My Amana washer SASSED me today :(

[chromacolor]

I just wanted to get your opinion on a washer problem I discovered today, and get your thoughts and your opinion on the washer itself.
I have a circa 1997 Amana washer/dryer set. I can't find the model number on the washer, but the matching dryer is model number LE7121WM if that gives you an idea of the age.
Anyway.. I don't wash much in gentle cycle, but did a load today and discovered it does NOTHING in Gentle. (talk about an EXTRA Gentle cycle) It works on normal. I like the features on the washer as it has a LARGE stainless steel tub.
I plan on getting a vintage Maytag or whatever soon, but what's your opinion as to what the problem could be. Also, what do you think of Amana's of this era? Keep or P.O.S?

 

[gansky1]

It may be a single speed machine or possibly a two speed, but the gentle cycle may have periods of agitation and soaking to make it more gentle and you just happened to hit the timer in a soak or rest phase on the timer. Could you get it to spin at all in that cycle?

 

[chromacolor]

My bad....
I talked with Greg about the washer tonight, and tried it out again. I must have been having a "senior moment" when I tried it out earlier. Like I said.. I never do loads in gentle. Anyway.. the washer DOES work on gentle cycle, Odd cycle tho.. you set it for 8 minutes, and it does nothing until the timer hits 4 minutes, then it goes into a wash/pause agitation.

 

[rp2813]

I had this same vintage of belt-eating Amana washer and the gentle cycle was nearly non-existent. It's almost all soak and out of the entire cycle time, maybe there are 2 minutes of periodic agitation at most.

Needless to say, there was no love lost when that washer and its companion rattle trap of a dryer were loaded onto a pickup in exchange for $200 a couple of months back.

My new Duet HT pair are a joy to use in comparison.

 

[chromacolor]

Heh! Dude.. I hear ya on that! That damn washer is "quirky". Once in awhile it will NOT fill on rinse cycle. The water just runs straight thru it. I am told tho that is because the drain hose goes straight into the drain hole in the floor and is not elevated. I discovered it won't fill on the rinse cycle at ALL when the "gentle" mode is chosen. So I guess I won't be using that feature. I'll have to get that hose elevated and see if that helps. I noticed mine also soaks for almost the entire gentle cycle and agitates for like 2 minutes. (in a wash/pause mode)
I bought my house in 2005, and the appliances were included. My basement stairs are somewhat "evil" so figured I wouldn't mess with anything until it totally conks out. A vintage Maytag or Whirlpool will be taking its place. Were yours the stainless "desingner series" ? They don't look bad. As for my dryer.. that I currently have NO problems with. Mine is quiet and you do not have to run it very long to get a load dry.
As for the other appliances that came with my house... I sold them. This was covered in another thread (along with pix, including the Amana pair) but for those of you that have been to a wash-in at Gregs, I now have the 1956 Frigidaire that was in his garage in my kitchen. I am now using my grandmas 1956 GE stove, and also thanks to Greg, I have a Mobil Maid dishwasher.

 

[goatfarmer]

Amana washers of about any vintage are not associated with the word "dependable", although the Speed Queen designed ones were OK.

kennyGF

 

[hoover1060]

I had this same vintage of belt-eating Amana washer

I have one too, vintage 1998, and it ate two belts...I still have the machine, but its been put out to pasture kinda, I replaced it with my Maytag A608 last year and just stored the Amana...

 

[rp2813]

Jeff, I'm wondering if the belt-eating tendencies of this vintage of Amana (made by Raytheon) can be associated with installation or tensioning. After the last service guy installed the 4th belt in 9 years, the washer seemed to sound and perform better than it ever had. I was already looking to replace this pair at the time but have to wonder if maybe my belt replacing days would have been over or at least fewer and further between if I had hung onto them. Interstingly, I replaced a center dial Maytag pair with the Amanas, all due to the Maytag dryer's drum freezing up beyond reasonable repair. And I loved that electronic contol dryer as much if not more than the washer. I suspect the old washer is still plugging away out there somewhere.

Jamie, my Amana pair were simply badged as "Commercial Quality" and the washer had the stainless tub but not the dryer. After many years using a solid center-dial pair, it was impossible not to find the replacement Amanas super flimsy in comparison and I never warmed up to either of them. A true old-school Maytag is a tough act to follow for any machine.

Ralph