Amana Washer Howls

[wnlewis]

My wife and I have an Amana Commercial Quality washer, Super Capacity Plus, model PALW210RAW. It is making a loud howling noise.

The S/N is 00062453700. It has a two speed motor, model number S68PXMCM-1063, part number 40095001. Everything looks fairly clean in the motor/transmission area.

Any thoughts as to what might be causing the howling sound (all the time) and how to fix it?

It has the 3.3 Cu. ft. Stainless Steel tub.

 

I can send pictures as required. It might be possible to upload some video to my wife's web site.

Thanks for any ideas.

Neal Lewis
[email protected]

 

[pulsator]

My first guess would be a bad bearing. If it is howling all the time (during agitate and spin) I would say either the pump bearing or the motor bearing is at fault. A new motor would be rather costly but a pump shouldn't be too bad. Also, it is a howling noise and not a squealing noise right? If it's squealing a new belt would be needed (very inexpensive). If there is something else to check, others will chime in.

 

[mixfinder]

Tub Bearing

Jaime if it heard during the spin is it possible the cermamic disc/seal the tub rides on could be wearing?

 

[queeny77]

roaring during spin means the bearing is shot,and usually is leaking water on the bearing.

 

[wnlewis]

Guys,

I took off the bottom plate. Then I put in a little water and set it to final spin dry. The sound is not a belt squeak. It is a low pitched howl.

The sound appears to be coming out of the bottom end of the motor. I have pretty good ears and there was a marked difference in the level of sound between the top and bottom of the motor. The sound did not appear to be originating from any other location.

Thanks,

Neal

 

[pulsator]

If your sure it's coming from the motor, you could try spraying some WD-40 Lithium around and up in the motor shaft to see if that helps. If that doesn't help, the motor will probably need to be replaced.

 

[wnlewis]

It won't hurt to try. I have the PB Blaster (which freed the dry bearings) which I have used with good effect on the alternator on my Wife's Corsica. I then followed up with white lithium chain saw lubricant for a heavier oil. Still need the new alternator, but it's getting us by for a little while.

So I will try that.

Thanks for the good idea.

Just applied PB Blaster to the bearing or top shaft location where the shaft from the motor goes into the top of the pump. I also shot PB blaster into what appears to be the location for the bottom bearing on the motor.

Being an inquisitive type I pressed on the pump to see what sort of vibrations were coming out. My application of sideways pressure resulted in a diminution of sound. The harder I pressed on the pump casing, the less the sound. When I released my pressure the sound did not resume. I followed the PB Blaster with some regular (not lithium) WD-40.

There appeared to be more vibration coming from the pump than from the motor.

My wife is running a load of clothes and the washing machine is sounding normal and acting correctly.

Is it possible to replace the pump and not the motor?

Does this sound like a likely solution?

Thanks,

Neal Lewis

Neal

 

[pulsator]

Certainly! The pump is definitely replaceable separate from the motor!

 

[wnlewis]

I did a quick check on pricing for the pump, about $57.50 and shipping. I checked the cost for a motor, about $198 and shipping. Not bad really.

Any suggestions of good places to go for parts? I think I would prefer to get new, rather than used.

Thanks,

Neal Lewis

 

[pulsator]

I've always had fantastic service buying parts from Repairclinic.com. Just type in the info on your machine, make, model, appliance type, etc and then it'll help you find the part. I would suggest being careful about which pump you get, make sure it looks like the one you have. Whirlpool now makes Amana washers and dryers and their machines are very different from yours! It would also be cheaper to buy the dryer thermostat at the same time so they can be shipped together.

 

[wnlewis]

Thanks.

I checked the place. Looks good. They only list one pump for the washer so I think I would be pretty safe.

Your note about getting all the parts for both machines at the same time is good advice.

Thanks again to everyone.

Neal Lewis

 

[macboy91si]

Amana

Well, just so you know, these machines were notorious for seal and bearing failures, and a bearing will emit more a of a howl/growling noise than the pump would. Plus I would think that pump, if it were worn enough so make that great of a noise, would leak by now at least a few drops.

 

-Tim

 

[wnlewis]

It won't hurt to replace the pump. It appears to be made of nylon. Nylon gets brittle with time and fractures.

Your point about it being more likely a bearing does make sense, since the bottom bearing is going to take the load.

Is that bearing integral to the motor, or is it something that could be reasonably pressed on and off (although once you pay someone to press a bearing, you have paid half the price of a new motor, and if it is not done correctly, have a bearing that will not last very long)? I am assuming it is a thrust bearing of some sort (may be an incorrect assumption).

Thanks,

Neal Lewis

 

[cfz2882]

bearing

the"problem"bearing on these is a ball bearing near the top of the transmission
underneath the tub-from what i understand,amana used a lip seal riding on an
aluminum sleeve(bad material choice for that part)with time and depending on
many factors,that sleeve gets a groove worn in it allowing water to seep into
and ruin the tub bearing.Replacing the bearing involves major dissasembly.
The pump impeller does not have a bearing and relies on the motor bearing
to keep it centered-noisy pump may be caused by someting that has gotton
into the outer tub and lodged in the pump,rubbing the impeller.