My new Maytag A407

[robbinsandmyers]

Just picked up an A407 ser# 459759UB from a friend and cleaned her all up and washed my first load and love it. How do I find the year it was made? I know right off the bat its going to need belts they look original and stretched. The slides on the motor are kinda sticky and will need cleaning. I was surprised the trans didnt have a fill plug to top off any oil. The pilot light also flickers when the machine is on so that will need replacing and I noticed after the machine came to the end of the cycle and shut off the light didnt go off either until I pushed the timer knob in. Is this normal? Other than that it runs great and was worth the $50.00 plus free help getting it home.I hope I get some years out of it unless an older model with back lit panel in better shape comes along first.

 

[fester]

Good score !

I dig those center dial Maytags. My faves have the one with the back lit glass, but the blue/green and gold backs are a close second.

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes, you do have to push the timer in to shut the pilot light off. It is definitely from the 60's but is the same as my 84 Maytag as far as its construction.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Thanks for the info. Where is the best place to buy the correct belts online? Is that pilot light something impossible to find? Its a small issue but I want it to be on solid like it should when running.

 

[scoots]

Hi John and welcome to the club

Somebody will be along to look up the build date from your serial number, but I'd guess you have a late 60s model. You'll notice that half the dial is taken up by a timed soak? This was for the enzyme pre-soak detergents that were popular at the time but the cycle is now pretty much obsolete.

You'll also notice a button for "Permanent Press"? The permanent press fabrics of the time required elaborate water changes in the rinse cycle to cool the fabrics down correctly so that they didn't take wrinkles. Fabrics are now no longer made this way, so this feature is also obsolete and would be a real water-waster.

Hold off on replacing the belts, they may be old but Maytags MUST have Maytag specific belts that are much slacker than you'd expect (the motor deliberately "slips" at some points in the cycle.) They are super-easy to replace, perhaps take a few pictures for expert opinions on condition. One belt runs the agitator and this is the unit that typically needs replacement. The other just runs the pump, and these are rarely in need of a change out.

Maytag gear boxes typically don't have an oil fill plug: The transmission is intended to be a permanently sealed unit and the grease is replaced at the time of a pull out and rebuild.

Nice looking machine. Have fun with it.

 

[wayupnorth]

To get original Maytag belts its either Whirpool parts or e-bay. Grandson of the Maytag dealer I bought it from came and put a new motor pulley and belts in 15 minutes, told me my motor slides are fine and its good for another 30 years.

 

[scoots]

Regarding the Pilot Lamp

On some lower models, the pilot lamp was a dummy, on the upper end units, they actually worked. The 407 is towards the top, perhaps somebody knows specifically if it should work.

 

[70series]

The pilot light will definitely work. A neighbor who lived across the street from me had this model with the matching dryer. I believe this is an early 70s build.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

re:belts. They look really worn and stretched esp the pump belt. In fact the pump has been adjusted to its farthest point to take up as much slack as possible and the machine does make some chattering when it goes into wash mode for a few seconds that could be similar to noises refered to as bad belts in a post I read on here. The lamp does flicker which I cant see how its possible seeing as how its a neon bulb like those cheap 120v outlet testers have only it has a resistor on it in the socket. Its a pet peeve and wont make the machine run better but Im the kinda guy if something was made to work a certain way and it doesnt anymore than I replace it. Not sure if Im going to find this part unless its from a junk machine.

 

[rp2813]

Pilot

If it's just a small neon lamp, you can likely replace only the lamp and not the whole assembly.  I've done this with indicator lamps for old coffee makers and on vintage lighted dial GE clocks.  Snip or un-solder the bad lamp and solder the new one on. 

 

I'm sure someone here will be able to advise on the specific lamp number you will need, such as an A-2-B or something like that.  It would look something like this:

 

 

 

[DADoES]

 
The pump belt normally is quite loose ... almost alarmingly so.

Correct adjustment is by pinching the pump belt together halfway between the pulleys. There should be 1/4" space when the motor carriage begins to move against the spring tension.  More than 1/4" indicates the pump is adjusted too tight.

 

[mrsalvo]

It's a beautiful machine and I hope you get 30 years out of it trouble free. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of Maytags, this model is definitely something I could live with, very much so. Always thought they were they were more of the quiet machines built and just went about there business quietly. Sure were a lot of them in laundrymats that had this model, in years past. Nice machine, very nice.

 

[hippiedoll]

CONGRATULATIONS!!

I looked up your serial number & got this information:
Brand: Maytag
Type: Clothes Washer
Country: USA
Model: A407
Serial: 459759UB
According to the serial number this product may have been manufactured January of 1974.

 

[askolover]

all kinds of neon bulbs on ebay

 

[appnut]

The pilot light staying on after the load finishes is just to remind you there's wash in the machine that needs to be put in the dryer.  Incidentally, the user manual also said that if you wanted an extra rinse, to simply use the perm press cycle.

 

[ken-n-nancy]

FYI, there's a matching dryer (DE407) for your washer for sale in Rhode Island not too far away.

