Horrible Maytag "Damich"

[mickeyd]

Favorite head hanky rent up the middle; bath mat frayed all in one load, after only one wash. What is going on?

 

[mickeyd]

Started out so innocent, yesterday around noon.

After Tim's inspiration, I decided to use the suds Return to return real suds rather than to simple pump fresh water into the 806. The Norge was the donation or reservoir machine.

 

[mickeyd]

I thought, Oh I hope I can get

A good shot of the suds returning, so the members can enjoy the drama, maybe even get some converts. I did a medium load of whites, letting them soak a while and then proceed, saving the suds. Here it is returning from the Norge to the 806.

 

[danemodsandy]

Agitator Riding Up?

I briefly had this problem with my Almond 806 washer - the problem was that the agitator wasn't seated correctly on the shaft. This left a small space between the agitator's skirt and the tub, ready to catch and fray and rrrrrip!

Removing the agitator and reseating it correctly resolved the problem. Hope your resolution is that simple.

 

[mickeyd]

Next load in,

I put it to soak at about 2 o'clock, by pressing the dial in. Then at 3 just before leaving for a bike ride, I ran out to the deck to grab the do-rags I wear when swimming on windy days so the kite surfers can easily see my head bobbing between the swells, and not run me over. Threw the kerchiefs into the machine, and pulled the main dial out which was still in the "Suds Return position, just to let them agitate a minute before leaving.

 

[danemodsandy]

Huh?

I don't think I've ever seen a white dial and an acrylic knob and a blue panel insert all on the same machine before!

 

[mickeyd]

Came home, snacked, and at about 5:20, I opened the door from the kitchen to the garage, and found this:

 

[kenmore71]

2-1/2 hours agitating in any machine without enough water will tend to damage things!

 

[mickeyd]

The Infinite Wash Cycle, Courtesy of Maytag

I SWORE I hit the dial to stop the agitation after putting the head hankies, now known as the head case hankies, into the machine and letting them go a bit. Did the garage mouse I've befriended, hit the dial on me?

Those poor sorry clothes were "warshed and warshed" for almost to and a half hours. I know that Chinese laundries used to wash clothes "a good hour." Once had a fool-proof method for maintaining whitest whites by washing for an hour in the Easy on G E N T L E.......... H E L L O O O O O O.

Also,this load could also have stood a bit more water. Well, the Infinite Wash Cycle sure works. Except for the items in pic 1, and a lot of white lint on the deck after the shake and hang, everything else was fine. Just going to keep my eye on the items to see if any of them wear out too soon. As the French say: " Tout est bien que finit bien." All's well that ends well.

 

[mickeyd]

Sandy, the agitator is as tight as a drum, and gap-free, but thanks. I don't know enough to know if the dial is a replacement, but I doubt it . Will ask Ross next time around.

Mark, I'm the dunce here not Maytag; other machines might have done far worse. Indeed, the 806 Suds has become one of the machines I would take to the proverbial island.

Gentlemen, the wonders of the 806 S never cease. Yesterday was the first time I actually saved suds. And during the spin, the valve clangs shut at the exact same second the spray rinse begins. Amazing split-second timing. Seeing that and the first rinse water shooting out the "other" hose was enlightening and riveting.

 

[wayupnorth]

NEVER

Leave any appliance running when not right there at home. Too many people left dryers going and burnt down their house or washer hoses that decided to burst since they were not turned off. Worth the 2 seconds of caution to prevent a lot. Even though my old Maytags are almost 30, I am right there with them when running.

 

[combo52]

MAYTAG SUDS-SAVERS

I have always wondered why MTs suds return position on the timer dial did not advance either into the normal cycle or to an off position like other SS washers. We speculated that they wanted to allow the user to set it on suds return for and extended wash time like users of wringer washers could.

 

While any agitator washer probably would do some damage to a load allowed to wash for 2 1/2 hours this washer was already the hardest on clothing of any 1970s agitator machine., one of the reasons that MT only allowed a 10 maximum wash time to start with.

 

While I have spent countless hours watching my machines run, I also expect them to be reliable and often leave even the vintage machines running when I leave either the area or the house altogether. Life to too full of important and fun things to be tied to an appliance, after all this is the promise that these appliances made when they were sold and I am holding them to it.

 

[tomturbomatic]

My 806 washer and dryer have this knob, dial & panel color combination. That is the way they came and even the pictures in the instructions show it this way.

 

[mickeyd]

That's the killer, Tim. I swore I pressed the dial in. It had to have been the mouse. Wouldn't dream of leaving a conventional on to wash for two hours while I was out biking. But automatics, dishwashers, dryers--have left them running and gone out all my life without disaster.

John, I thought the same thing. Wash long like a wringer. It even sounds like the conventional when washing, the same low percussive RUM rum RUM run RUM rum.

Thought it looked too pretty and natural to have been a replacement, Tom

 

[frigilux]

Thanks for sharing your story of the Infinite Agitation! Now...if your mouse can learn how to hang clothes on the line, you'll be set, LOL.

 

[circlew]

Sandy,

the Maytag set my mom bought in '73 has the white dial, acrylic knob, and blue panel. The washer was an A207 (gave away), and the dryer is a DE406 (still have).

 

[danemodsandy]

Tom & CircleW:

Well, we're supposed to learn something every day, and I guess this was my lesson for today.

I'm guessing this combination was seen during a transitional phase from the first series of "New Generation" machines to the second one. If anyone knows the full story, I'd love to be enlightened.

 

[mickeyd]

Laughing out loud, literally

That's probably the funniest pic I've seen in a month. What a delight and what a surprise.

The other day, I mislaid the garage door opener, and popped off one of the cushions on the short couch on front of the washers, looking for it. There, eyeballing me straight on was a fine healthy gray mouse. I smiled at him and said, "Don't worry....I'm just looking for the opener." He watched as I removed the the other cushion, then ran back and forth and out the back where the pop-up footrest mechanisms are. He's been greeting me ever since I let him live.

I guess your pic is not just funny but prescient, because I'm certain his friends are on the way; however, any more Infinite Wash Shenanigans, and out they go.

Thank You, Eugene

 

[jetcone]

Mikey Go see the thread below

1- 18 hour jeans!!

 

I totally agree with MS today! These machines are marked automatic and thats what they have to do!!

 

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?3664

 

[gansky1]

LOL - I forgot how much lint there was in that debacle!