My 40 year old Maytag 511 has started making a squeeling noise only when the spin/drain engages after wash and rinse. But once it ramps up it runs normally. Is this something to be concerned about?
Maytag 511 washer developed strange noise
- Thread starter wayupnorth
- Start date
Help Support :
No, several years ago I joined AW when it developed a rat-tat and was immediately helped by members that I had a bad motor coupling. Fortunately, there is an appliance place nearby that knows how to fix older appliances and they replaced the 2 piece motor coupling and put 2 new belts on and it has run fine since, but that short squeel after the ker-klunk when spin/drain starts is new.
Maytags never had a motor coupling
Maytags never had a motor coupling
Motor pulley, I'm guessing.
The only part that will squeak on the initial spin cycle is the transmission belt. A bad pump will just keep on squeaking. Pop the front cover and be sure the motor carriage glides smoothly. Make sure the pump belt is on the looser side of the 1/4" tension spec. Not a bad idea to pop the pump belt off and check the bearings by giving it a spin. It should spin easily and smoothly.
Check the transmission belt and verify it's a genuine Maytag/Whirlpool belt. Clean the motor, transmission, and pump pulleys with brake clean or another solvent that doesn't contain oil.
Motor pulley, I'm guessing.
The only part that will squeak on the initial spin cycle is the transmission belt. A bad pump will just keep on squeaking. Pop the front cover and be sure the motor carriage glides smoothly. Make sure the pump belt is on the looser side of the 1/4" tension spec. Not a bad idea to pop the pump belt off and check the bearings by giving it a spin. It should spin easily and smoothly.
Check the transmission belt and verify it's a genuine Maytag/Whirlpool belt. Clean the motor, transmission, and pump pulleys with brake clean or another solvent that doesn't contain oil.
The guy that put that motor pulley on looked thru everything, he knew my machine. The replacement parts were in genuine Maytag bags. The replacement belts were Maytag ones and I saved the originals. I dont do alot of wash and wait until a hamper is full and then do a full load about once a week and I am used to hearing the same sounds when it is running. But that short squeel is not.
motor coupling
I think you're mistaking it for a Whirlpool design. Maytag did eventually have a motor coupler from 2007-2010.
I think you're mistaking it for a Whirlpool design. Maytag did eventually have a motor coupler from 2007-2010.
Excuse me. The pulley on the bottom of the motor where the 2 belts go on was replaced a few years ago.The repair guy showed me that the original was a 2 piece fused that separated and that was the noise before and he replaced it with a solid one piece and noise was solved. Mine is a 1984 model and I refuse to get rid of it for todays junk But the screech it started to do now is what I am concerned with..[this post was last edited: 8/17/2024-22:53]
Screeching Maytag at spin start
Hi Tim, this is probably just the main drive belt getting a little worn in glazed. You can even try just removing it and cleaning it turning it upside down but I would probably treat the swasher to a new main drive belt.
The pulley you had replaced was a four piece pulley that Maytag came up with, sometime around the time your washer was built they saved a few cents not welding it together. The previous pulley and the replacement pulley is a three-piece pulley that is welded together. I’ve never ever seen one of these fail.
You can’t blame Maytag too much for trying to save a few pennies. They just didn’t test it long enough to find out that it would fail in normal use, but to Maytags credit They always tried to improve things as they continued to manufacture. They often didn’t do enough testing in the first place, as evidenced by every Appliance they ever introduced they always had a lot of problems in the first Years of production with lots of redesigning and improvements following.
John
Hi Tim, this is probably just the main drive belt getting a little worn in glazed. You can even try just removing it and cleaning it turning it upside down but I would probably treat the swasher to a new main drive belt.
The pulley you had replaced was a four piece pulley that Maytag came up with, sometime around the time your washer was built they saved a few cents not welding it together. The previous pulley and the replacement pulley is a three-piece pulley that is welded together. I’ve never ever seen one of these fail.
You can’t blame Maytag too much for trying to save a few pennies. They just didn’t test it long enough to find out that it would fail in normal use, but to Maytags credit They always tried to improve things as they continued to manufacture. They often didn’t do enough testing in the first place, as evidenced by every Appliance they ever introduced they always had a lot of problems in the first Years of production with lots of redesigning and improvements following.
John
Thanks John, that does make sense. Its funny that the original belt lasted fine for 35 years and this Maytag replacement has already already started making noise after just 5 years. But it still runs great and have no plans to get rid of it for todays junk. Everyone I know that has to have the newest, bestest machines complain about them.
good-shepherd
Well-known member
Don't throw parts at it trying to find the problem unless reasonable sure you've identified the issue. Hard to believe the belt glazed over in 5 years unless something else is out of spec.
Try the suggestion above and also varying the tension on the motor slide using your foot or something to see if the noise changes or stops.
Try the suggestion above and also varying the tension on the motor slide using your foot or something to see if the noise changes or stops.