I have no connection with the seller -- I've just seen the ad while waiting for an A806/DE806 pair...

http://providence.craigslist.org/app/5342933282.html

 

[ken-n-nancy]

There's also a DE606 for sale in Manchester, CT.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/app/5342995538.html

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Many thanks for the replies. The driers look tempting but alas I have the landlords drier to use and space is scarce. I ordered a pair of FSP belts online and will install them in the next day or so. It really needs them as the agitator barely works with a large load and it doesnt spin as fast as it should plus I can hear the belt chirping its slipping so bad. Prob original belts. The neon bulb has a resistor on it, Im wondering why? I thought of getting just a plain bulb but they must have installed that for a reason. Also, my motor has red wheels and not square slides. Whats the best way to clean the muck from the tracks and should I lube the rollers or leave it dry? I was thinking Zoom Spout on the wheel axles. So far I love this thing its really made well. Thanks again.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

UPDATE:

I installed the new belts and even hit the rollers with some Zoom Spout but I still get a belt noise so I think maybe the slides need a good cleaning and greasing. The tub still takes too long to come up to speed and pretty much drops to its knees when the rinse cycle is happening its slipping so bad. Almost comes to a stop. Im deff gonna order new motor springs also as I think these lost some tension. Minor set backs but hopefully it will be working as its supposed to in short order. Any suggestions?

 

[LaVidaBoem]

Tell us More...

Hello,

 

OK a little info needed for clarification...

 

"Comes to its knees during the Rinse..."

 

Do you mean the spin rinse after wash?

 

Until later,

Maytags that tear up the belts fail in 2 areas usually.

If they eat the belts only when spinning, its usually the spin tube sleeve/bearing.

If they eat the belts during all operations, (agitation) its usually the transmission.

 

Post back, and others and I will try to narrow it down.

 

Hope this Helps,

LaVidaBoem

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Yes during the rinse/spin cycle it practically comes to a stop from the clothes being weighted from the water from a long rinse period while spinning but it seems to come up to normal spin speed slower than videos Ive seen of these. The belts I replaced really werent bad but prob stretched as Ive found out they were originals. Ive saved them for spares. I also dont seem to notice a difference in agitator speeds when I switch from normal to gentle etc while its working. Im kinda leaning towards the slides needing cleaning/lubing and new motor springs as a fix but I could be wrong. Im gonna try and figure out how to post a video of it running and making that noise. Many thanks for the help.

 

[combo52]

Slipping main drive belt on a MT

Are you sure that the pump belt is VERY loose if it is anything resembling tight the main drive belt will slip too much as the tight pump belt pulls the motor inward slightly and causes the main belt to slip more.  If the motor carriage moves freely you do not need new rollers.

 

Other than these possible problems you probably have a much serious problem as the last poster stated.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Hmm, well Ive tried several times to post a video on the comp and also my phone but it just isnt an option it seems. Is it possible or just pics?
re: pump belt. Yes its quite loose. I saw a video online how to adjust it and followed it precisly. I almost think its too loose as the tub doesnt seem to pump out as fast now. A video would really help me explain it if I was able to upload it. Its weird because when the machine goes into spin it takes right off like its going to spin like hell but looses steam after 30 seconds or so and would eventually come up to speed if the rinse cycle didnt bog it down weight wise with water. This is driving me nuts.

 

[wayupnorth]

One of our AW members posted a video of a Maytag 906 a while back doing a complete cycle and the ins and outs of operation. I am sure it is in the archives and maybe by watching how one properly operates, you may be able to see just what is wrong with yours.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

I tried uploading the file in a reply but the movie doesnt seem to show up in the folder in my comp and when I tried in my phone it didnt appear in my videos folder. Its in .MOV format should I change it?

 

[wayupnorth]

It was originally posted from You Tube so check it out there. Title is Maytag 906 extravaganza

 

[LaVidaBoem]

Pump out on Maytag

Hello

Only got a few before I feed Pharaoh's Army today; but your clues lead me to believe that the old girl can't get rid of the water fast enough.

And maybe possibly more...

I'll list a few steps that a would tell a man to do...

At wash drain...

Stop the machine, flip the belt off of the tranny, but leave on the pump; take a 5 gallon bucket, time the fill,...it should fill that thing in almost no time.

Empty the washer this way.

Stop. Replace belt on tranny...turn off cold...spin...Any better?

 

A pump can go bad or have a restriction, a piece of rust, thingy's,...etc.

Your clue about the drain faster before the adjusted the belt too loose tells me that maybe bearing is going bad in pump/restriction making it hard to turn.

 

Anyway, others can tell you of their shortcuts to finding out.

Key:

If spin as above starts out, and then bogs down after time...dragging brake or spin tube bearing as I stated.

 

more to come later,

LaVidaBoem

 

[DADoES]

 
Videos cannot be posted directly here.  They must be placed online via some other storage service and linked.  Most people use YouTube.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

The pump itself does spin freely. In fact I took the little screw out on the side and squeezed some Zoom Spout in there but Ive turned it by hand and it spins very easy. I did turn the water valve off once to eliminate the rinse cycle and she spun like a banshee once it was able to get up to speed without the added drag of water being added. I did forget to mention that when the machine first goes into the agitate cycle when first started the agitator moves slowly and the tub seems to want to spin instead of staying stationary then once the agitator comes up to speed the tub just turns in small notches. With the front off it does want to agitate and come up to spin quickly. I moved the motor back when it engaged into spin mode to tension the trans belt and I lt go because I was afraid water was going to splash over and go on the floor because the pump wasnt pumping it out as fast as it was trying to spin. If I could load that video I think that would help. Any ideas on that???

 

[kenwashesmonday]

A full tub of water (large) should empty in about 90 seconds.