Maytag Suds Saver issues.

[volvoguy87]

I'm in the process of getting a Maytag A408S ready for my boss. She is a historic preservationist and an environmentalist. She REALLY wants a suds saver as it is the best of both worlds. I found this A408S for $40.00 and picked it up wit the help of Retropia.

I've brought the A408S home and tested it. It's filthy but it works, almost. Some previous owner removed nearly all the suds saver stuff! The timer is still there, the suds save/drain buttons are still there, but that's it. It's missing the suds saver hose, the valve, and everything attached to it. The wiring wasn't cut, it was removed from the timer. It just has a regular hose coming from the pump.

What are the chances of finding any of these parts?
Dave

I think I can make a new suds return hose with some hose material and a GE drain hose crook, but everything else is a mystery to me.

 

[markk290]

Suds Valve

Dave I have seen the ones for KM/WP at Repair Clinic, but they are pricey. $150.00 for both the diverter and solenoid, $75.00 each. I fitted a KM/WP suds valves on Maytag and it worked fine. Not vintage but it served its purpose. Also I haven't checked into Maytag Valves.

 

[rollermatic]

i have also seen parts on

repair clinic and parts select as well as e bay recently. i have been scanning all 3 sites to see what maytag parts are out there as i just picked up an a606. not sure if they are what you need but it's worth checking out.

 

[combo52]

RESTORING A MT WASHER TO SUDS RETURN

All you need is the two way valve and bracket to attach it to the washer base. The hoses are easy to fabricate and the wiring to the timer is easy hopefully the wiring diagram is still in the console. I would put out a request to the club members for the two way valve assembly someone is sure to have one lying around to sell. We do have a complete MT A612 with suds saver at our shop that we will sell fully rebuilt and ready to go for $300.00 if anyone needs it.

 

[volvoguy87]

Suds Saver news!

My favorite local appliance parts store actually had a complete suds saver valve and it was in stock! Curiously enough, it came in an FSP box with no shelf wear. It's the whole suds saver valve assembly, not just the housing. I have the housing, the flapper, the solenoid, the mounting bracket, and all the guts. Now, how the heck do I mount the housing inside the washer? I assume the mounting bracket gets screwed to the base and that the holes are there from the old one. What kind of screws are used here? I'll need to go to the hardware store and get whatever screws it needs.

They also had the hoses in stock! They are marked with Maytag stickers and haven't got a single FSP marking anywhere on them. I still need to make a hose to go from the pump to the suds valve. How much suction is there on a suds return cycle? I need a good, but short, length of hose and I need advice regarding what kind to use. I don't want the hose to collapse in on itself while in a suds return cycle. Remember, this is going to be by boss's daily driver and she plans to use the suds return feature as frequently as possible.

I'm such a frequent customer the parts store gave me an account so I get discounts on parts so the total for all of this stuff wasn't that bad.

It's getting closer. I can't wait to return suds,
Dave

 

[rollermatic]

what store is that

please? since i am in cinti too i am always on the lookout for local places to search for parts. i usually deal with pearsol, which is basically downtown. they are owned by dayton appliance now.

any info will be appreciated.

 

[volvoguy87]

You got it!

It's Pearsol's. They're within walking distance of my house and they actually know many of the things I ask for.

Dave

 

[laundramatt]

Buy her the ultimate suds saver washing machine - a wringer washer! ;-}

 

[rollermatic]

i love pearsol's

long before i started going on line to parts select and others for parts i could always count on pearsol's for anything i needed! i can remember going there in the 70's for parts!

i was upset when the owner sold out to dayton appliance 2 years ago. they threw away all the old original hobart kitchenaid catalogs and i thought i was doomed! then i found the catalogs on e bay as well as many diagrams on hobart's own website.

but pearsol does rock!!! prices are good and they usually have it! anyone in the cincinnati area who needs parts should check them out!

thanks

 

[qsd-dan]

Great score on the suds parts. They probably have a lot of other goodies in stock as well.

 

[mistereric]

Nice score!

Hey Dave, how much was the assembly, if you don't mind me asking? Do they have more in stock?

 

[volvoguy87]

No idea if they have more in stock.

The valve/housing/guts was $88.00 but they give me a discount. It's listed on repairclinic.com for $86.00 or so plus shipping, and shipping shouldn't be bad.

The link is their website. Despite being part of a larger organization, the folks at Pearsol's (now Cincinnati Appliance Parts) are most helpful.

Dave

Encompass Parts: Replacement OEM Parts and Accessories

Encompass has a large inventory of OEM parts for a wide array of manufacturers. If it's not listed here we can help you find it.

www.partwizard.com

 

[volvoguy87]

Okay, issue #2!

I got all the parts and installed them. I've never taken the cabinet off a Maytag washer before, let me tell you, it was an absolute pleasure! Why the heck couldn't they have used a wiring harness like other manufacturers? Everything was wired point-to-point. There is no easy way to remove the cabinet!

Fortunately I was able to leave most everything connected and just scoot the cabinet away from the base just enough for me to work on it.

I installed everything and here is what happens:
The suds valve works. It diverts the drain water to the suds hose when set to "Save Suds" and it drains normally when set to "Drain Suds." My issues is that I can't get it to return the suds.

The washer agitates, but there is no suction. Granted, I was trying to return water from a tub-sink and I didn't have much water in it. There was enough to be a few inches above the bottom of the suds hose though. Do I need a full sink of water?

The wiring went as follows:
One wire from the save/return suds buttons to the suds valve.
The other wire from the suds valve to the "DV" terminal on the timer.

The parts store sold me a Maytag suds hose setup with a lower hose, a siphon break, and an upper hose. There is no mistaking these items for anything other than suds hoses.

I blocked the siphon break with the palm of my hand to see if that was causing the suds return problem. I felt no suction on it at all.
What is the proper way to install the anti-siphon device on a suds hose? Maybe I hooked it up wrong.

So close to saving water, detergent, and water heater fuel, but so far.

Eat your hearts out environmentalists,
Dave

 

[markk290]

anti-siphon device

Dave
The anti-siphon device should only be installed in the drain line not the suds saver line or the line to the diverter valve. The anti-siphon is precautionary stopping any water that could possibly by siphoned back into the machine through the drain line.
Also the suds hose should always have enough water in it, AFTER the wash water has been dumped, to draw even a few inches of water back into the machine. One way this might not happened is if the hose is lifted out of the water allowing the water to drain out of the hose. Mark

 

[volvoguy87]

Thanks.

The Suds Saver is now fully functional. The siphon break was indeed for the regular drain line, not the suds drain. I got a new connector and now all is well.

Sorry for asking so many easy questions. This is my 1st experience with a suds saver so I had nothing against which to compare it as I installed all the components.

Does anyone know what parts would be needed to turn Elginkid's A806 into an A806S?

Dave