24 replies to this topic

[crisscross]

So, I got the top lifted and the front panel off...only to find the belt has a strip torn off it. I knew what the problem was because I'd had someone repair it previously when I couldn't figure out how to get in there, and he said it had probably just wobbled off when the washer became unbalanced, so I thought I'd just open it up and put the belt back on again, but no dice.

Now, I figured I'd just hit up for a replacement...but noooo. Not only do they not have it, I can't even figure out which number to search by. Here's what it says (each of the lines below is printed repeatedly in its own column, with about an inch between columns):

Maytag 62900960

20805 made in usa

66 284/66 285/66 286/66 287/66 288/66 289 (IOW, there's a column of 66s, and then 1/8" away there's a column that reads, top to bottom, 284-289). this all repeats again an inch over.

0071 374/..../0071 381 (as above).

Anyone have any idea where I can get a new belt? Is there anything I can do to prevent this happening again once I do get a non-shredded belt?

Thanks!!!

Edited by Samurai Appliance Repair Man, 26 February 2011 - 01:50 AM.

[SANTA]

That model number doesn't work at any of my sites.

[crisscross]

I know. But I swear to God I read it right off the machine.

[DurhamAppliance]

Are you sure your model isn't PAV5000AWW? If so, does the following look familiar?

Edited by DurhamAppliance, 25 February 2011 - 09:46 PM.

[RegUS_PatOff]

FAV5800AWW

My eyesight isn't as good as it once was
see > (RegUS_PatOff )
but from here it looks like your model number may be
FAV6800AWW

[DurhamAppliance]

maybe
FAV6800AWW

Sensei

[crisscross]

You are correct--it's 6800. I'm sorry, I thought I had been so careful to take it all down accurately!

[crisscross]

Okay, so, with the correct model number, I found the belt...now, any thoughts on how to fix it so this doesn't reoccur? it's a $17 belt plus s&h, so I don't want this to become a weekly occurrence!

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

You should buy the belt here and get a 365-day, no-hassle return policy==> http://www.repaircli...mber=FAV6800AWW

[dh1200s]

“”Is there anything I can do to prevent this happening again once I do get a non-shredded belt?""

Before you put that belt back on the Clutch Pulley and you have the front cover off I would see if you can rotate the Clutch Pulley both in the CCW direction (Spin Direction) and the CW direction (Wash/Agitate Direction) to ensure nothing is binding/seized up.

Watch ya don’t pinch you fingers when you walk that belt back on the Clutch Pulley. Even with belt tension released it’s a pain……….Dick

Edited by dh1200s, 27 February 2011 - 09:58 PM.

[crisscross]

Thanks so much for your help! Belt has been ordered, and I will definitely check and make sure the clutch pulley isn't binding up before putting the belt on. Thanks for the finger-pinching heads-up, too!!!

[dh1200s]

“”so I thought I'd just open it up and put the belt back on again, but no dice.”” I glazed over this statement. Was the drive belt broken/parted and could not be placed back on the machine?

Also it’s a good idea to post the 1st two digits of your machines serial number with the model number when you post in any DIY appliance repair forum for this machine. That will provide the series number of the machine. The number range is 10, 11, 12 up to 17. The drive belt is not series dependent that would just give me some insight to other series dependent items such as Clutch Pulley configuration and Outer Tub design related to replacement of the Outer Tub Bearings.

I like the eye chart response....it still pulls a chuckle from me when I go thru this thread. I own several pairs of trifocals and one humongous magnifying lens that was a NASA prototype for the Hubble Space Telescope program. That eye chart was in perfect focus for me

Do check for any binding issues ASAP, not that it can’t happen...... “”and he said it had probably just wobbled off when the washer became unbalanced”” yea right….. that rates 5 ’s on my recently calibrated smiley face meter which is full scale deflection. I still use an old school analog smiley face meter when measuring ridiculous comments made on this machine. You will see just how tight the drive belt tension is even with the drive motor tension bolt released when you reinstall the new drive belt.

I hope it is just a worn belt issue and you are back in service soon……….Dick

[crisscross]

I will try to remember to take a look at the serial # tomorrow--machine is in the basement and I am lazy.

The belt I thought I was going to put back on has a couple of rips in one edge, maybe 3" apart, and coming from that area, a small threadlike strip of material maybe 6" long that looks like it was carved from the bottom of the groove where is goes on the pulley. So it does sound like maybe a bearing seized or something. Argh.

[dh1200s]

“”I will try to remember to take a look at the serial # tomorrow--machine is in the basement and I am lazy.””

Totally up to you Crisscross,

I’m an owner of the machine not a expert repair technician. What I don’t see being asked here are some deeper questions about the condition of your original belt/failure;

• Condition of old belt. Can it be placed back on the Clutch Pulley.
• Past 12 month history of machine repair actions.
• Any unusual noise heard during past wash/spin cycles like grinding metal against metal, belt squeal etc. (I understand the basement location).
• Upon inspection any smell of burnt rubber or other out of the norm odor in the machine, no smelly socks descriptions .

