Repairing a Maytag A608

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

cindyn54

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2019
Messages
7
Location
Hillsboro, TX
Loud squeal at end of wash cycle, and now the drum is "frozen" in place. I really want to have this washer repaired. Is there someone in Central Texas who can work on it for me?
 
Hi Cindy, welcome to the forum!

First things first, check under the lip at the very top of the wash basket, all the way around that edge. Feel around, as it’s hard to see with your eyes. A suddenly appearing squeal and stuck tub could be a symptom of a stuck piece of clothing.

Here’s a photo of a sock that was stuck in my A209 when I purchased it, giving those same symptoms.

lowefficiency-2019061016542505404_1.jpg
 
Amazing! I think there IS something stuck in there, but I can only see a bit of it. It also looks like it needs a good cleaning in there. What is the best way to remove it?
 
Unplug the machine. Take the front panel off, by removing the 2 screws on the lower front. Pull the bottom of the panel away from the washer, and the top unhooks. There are 2 screws that hold the top assemble to the cabinet. Take those 2 screws out, and tip the washer top back.

 See if you can dislodge whatever is in there this way. If not, take off the band clamp that circles the outer tub, and lift the sub top off.
 
Turns out there wasn't anything stuck in there. So, I think I would really like to have someone work on it who is experienced with these old washers. I am a bit north of Waco, TX, and can take it to the Dallas area if need be. Anyone out there interested?
 
now the drum is "frozen" in place

So the machine will agitate but not spin?

If so, there still could be an item of clothing jammed between the inner and outer tub further down out of sight.
 
Stuck Tub In A MT DC Washer

Take the washer front off and see if there is any evidence of leaking from the seal above the transmission, on a washer this old there is a good chance the top bearing is sized from a water leak.

 

In any case try and find a good local repair person to check out and repair this washer, IF it is fixable be prepared to spend $ 300 and $600 to get it in good working condition.

 

John
 
 
I'd volunteer to have a look at it but she'd need to bring it down ~3.75 hrs distance.  I have three bearing/stem seal kits and three belt sets on-hand for spares and a long-time pending project.  I've done only one bearing job, for a friend in Feb 2013, but it hasn't (yet) come back, LOL.  Probably better to get a professional working-servicer on her case.
 
>> but I would really like to find another LA 608, if possible.

Hi Cindy, that new detail ("LA608" vs the originally typed "A608") actually changes things quite a bit.

The Maytag washers of this series were produced for about a decade, with the A608 model appearing in the last few years of that. The "L" prefix, however, indicates that your machine is the Light Almond color, which came quite late in the run as well, also only the last few years.

Almond machines in this series don't show up for sale very often. Combine the rarity of the color, with a specific model (A608) that was only produced for a few years, and your odds of finding one used like it, 40 years later, in good working condition, are a needle in a haystack. You might find one, but it might take years of searching to do so. And you might only find one in worse shape than yours.

So with that in mind, I would say your best bet is to either find a local repair shop to work on your machine, or dive into it yourself if you are mechanically inclined. Finding someone to work on it may be difficult - grab the phonebook and call every standalone Mom & Pop type place you can find, until you find someone willing to look at it.

The GOOD news is that the most valuable part of your machine is the cabinet and control panel, both of which could be swapped over to the mechanical guts of any machine from a 20+ year span as a last resort. So even if your machine is given a terminal diagnosis, you are still far from being out of luck. Of course doing this would still require a local service person willing to work on the machine...

Good luck!
 
Finding Another LA608 Washer

Reply # 14 is good advice, however Almond colored MTs are very common in this time period, nearly 1/2 of MTs production was the almond color from 1977-the mid 80s.

 

MT dropped the avocado, harvest and Coppertone sooner than the bigger appliance manufactures leaving the almond color as the only choice to common and tired white.

 

John L.
 
This is where I wish I had some better information on the production dates. From the brochures scans others have posted, I can see that most of the colors (avocado, etc) continued at least through '78, and Harvest Wheat at least through '89 on select models.

... but for this case, the change-over from the -06/-07/-08 center-dial models to the restyled -10 series happened in what, 1980?
So there were still only those few years from 1977-80 that could have produced an Almond center-dial machine like what Cindy is after.

Please let me know if you have better or more specific information!
 
It would be great if I could either repair my washer, or find another one, same model. But I'm open to finding another vintage Maytag, preferably something from 70's or 80's.
 
Well, I found a very reputable appliance man who came and took a look at my washer. Sadly, the verdict is, it has reached the end of the road. Transmission is bad. After a brief period of mourning, I am looking for another "older" machine now. Just do not want anything electronic.

I hate to sell the Maytag for scrap. Is there anyone who would want it? It is a nice-looking machine.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top