Kenmore 11020872990 outer tub leak

[Kate w]

To repair or not to repair?

My Kenmore 11020872990 series 80 washer developed a leak, at first mild and occasional, mostly when running a full load of heavier items.  The leak looked like it was right in the middle so I changed the centerpost gasket and cleaned the soap scum off the outer tub.  I did about four loads at 3/4 full with virtually no leaks (because I quickly learned the full loads leaked a few cups still) and at the rinse cycle of the the fifth, towels, suddenly all the water gushed forth.  Disassembled again to discover a crack in the bottom of the outer tub, which I’m assuming was there in a milder form and I didn’t see it when cleaning off the scum. 

It’s more than $150 for a new outer tub, and I could fix it but I’m afraid something else will be wrong (not to mention the agitator dogs that I installed improperly so that’s $5) and I’ll have wasted money that I could put towards a new machine.

The last load gave an almighty crack! when it stopped spinning in between the wash and rinse so it’s making me deeply suspicious that I should back away from the machine but it’s a much nicer machine than what I’ll be able to replace it with.  It was a hand-me-down and a good fairy paid for the spanner wrench and gasket so I’ve not spent anything on it yet.

Is it worth repairing or shall I give it up?

[dave2543]

Hi Kate, if the crack is out in the open where you can access it without total disassembly, and if the washer is somewhere like a garage or porch where a leak wont wreck your house, then you might try to drill the ends of the crack, and seal it with JB weld or equivalent repair epoxy.  YouTube has a few videos.  Washer leaks can do 10s or 100s of thousands, so I would not try to patch a washer that sits in the house.

Otherwise, I am not sure it is worth the effort. 

 

[evaappliance]

Don’t give up !!!!!!!!       I take the inner tub out , jb weld the crack as Dave said but i have also started spraying the inside of the tub with flex seal or a equivalent sealer 

[Kate w]

Thank you both for the suggestions!  My cousin was replacing her machine so I took her old Maytag Epic Z.  It’s not my (or anyone’s) dream machine but at least I can get it to work until I can afford something.  The scrappers took my old machine within 10 minutes so perhaps someone will be brave enough to try a repair.

Proof that I’ve never lived outside of the Great Lakes region:  it honestly never occurred to me that someone might have a washer on a porch or in a garage.  Brrr!  The basement is chilly enough!