Author Topic: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?  (Read 13854 times)

chatsc

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WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« on: February 18, 2013, 04:33:25 PM »
HI ALL,

We have a 9 year old maytag regular everyday wachine machine.  It has lived a very hard life.  It finally stopped working today.  The spin cycle was making some really loud noises for the past 2 weeks.  This afternoon it finally gave up and stopped mid spin cycle, with a smell of burnt rubber/playdough. 

Is it worth the 100-150$ for a service call, plus labour and parts.  Or just get a new one, more water efficient one (700-1000$)? 

Thanks for any advice.

James

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2013, 04:52:21 PM »
Sounds like a belt burned out.  Open it and find out, or else get the service call.  The machine is probably worth $150 working, so even if you fixed it just to sell it you should do alright.  Maybe check craigslist to find out what used washers are going for.  But if it was working fine and you don't need a new one for other reasons, I suggest fixing it.  Broken it isn't worth anything...

zug

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2013, 04:55:29 PM »
Open it up and see if you can figure out what's wrong. Service call if not. Only replace if it's truly not fixable.

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2013, 07:39:53 AM »
We fix our 13 year old washer our selves. There are even youtube vidoes for this. Our parts center told us to keep doing it ourselves as long as humanly possible because the new ones can't be worked on by homeowners very easily if at all.


We know an appliance repairman that comes out and does a consult. If you have him do the work the $50 is waived and the typical fees apply. If he thinks it cheaper for you to get a new appliance he then consults with you on which ones are the easiest and cheapest to repair. We learned that often times the more basic and cheap an appliance is , it's easier to fix.

Mountainman75

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2013, 08:11:33 AM »
www.repairclinic.com for the diagnosis, or just google your symptoms and the make/model number.

Parts are cheaper off ebay. Find the part number off repairclinic.com then get it off ebay.
If you can turn a screwdriver, you can fix the machine. Nothing on them is too complicated, and most things can be fixed in an hour or two once you have the parts.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2013, 10:51:39 AM »
I had a repairman in and got it fixed.  it was a broken belt and pump.  it cost 272$ (150 in parts, 100 in labour, and then tax) but cheaper than a new one. and faster....

it actually worked out because i had to get a repairman in to look at our stove.  I had been putting it off because i didnt want to pay the service call fee.  He said that the part to fix our stove would be 400-500$, plus tax and labour, so not worth getting it fixed (stove is 8 years old and cost under 1000$ new).  he suggested just waiting it out until it completely breaks. 

When the washer broke, my first inclination was go to on the Sears website to look at new washers, but i am glad that i got it repaired.   next time it breaks though, i think we will get a more efficient one....

thanks for all your advice.  good tip about ebay though, i would never have thought of that. 

tooqk4u22

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2013, 11:54:53 AM »
Glad it worked out, but for future reference and others the parts probably could have been sourced for more like $50-75.

Older washers and dryers are about as basic mechanically as you can get - with basic understanding and the internet most people can do it themselves.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2013, 12:28:14 PM »
I think if I was not in a tizzy about it, I would have tried to source cheaper parts.  It is good to know that there is another option.  Not having laundry is a nightmare for me, with all the messy younguns in my house, and our general low amount of clothes.  We cant go very long without a washer.  I tried to hand-wash a load, but that was harder that it looked....

We have fixed our dishwasher ourselves 3x though, which I thought was pretty clever of us!

chucklesmcgee

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2013, 02:40:01 PM »
As discussed in another forum here, the savings of buying a new energy-efficient washer might actually be worth it. Depends on your usage, water costs and energy costs.

BPA

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2013, 04:16:54 PM »
I'm thinking of buying one of these when my washer bites it: http://www.amazon.com/The-Laundry-Alternative-Wonderwash-SpinDryer/dp/B002C8HR9A/ref=sr_1_2?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1361315607&sr=1-2&keywords=wonder+washer

However, it will depend on how many people I have to do laundry for and it doesn't spin dry clothes.

Mountainman75

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2013, 03:15:27 AM »
http://youtu.be/hffHSnZ_4ic

Pump is $13.75 from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Speed-Queen-Washer-27001233/dp/B002MR03JW

Belt is $3, http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Washer-Drive-Spin-27001007/dp/B001RQ1NEI/ref=pd_bxgy_k_text_y

Plenty of other videos online to help you diagnose and get the right parts. This ain't rocket science.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2013, 06:27:07 AM »
http://youtu.be/hffHSnZ_4ic

Pump is $13.75 from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Speed-Queen-Washer-27001233/dp/B002MR03JW

Belt is $3, http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Washer-Drive-Spin-27001007/dp/B001RQ1NEI/ref=pd_bxgy_k_text_y

Plenty of other videos online to help you diagnose and get the right parts. This ain't rocket science.

