Search the Community

TLDR version: Please Help a DIY-er Repairing a Bosch Washer WFL2090UC? 1) does anyone have a .pdf of the service manual? 2) To replace the brushes, is the best access really via the underside of the machine? 3) Why is there a fine black powder coating everything? Is that bad? What is it? Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide! - D Below is my first draft of this post. As you can see I have a tendency towards verbosity. I am including it in its entirety anyway in case it contains useful details that help in evaluating or diagnosing the above issues: Hello, I'm a DIY-er trying to repair a Bosch Front Loading Clothes Washer model WFL2090UC/. (I'm not sure if it is /01, /04, or some other version. Believe purchased circa 2008?) Initial issue is the drum will no longer spin. It makes noises like it's trying, and fills with water, and it doesn't seem to be a door latch issue, so I suspect it's either the belt or the brushes. 1) If anyone could provide digital copies of the service manual, tech specs, fault codes, and schematics, that would be amazing. Bosch Customer Service won't share these with me. 2) I already ordered replacement brushes but I can't figure out how best to access the motor. This model seems to have a terrible design with kind of a removable porthole on the back so I can see the back of the tub, belt, and drive shaft(?), but which isn't really big enough to provide access? I can't see what I'm doing when trying to access the motor from the front or reach the motor mount bolts, so it seems like the best option is to remove the bottom-side panel. But, I'm doing this solo and not confident I can tip it over and back upright safely by myself, especially since it's on a pedestal in a small utility room w/o much room to work. I'm guessing that the service manual will tell me that access through the underside panel is what's recommended though. 3) Part of the reason I suspect the brushes is because much of the interior of the machine's cabinet is coated with a fine, black, odorless, soot-like or carbon-like powder. (I didn't try a taste test. Blech.) The greatest concentration of powder seems to be in the bottom rear of the machine. I initially thought this might be mold, but that doesn't make much sense b/c mold doesn't usually grow on metal and plastic w/o access to anything organic, right? Then I thought it might be degraded bits of the belt, but from what my amateur eyes can tell, visually the belt is in good condition. There is resistance when turning it manually and it moves the drum okay. With the quantity of powder dispersed, if it were formerly part of the belt I would expect the belt to be quite obviously chewed up and worn. Plus, the particle size is a lot smaller than I would expect disintegrating rubber to be. I don't have any experience with electrical motors but it occurred to me when the replacement brushes arrived that it may be the old brushes making the mess? The powder itself is flat or matte black though, not the same grey with a slightly reflective sheen like the new brushes have. Can anyone identify the black powder material and suggest what it may portend for the future life of the machine? If the original brushes did get ground up to create this powder, is that likely to happen to the replacement brushes as well? If I can get another 15 years of service from this machine after replacing the brushes I'll be thriled, but does anyone have any suggestions as to the possible cause of the powder and how I might prevent it from happening in future? Thanks for reading this far. I appreciate any and all contributions to resolving my questions. Cheers! Final note: unfortunately I won't have access to the washer again until this weekend, but if photos would be illustrative please let me know what pictures I should take.