You did ask solid questions up front;
“”Is there anything I can do to prevent this happening again once I do get a non-shredded belt?”” ..... with an excellent follow up question.......”” Okay, so, with the correct model number, I found the belt...now, any thoughts on how to fix it so this doesn't reoccur? it's a $17 belt plus s&h, so I don't want this to become a weekly occurrence!””

I’m not saying the sky is falling and as I said I hope this is just a worn belt issue. I like to do a little basic troubleshooting up front before a parts buy even with a solid return policy. In my eyes the codition of the belt is out of the norm....but I don't have a feel for your useage/machine cycle count.

From your follow up description the belt is frayed not parted. Is there any reason you did not try to walk the belt back on the Clutch Pulley and fire the machine up for a test run?

Good luck..........Dick

Edited by dh1200s, 28 February 2011 - 10:58 AM.

[kdog]

I’m an owner of the machine not a expert repair technician.

I beg to differ on that point DH, You have a much more solid understanding of these machines than most of us do (machines are few and far between), I think I have read all of your posts and would not hesitate to name you the house expert on the Neptune TL !!

[dh1200s]

Hey KDOG,

Thank you for the kind words It’s just a hobby and I like to tinker. If I can help the DIY owner or Service Tech with a FAV6800A/FAV9800A issue I’ll chime in. In my eyes I’m no expert repair technician on the FAV6800A/FAV9800A TL’s.

I do feel the belt failure this owner experienced may be due to a deeper issue with the machine but I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong. It is my opinion that some basic troubleshooting should be done before any parts are ordered for any failure.

I did not see any basic troubleshooting questions offered in this thread and the owner was reaching out “”I found the belt...now, any thoughts on how to fix it so this doesn't reoccur? “”.

I feel checking for drive system binding is a generic question that should be asked for the issue reported. The other bullet questions would help me and others drill down to additional troubleshooting steps if needed, basic 101 questions for the failure described.

Again I hope the replacement drive belt can be slapped on and crisscross is good to go.

Google this one Maytag Neptune TL FAV6800AWW dead

It is for a FAV9800A LCD Console machine.....I need to get that eye chart graphic.

OK maybe advanced novice rating for that one. I try to hammer home to the DIY owner ‘’”troubleshoot first parts buy second””.........Dick

[kdog]

Yep, I agree - belts don't usually just "fall off" - but that is an unusual machine and there could be an underlying issue with the clutch or the dreaded tub bearing

[crisscross]

Okay, so. The first 2 digits of the serial number are 18. Swear to God. You say it goes up to 17, but I am looking at a photo I took with my cell phone so I could triple-check, and it's 18.

The bearings turn freely. There are no odors, and as luck would have it, my partner was in the basement at the time the belt came off and says there were no screeching/grinding/etc noises, just the motor whirring while obviously not turning the tub. We didn't try to put the old belt back on because we thought it was too damaged and would just bind up again:



As for history...we bought this machine a few months after moving into this house, so...around the end of 2005/beginning of 2006. We have had no trouble with it until a few months ago, the first time the belt slipped off. We don't do all that much laundry--2 adults, no kids, although we do have horses and dogs, so there's the occasional horse blanket, and our bedspread gets the pawprints washed off it often. The dogs are short-haired, btw. The only long hairs in this house are mine. We try to be good about not letting random stuff find its way into the washer, although I have found the odd button or whatever, and one time one of us washed a pair of pants with a deck screw left in the pocket (I assume, because I found it when I took all the clothes out). But that was all way before any of this happened.

Oh! One time I found some pieces of white plastic in with the clothes. That turned out to be some pieces from around the top of the drum--something must have gotten stuck up there between the top of the drum and the lip above it. But that was also a while ago. When the guy came to put the belt back on the first time, he noticed the chipped rim and just said be sure not to overload it, so we've been more careful since then. At the time that he came, we couldn't figure out what was wrong with the machine or how to figure out what was wrong (or even how to get the front off--I guess this is laughable around here, but we had no clue, having never seen it done!), hence not even trying to fix it ourselves. But if it's going to be a recurring theme, clearly we need to figure it out, and hopefully figure out what the actual problem is, since he just put the belt back on and didn't do anything else.

In the meantime, we have another problem, which is that the belt I ordered came today and doesn't fit. No idea why, since it's ostensibly the right part number, but it is 1/2" - 1" shorter than the old one. Although I guess if the old one is too stretched out from whatever has been going on down there, maybe that's why it came off...but I'm not sure we'll be able to get the smaller one on, since I don't see any mechanism to release/adjust the pulleys to allow the belt to go on, and this is definitely too small to just walk on.

[kdog]

This one ? (Belt-stretch)

http://www.repaircli...mber=FAV6800AWW

 

[crisscross]

That's the one I ordered, but the one I got seems to be 25001054, not 1033136. Although when I search for the first #, I get this same belt, and it says "(Manufacturer part number 25001054 is RepairClinic item number 1033136.)"

But the belt I received is unequivocally shorter than what was on the machine.