We are new to DIY.  I did a lot of online searches using the washer's problems and they all led me to believe that it was the belt and the bearings.  No where did it mention that the pump could be the problem.  We took apart the back and the belt looked in good condition (I guess...).  I have no idea where the bearings were, so that is why we called someone. 

Also, I am in Canada.  Amazon.ca is not all that it is in the US, yet.  It is true, maybe Canadian Tire or Home Depot carry these parts.  I will know for next time.

Now I realize that the dryer isnt really up to snuff either.  Takes much longer to dry a standard load than it used to.  it is a maytag and 9 years old, as well.

I wonder if a new one of these would help:

http://www.amazon.ca/Whirlpool-4391960-Element-Repair-Kenmore/dp/B003XRA3CM/ref=sr_1_13?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1361452941&sr=1-13

Daley

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2013, 07:09:17 AM »
Now I realize that the dryer isnt really up to snuff either.  Takes much longer to dry a standard load than it used to.  it is a maytag and 9 years old, as well.

Clean the lint out of the exhaust hose and pipe going all the way outside, as well as the built up lint in the back of the dryer with a vacuum before you invest in a new heating element.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2013, 08:41:49 AM »
Thank you!  this is what i am taking about!  i need to start at the basic of DIY then work my way up.

Mountainman75

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2013, 08:50:50 AM »
What make and model for the dryer?

Lots of them have a overtemp switch as a safety against fire. It's in the exhaust section that gets ducted out of the house typically. If it overheats, the fuse inside it melts and shuts off the heating elements. Then the dryer doesn't work.

So, when you run the dryer does it get hot at all? If its not heating then its probably the overtemp switch. Takes about 20 minutes to replace once you have the part.

Nords

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2013, 08:59:27 AM »
Now I realize that the dryer isnt really up to snuff either.  Takes much longer to dry a standard load than it used to.  it is a maytag and 9 years old, as well.
Like I.P. says, your description is a classic symptom of a clogged dryer exhaust-- the hose/duct leading out of the house, the dryer's internal ducting leading from the lint trap to the back/side of the frame, and the blower motor in between.

I once worked on a dryer exhaust made of sheet-metal ducting extending from the front of a house's crawl space to the back.  30 feet of it-- filled with 20+ years of lint and moldy condensate.  Hopefully you only have to deal with a few feet of yours.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2013, 09:28:40 AM »
i will do some investigating tonight.  we have time of use electricty rates in my city, so i will wait until the evening to turn it on, to test if it gets hot or not.

i hope it is not 20ft of moldy gunk.....

unplugged

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2013, 09:30:36 AM »
This site has steps to follow and a video as well:
http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Clothes-Dryer-Vent

I also clean the top lent trap religiously or it takes things longer to dry. I recently stopped using the occasional dryer sheet due to them sticking directly over the vent. I'm afraid that will shorten the life of my dryer.

Daley

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2013, 09:54:03 AM »
i will do some investigating tonight.  we have time of use electricty rates in my city, so i will wait until the evening to turn it on, to test if it gets hot or not.

i hope it is not 20ft of moldy gunk.....

I think you're over-thinking things and doing unnecessary troubleshooting steps. If it wasn't drying at all, you'd already know it as you could run the dryer for days and still have a wet tumbling mess. If the clothes are even remotely warm or dry coming out, it works and there's nothing to repair. If it's even remotely heating up but it takes longer to dry... your vent ducts just need cleaning. Honest and truly.

chatsc

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #19 on: February 21, 2013, 10:32:25 AM »
maybe i should start a thread about how to make your life more complicated, through over-analysing simple problems...

laundry makes me kinda crazy, i do admit.  the day we got our washer fixed, that night a round of flu hit one of my kids and it was a mess.  If i had not had a washer for that, i might have lost my mind...

tracipam

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Re: WASHING MACHINE BROKE - SERVICE CALL OR NEW ONE?
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2013, 11:29:59 AM »
Hi Friends!

Since I saw this thread was already more or less going, can someone help with a really stupid question?  I have a leaking washing machine--seems to start leaking towards the end of the cycle, so I'm guessing during washing or pumping the water out...in trying to troubleshoot that, I'm trying to get the front panel off of the washing machine to look at it, and it is stuck.  It's a front loading GE, and everything I can find says there should just be two clips between the front and top panels that you lift with a butter knife and pull it out from the top, but it's not pulling.  Is there something stupid I'm missing here?  Also, any other recommendations on whether you've seen this and it's a simple fix or not would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks, mustachians!

Tracy