My washer left scorch marks on my clothes

[ange]

Help! I just took my laundry out of the washer and almost all the clothes have a pattern of burned spots where they touched the drum....any idea what could have caused that? Could the drum have gotten stuck for a short time and overheated? Should I try using the washer again or is it now a fire hazard?
My washer is 11 years old. It's a Kenmore from Sears, Model 417.43042200

 

[pierreandreply4]

i would suggest you have a tech make an estimate to see if your washer is repairable at first and then depending on the repair cost you should evaluate if your washer did its time and also is it a top loa or a front load and a picture of the washer would help as i am no expert but there are kenmore expert on this site that should help you pinpoint your washer trouble

 

[kenmoreguy89]

there was another member here who reported a broken drum in a model similar to yours, so maybe they are prone to that.
It was named Brian..
Gotta confess it's first time I hear  and see such a thing,  my only guess is that drum  got it's welding failed  (it enlarged) and while spinning the drum holes finishes on the other sides  makes sparks touching the outter tub, though still weird being clothes mosit to be scorched like that, but  you should be able to see if the the welding point failed and now drum will touch the outter tub during spin and makes sparks...

Try to make it spin empty also for some seconds! It sure will make a terrible noise.

My first guess was that your machine had a sort of fail in the timer sending current to the heater while spinning, but your model shouldn't have an heater....it's not a combo washer dyrer either...so...
If it were the drum that would have heated for some  very weird reasons the holes should have been white and all the rest scorched...but here is something happened in the outter tub!

 

[henene4]

Hugh...

Sure the stains are burned?
Because only the areas where the holes in the drum are have that pattern. And than, only an internal heater could have caused that problem by turning on for what ever reason during the spin.
An overheated drum would have caused marks where the laundry touched the tub, and not where it did not.
I would run an empty cycle and check if the machine operates normaly. Stay with the machine for safety reasons.
But by now, I have no logical clue on how that has happend.

 

[ange]

Thank you for your input

The washer is a front load washer and it does not make a scraping sound of any kind.
I was thinking that maybe the space between the drum and what is around the drum got really hot and scorched the laundry through the openings in the drum. But then I guess the whole drum would have gotten really hot and scorched the clothes....
I am not 100% sure it's scorch marks. But they sure look like it. Some of them have almost black edges that look burned. I also gave rust or oil a thought, but it just does not look like either.

 

[logixx]

Does this model even have a heater? According to the parts list it doesn't. No idea what could have caused heat outside if the drum - other than it rubbing against something during the spin cycle.

 

[pierreandreply4]

If i where you i would do the following test?

If i where you i would do the following test if you have some old thorn rags i would put them in the washer and have it run a full cycle no detergent nothing from main wash to final spin it would enable you to check the following things

1 that the washer fills with water and tumbles with water in the washer

2 it would also permits you to check for burning smell as the washer wash

3 when the washer is filled for the main wash i would check with a termomiter if the water coming from the heater to the washer is to hot and last but not least check to see if inside the tub to see if there are any rust spots around the holes?

 

[ange]

I will try

I was thinking about trying to run it again. But I was a little hesitant, because I was afraid it might cause a fire.
I was checking on the stained load often while it was washing, since my daughter's new blanket was in the washer and she could't wait for it to be done.
The washer seemed to be going through its normal cycle. The laundry smells clean - not burned, it seems to be rinsed and the spinning cycle seemed to have done its job. The laundry was not overly wet. I also smelled the washer after I had discovered the marks and did not notice any unusual smell. There are also no rust stains around the drum holes and the drum doesn't make any kind of unusual noise when I spin it by hand.

 

[mrb627]

Frigidaire Sourced

What you have is a Frigidaire sourced front loading washer. No heater so I doubt that the stains are a result of combustion. I would dampen a paper towel with glass cleaner or something similar and wipe out the interior of the machine.

Most likely, you have a result of some rusty water. Perhaps from your water heater.

Malcolm

 

[aquarius1984]

Ange can you please post a picture of the washing machine drum please?

 

[aquacycle]

I've seen this once before on a UK frontloader. The bearings in the machine were so badly knackered that the machine was leaving black/brown spots of oil on clothes on full spin. Strangely, it didn't do it on a slow spin.

Try turning the drum by hand. If the drum spins smoothly, it's not the bearings. If the drum feels like it's grinding against something when you turn it, the bearings have gone and it will need attention.

 

[hooverzanmiele]

Kenmore Washer

Ange,

Is the pic below similar or identical to your machine?
Just so we have an idea of the machine, visually, as well as verbally, that we're dealing with, as it makes it easier for other members to relate responses to try & aid you rectifying this prob.

CJ

 

[ange]

running another load

I just gathered some old white towels and I'm running a load. see what happens. AquaCycle, Maybe it is oil and I guess it had to have happened only on the spin cycle or otherwise the oild would have gotten mixed with the water and stained the clothes all over....
HooverZanMiele, yes, that is exactly what my washer looks like.
I will take a picture of the drum when the cycle has finished.
thank you so much for all your input!

 

[ange]

very loud spin cycle

The cycle went through as usual. When it was on the last spin cycle, it was very loud. Almost like a train going by. I let it spin for a couple minutes and then I shut off the washer. There are no stains, spots on the clothes.
So I guess it must be the bearings?

 

[ange]

pictures of drum

 

[pierreandreply4]

i think its time for you to have the bearings in your washer replace its the better option rather than spending on a new washing machine

 

[appnut]

Bearings replacement in this machine is far more involved (and expensive) than simply having the bearings replaced.   Repair costs would be $300 or more from what I remember.  When mine started grumbling and growling during spin, I knew what it was and knew it was time to get a new machine.  A member here had the Frigidaire version and managed to get 13 years of heavy use out of it.  That's the longest duration of machine life for these I've heard thus far. 

 

[yogitunes]

IF, and that's a big IF, you can do the bearing/seal replacement yourself.....your looking close to 80.00 for the parts.....

what is mostly available or recommended is the rear outter tub with bearings and seals already installed cost around 700.00, and that's just the parts alone....

plus there is a chance that the spider may need replaced as well.....

just be prepared as to what may be involved in a job for one of these machines....

I am doing a bearing seal replacement on one of these now, theres a lot you have to take apart....

 

[wayupnorth]

Dont run it any more. The banging is only going to destroy the plastic outer tub. My neighbor had the same problem with the same Kenmore washer and as Yogi said it will be over $700. Not worth saving in my estimation when you can buy the same washer new for 5 hundred.