a door interlock to stop the motor, but it did not prevent it
trying to fill with water with the door open. The result was not good.

Had one in Japan with early fuzzy logic. It would sometimes flip and
spontaneously decide to only rinse the clothes which was insufficient
even to get rid of the washing powder!

Japanese gadgets (at least the ones that escape into the wider world are
great) but their consumer white goods like fridges and particularly
washing machines left a lot to be desired. The latter were typically
installed in a large drip tray to handle seal and pump failures.

Mechanical seals were basically solved for the nuclear submarine and
NASA space program - between them they covered all the technologies.
There really isn't any excuse for one leaking today.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[Joerg]

[email protected] wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote: [...]

My concern is how well do the seals required by the front-loading hold
up over time.

I grew up with front loaders. Never ever saw one of those seal go bad.
What dies sometimes is the drain pump, or it gets clogged. Often front
loaders have a small lower panel that comes off and they place the pumps
right behind that. So not major teardown and disconnect like with top
loaders. Sort of an "outpatient treatment"
The problem with front loaders is the main bearing. They have a *horrible*
track record. I thought I was getting around that problem with the Whirlpool
Cabrio, agitatorless top-loader. Nope, they have serious problems too. I
hope ours lasts another year or so, but I doubt it will.

Can't say that. In Europe that's the only kind of washer there is and
I've never had a bearing go out on me.
In case you hadn't noticed, this isn't Urup. The manufacturers have cut them
to the bone, and beyond, evidently. Do a web search on various models.

Well, we ordered a Maytag 2000 series, just discontinued so we got a
deal. I don't like the new roundish designs anyhow. At least it's a good
brand although the fact that they already purged the model from their
web site doesn't come across as very professional.

Their typical tub bearing prices seem to be around $20-30. I usually
check that stuff before a purchase.

That may be, but it's a $700 job to put them in.

Doesn't seem too onerous to me:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2251122_maytag-neptune-front-loader-bearings.html

Of course, as Murphy has it the puller won't pull it off because it's
all rusted in place

There are inner and outer wheel bearings for that.

Most definitely not on my Citroen (I repaired two).

It has nothing to do with "how". It's how to do it *cheaply*. Thay got that
down pat.

Maytag? They'd have a reputation to lose. Some no-name or big box brand,
ok, that would be different.

How about investing in that stuff (capital improvements) *instead* of fuel
assistance? These toys end up subsidizing the rich.

Fuel assistance? Those rebates are meant to entice less consumption of
same. Which makes sense for a scietey even though I believe market
forces should do that and not rebate checks or tax write-offs.