4 replies to this topic

[senoiasummer]

Hi All,

 

It's been a couple of months since yall have had to bail me out on something, but I am back again for more expert advice.   This time the offensive item is a Whirlpool washer, model number shown above.   We have owned this washer about 18 months.  It is a top loader HE.  It is the first HE we have owned and we hate it.  Same complaints as most I guess, doesnt get the clothes clean, but it also regularly leaves white spots on our dark clothes.   I assume this is detergent, but not sure how to avoid this.

 

Anyway, in the last few week the thing has started to make a racket during the wash cycles.   The sound is emminating from the lower left side (facing the front of the washer), the best I can tell.  It sounds like something from the drive train (duh) because if you consider one "back and forth" one agitation cycel (do HEs even have agitation cycles .... I assume so) the noise is predominantly on one half of the agitation cycle. 

 

In any case the sound is hard to describe,   If I had to describe it I would say it sounds like Flipper (you know, the dolphin ... ok, I am dating myself) when he's humgry.  

 

I checked the manual and there is a 1 year warranty only.  No longer warranty on the drive train, so it looks like warranty repiar is not an option.

 

Thanks for the help, as always.

 

BTW, I obviously haven't opened it up and had a look yet.   Probably should have I guess.  Please link me to directions to get at the guts of this piece of work.

 

 

OK... so I got motivated (well, maybe motivated isnt quite the right word .....) but I put the video of the offensive appliance on you tube for your viewing enjoyment.    Check it out here 

Edited by senoiasummer, 07 March 2013 - 09:21 PM.

[sh2sh2]

tilt the washer back and make sure the drive pully has not come loose, its under the plastic shield covering the belt.  there was a problem with the nuts coming loose on these washers

[senoiasummer]

OK. It looks like the pulley nut may have loosened slightly, maybe a quarter of a turn. It was enough for the pulley to drop down and rub against the cover and cut several of the spokes in the cover. Also the belt was on the bottom of the pulley instead of centered. Sooooooo, is there a torque spec for that pulley nut? Can I overtighten it. As long as the pully is free to rotate i guess i am ok??

Also, what can I do to prevent it from happening again? Is there anything else I should check while I am looking . . . Any other related damage that may have been done?

You guys are a bastion of appliance knowlege, and once again have apparently assisted in bringing piece and acrimony back to my humble Dojo.

[RegUS_PatOff]

from another thread:

 

check the nut on the drive pulley, many are working loose. if loose, add blue locktite and tighen it back on.

[applianceman97]

RegUS is right. Just use blue loctite on the nut and you be fine. And no you shouldn't have any other damage if it just started doing this.