Diagnosis: Noisy Unimatic

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

swestoyz

swestoyz

Well-known member
Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
6,602
Location
Cedar Falls, IA
Hey Guys,

About a month ago I took some video of the common sounds the Unimatic makes while washing. I will be changing computers soon so I wanted to put together a video to hopefully troubleshoot the issue before tossing the raw footage.

Everything I've checked seems tight and good to go:

Pulsator Nut
Tub Nut
Mechanism Support nut
Snubber plate and snubber
Cross Member
Top lid is secured well

Take a listen to the video (upped the sound quality and lowered the video) and let me know if you have any suggestions. I haven't been using it as often lately as I suspect I'll be tearing into her soon (or if time from the house allows!). Thanks again for your help!

Ben



7-8-2008-07-54-50--swestoyz.jpg
 
How 'bout the screw inside the agitator ?

All I hear is the same buzzing bees in the frigidaire bonnet which is just the vibration and humming coming out of the "salt shaker" perforated pulsator.

Mine makes the exact same sounds, so whatever you got, I got ;'D

You've made that baby look brand new; methinks there's nothing wrong with her, but I am only a novice.

Thank you, Ben for a wonderful video.
 
Hey Mike -

I do know that the pulsator column hold down screw is tight.

Also checked the out-of-balance lever - it seems fine too.

The noise appears to be coming from the lower section of the machine and as it vibrates up through the cavity it increases in volume.

Ben
 
While I am not experienced with unimatics, did you check to make sure the machine was perfectly level and all feet are solidly contacting the floor. It kind of sounds to me like a reverberation in the machine.
 
Does that sound only happen after the start winding has kicked out? Can you pinpoint where underneath the sound is coming from?
 
Ben, I think you might have a hose knock,knock,knockin'.

In the beginning you rock the empty tub back and forth and it knocks. If I do that with my WO-65-2 it is silent.
As far as your test goes, I'm thinking the load on the first spin was situated so that it put the tub out of balance just a tad more than the final spin does. So it doesn't knock on the final spin.
So you hear the knocking if you manually rock the tub back and forth or if the tub spins a bit out of balance.

I used to get a bit of knock with another Unimatic I have since I did not replace the S shaped section of discharge hose with factory hose-----I used a piece of that clear hard hose, and it tended to want to tap against the cabinet at the pass-through point if the tub became even the slightest bit out of balance.

O.k.---my two shekels.
 
Confounded thing!

Good video, Ben.

We spent a while with this machine here in Omaha a couple of months ago and checked all the things that he mentioned - there are no hoses or wires knocking, all parts seem tight and secure. Ben cleaned and polished the snubber plate and even made sure the snubber spring is firmly in place and clean. We tightened the nut and seal assy. onto the mechanism and made sure everything was secure under the tub. I was thinking that the off-balance lever might be rattling from the reverberations in the outer tub/cabinet, but it sounds like that is OK too.
 
Torque -

To answer Robert's question - yes, it will only rattle during spin once the start winding has disengaged - and the run winding is in full force. I think that the amount of torque the motor is creating during the initial start-up is cushioning *something*, then once it is able to maintain speed and no longer requires the large amounts of torque, the rattle comes alive. it is hard to pinpoint the exact location - but it almost sounds like to pieces of metal outside the mechanism are hitting each other - like a torn piece of steel or something not being completely bolted or secured down properly.

Steve - I found the hose below at an Advanced Auto parts store - but I'm pretty confident that the PN seen below would work at most auto parts stores. If you cut the little bit of extra off the hose it fits like a glove. I originally attributed the issue to that very hose but was a bit disappointed that it didn't cure it. The hose on the far left is what it came with, the 2nd was a failed attempt, and the last hose was perfect.

If the machine is spinning and you gently move the mechanism around while floating on the snubber there is a sweet spot that makes the rattle stop. I have a suspicion that there is an issue somewhere in the mechanism support.

I didn't have time tonight, but I'll take the top off tomorrow for further investigation.

