Speed Queen Washer Intermittent Water Leak

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unfortunately you have a choice....

take the front cover off, and watch every load until you find the issue...

OR....leave the machine while its in operation, and wait until it floods your basement....

if you have to, get one of those water detectors, and place the sensor on the floor, just don't ignore the buzzer when it sounds off.....


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Starting about a week ago I asked my wife to start keeping a detailed log - of all the cycle options chosen as well as what she is washing, and then whether it leaked a little, a lot, or none at all. I also asked her to take a picture of the leak area when possible each time.

I have been keeping the cover off - unfortunately it doesn't seem to leak when I'm home or watching it. I'm working 12 hour days and the majority of the laundry is washed while I'm at work. I stood and watched a load last week, and of course it didn't leak. On the days it does leak, all I see when I get home is some water pooled in the low spots inside the bottom frame/case of the washer. I'm still seriously considering putting a web cam on it...if nothing else it might give me a clearer picture as to what point in the cycle the leak occurs.

I ut the cover back on for the pictures that you saw - as this has been dragging on for a while, I'm considering reaching out to the store that I bought it from, so I figured it would be safer to take a picture of it with all covers on!
 
these machines have a corrugated drain hose, which can easily get a pin hole, or crack at the seams....

would not hurt to place your hand over the end of the drain hose while pumping out to sort of pressurize it, just to rule stuff like this out..

at this point, anything is possible

but yeah, would not hurt to put a camera on it....

keep us posted
 
My wife went down there this morning with 16 minutes remaining in the load and it had already leaked. She decided to go down a few minutes earlier during the next load and happened to see it starting flowing out from under the machine when the minutes remaining was at about 20 - which was about the time it started spinning (about 10-11 minutes into the cycle). The status display said "wash" at the time. I'm guessing this would be the low speed spin - spray at the end of the heavy duty wash cycle. Apparently she caught it on video... I think a little had leaked out prior to her getting down there. Her video apparently clearly shows the water originating on the right side of the washer, flowing under neath and forming a river similar to the picture above.

I guess I'll give the selling dealer a day to go back to me, then I'll jump to directly to the manufacturer.
 
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Prepare for the likelihood SQ will 100% want you to work through the dealer.
You have lost the Speed Queen lottery, you got a dud. Now comes the second lottery with your dealer. Hopefully he/she is stands with you and can get you fairly sorted out. Anything to do with SQ directly will be a fight. They really only work with dealers.
If this machine is under warranty, which my above comment assumes btw, it is in no way your job to diagnose the issue. SQ TL washers prior to the newest design of this year, have historic tub seal issues. People always say this was corrected after Alliance took over SQ, nonetheless the machine is mostly the same design. I have two Alliance SQ top-loaders in my garage now, one has a tub seal leak. I bought it that way gambling it was something else, it wasn’t.
 
Yes the machine still has over 4 years left on the 5 year warranty. I started attempting to troubleshoot the issue myself when the techs were unable to diagnose or resolve it. The dealer got back to me just a few minutes ago, they scheduled a service call on my behalf with the same company that was out two weeks ago. Perhaps the photos, video, and additional information will be of help when they come on Friday.
 
Tubcover gasket?

Prior to the tech coming out, I pulled the cover and did a load. About 11 minutes into the cycle when the heavy duty wash cycle low speed spin started I shined my light and camera in on the right hand side. See photo below. It definitely wasn't always leaking like that, so I'm guessing it has gotten worse over the months as the gasket failed... It's been an intermittent leak that has become more regular and larger quantity of water recently.

So anyway, the tech came out yesterday, didn't have any interest in any of our photos, videos, or log. Nor did he want us to run a typical load with clothes in it. Needless to say, like the techs before him he did not get it to leak. He said he ran it three times (various parts of cycles) and was pulling on the hoses and the various connections and the drain. He said its an oring inside the top cover that is kinked. He thinks its the centrifugal force of its spinning out the clothes that causes the water to push out. Parts are on the way... There is actually rust on the outer tub from repeated exposure to water - so it was definitely clear to him that its been leaking from somewhere higher up.

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Hmmm. I’ve always been a little paranoid mine will start leaking from that tub cover due to the spin drain. Luckily that should be an easy fix but how annoying it took so long to track down.
 
Anymore Leaking?

I am currently experiencing what appears to be the same problem with my Speed Queen. Is the repair holding with your machine still? Any leaking problems since the Lid and gasket were replaced?

Thank you kindly for your reply--

Sincerely, Dale
 
Hi Dale, Yes that repair finally fixed the problem and we have been enjoying the speed queen problem free ever since!

It was part number 202888 (tub cover assembly including gasket) that they replaced that fixed the problem in the end.
 
SQ AWS52NW leak

I just fixed a leak on our 15 year old Speed Queen. The leak was intermittent.
As it turns out, the hose that runs from the input valve to the drum was the source of the trouble. The washer is fifteen years old. After fifteen years of daily use the hose clamps on both sides of the fill tube rusted and split. This left the fill hose fastened only by friction. Depending on the tub position during fill the hose would leak.
I visited my nearby Speed Queen parts depot and bought a new fill hose and two hose clamps. I used ONLY Speed Queen original parts. The original hose was still good but I replaced it anyway.
Problem solved! Cost: Less than $25. Time: Two hours including travel. I don’t have an internal view of the hose but it is the hose that feeds the fill spouty thingy.

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I'm glad that you worked for you. As I mentioned above, I replaced that same hose, clamps, and actually even "fill spouty thingy" aka inlet deflector when I was on my journey to a leak free washer. Unfortunately they weren't the problem, but I was desperate and not having luck with the technicians.
 
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Glad you got it sorted.
I sometimes take a different tack when replacing parts. As in, “the original stuff failed. I will try something different this time.”
Not always...but if something fails I loose the tendency toward loyalty.
 

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