8 replies to this topic

[smarsden]

Amana washing machine ,model: lwc50aw.  Metalic , loud grinding noise when in spin cycle.  Could this be a simple bearing failure?  Sounds okay on wash cycle.

Thanks S.M.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

It may just be the brake dragging.  Pray to the pot-bellied Buddha that this is your only problem because the other possibility, a failed hub and seal kit, has been known to make grown men wet themselves and squeal like little piglets. 

Remove the front panel inspect the innards for signs of leaking:  streaks, rust, etc.  Run the washer and try to locate the source of the noise visually.  Fill the tub to maximum level and watch for leaks.  Report your findings here.  Photos may be helpful.

[smarsden]

There is some moisture and some rust around what appears to be the outer race of the upper   bearing just below the tub . Also the brake  slips intermittently when agitating with a big load in the tub.  The washer is only about three years old.  Is this signs of a crappy machine?  Should I just start shopping for a replacement ?  I will wait for a reply before I wet myself and shriek like a pig.

  thanks S.M.

[ktsenya2]

That certainly sounds like a bearing and seal failure. Changing them out on an Amana is a big job but by no means an insurmountable task. Being an experienced tech such a job goes about 2+ hours and so a novice should be able to do it in 3-4 (?).
The machine does need to be dissassembled all the way down to the base plate :(, not unlike the simpler Maytag bearing seal changeout. If youre handy with tools, you ought to be able to handle it.

[smarsden]

Replaced seals and upper bearing.  It took about two and half hours just to disasemble and about four to five with beer breaks to reasemble.  All looked good until the spin cycle.  All hell broke loose. The motor was humming under what sounded like excessive load and then the breaker tripped.  Reset breaker.  Then when the spin started to get up a bit of speed the water started coming up over the sides of the outer tub.  Holy cow shut her down quick like a bunny.  I did replace the vee belt while the machine was apart.  Read something about simular machine that said the belt is supposed to slip some until the water is mostly pumped out.  Is this true of this machine?  Wrong belt?

Slowly getting buried under a pile of dirty laundry,  Stephen.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Did you buy the belt from an auto parts store by just matching up with length of old belt? If this is what you did, this is your problem.

This machine requires a special cloth coated belt so that it give the correct clutching action, (slips until water is all drained before bringing tub to full spin speed).

If you installed a regular auto belt the rubber belt will grip to tight and with a full load of water overload the motor for too long tripping your circuit breaker or the thermal overload in the motor.

Here's the belt you should have installed: Part# 27001007 CLICK HERE

[Mad Mac]

[user=338]smarsden[/user] wrote:

There is some moisture and some rust around what appears to be the outer race of the upper bearing just below the tub .

Welcome to Hell

:yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes:
:yikes::yikes::yikes::burning:
:burning::burning::burning::burning::burning::burning:
:burning::burning::burning:

Nobody wants to do this job. Appliance techs in homes for the criminally insane don't want to do this job.

Willie gives sound advice. Only use the factory-authorised replacement belt.

[smarsden]

Got the correct belt and the machine works great.  Thankyou very much for your help.  Now I know why most peple just junk the machine and by a new one.  If I had to pay a repair tech. it would have cost me a wad of cash close to the value of the machine.

SM

[reeferman]

I have a speed queen with a likely bearing and seal failure - any idea where I can get a factory manual on how to disassemble and replace these tricky parts...?

Ross