Thanks for the input!

7-8-2008-20-49-11--swestoyz.jpg
 
Start switch

Anyone ever take apart a relay for the start winding current? I'd imagine there's something in that assembly which can get loose or wear, and thus rattle.

My clue is the absence of noise while the start is engaged. when engaged the relay armature is bound tight with magnetic force, but when disengaged it is loose and can rattle. sound plausable?

No noise with relay engaged, noise with relay disengaged. sounds like the relay has worn it's armature and that's rattlin'. I can't imagine the motor is sloppier in the bearings with start current vs run, but that might also be it. Occam's razor suggests the start relay as a first go.
 
Ben what is the condition of the rubber surrounding the nipple under the snubber plate? This nipple and rubber ring goes into the cup that is welded to the crossbrace. I've seen these make banging sounds if the rubber has hardened. The fix for this is to take some grease and grease the outside of the rubber ring and inside of the cup, this might solve the problem, but be very careful not to get any grease on the top of the snubber plate or bottom of the pump plate.
 
1/2 Update

Gang,

The rubber around the snubber (that sounds funny) was in good shape upon last inspection.

Tonight I started to dig into the machine. Thought I had a tub nut wrench - apparently I do not. But - after some more testing and listening - the sounds are definately coming from the mechanism support. After inspecting the issue by placing my hands under the tub and feeling around the support - here is what I've come up with.

1) the main bearing for the spin cage is shot.

2) the mechanism support is very pliable - I can press it fairly easily with my fingers and doesn't seem too stiff. I have #2 pointing on the fold area, and by touch that area seemed almost too soft. I didn't feel any holes or tears though in the support. Also it felt as though the support was secured well to the rim of the outer cabinet.

3) nut and seal assembly. I could feel slop in this while shaking the tub - not sure if it has to do with the nut and seal not being tight again, but could feel the mechanism slightly move around. By hand the nut did not feel loose. Not sure if that is attributed to the pliability of the support or not. How tight should all of this feel? It is almost as if the spin shaft cage is not 100 percent secure - which takes me back to number 1.

While starting this journey I also have discovered that the oil bellows had a slight tear at the bottom. Yay - something else to track down!

Any further suggestions or input would be helpful. I won't be able to dive into it until next week.

Ben

7-9-2008-21-09-29--swestoyz.jpg
 
Hi Ben--what an "edjeecation"--thank you

The back of mine is open to view from the living room and I've spent many the minutes watching all the goings-on. The wind-up for the spin is so energetic, and then wah-wah-wah-bong--she's loose. I also love watching the spin solenoid click/slip down after pulsation, and in a split second the spin starts.

Right underneath the spin switch is a small metal plate. It looks exactly like a miniature version of the chrome soap dishes or shelves from the 50's. Would you tell me, Ben, what the little shelf is for?

There I am on the floor behind the machine, out of sight, with my head stuck in side the 1x2 foot permanent opening.;'D So cool they engineered it that way. Wonder why.

7-9-2008-22-38-54--mickeyd.jpg
 
Hey Greg -

No I haven't been able to pull the tub yet. I will try to find a wrench to take the tub nut off - a trip to Sears for a 20 dollar wrench that I will cut in half will be my fate.

I was reading about the tang last night in the reopperating manual - that will be something to look for next week. Thanksf for the tip!

We'll all get this figured out soon.

Ben
 
I will try to find a wrench to take the tub nut off - a trip

Well actually you can just go to work and pick one up, with no cutting necessary
S14.gif


 

Similar threads

lebron
Diagnosis: Noisy Unimatic (Revisited)
Replies
3
Views
4
gyrafoam
G
Q
Did I make the smart choice?
Replies
9
Views
19
qualin
Q
jetcone
Diagnosis Noisy Unimatic
Replies
2
Views
3
saltysam
S
C
R.I.P. Max – our brave little dog (27th October 1993 to 5th September 2007)
Replies
13
Views
14
carlstock
C

Latest posts

Back
Top