Sudslock

[gadgetgary]

Has anyone ever sudslocked a Maytag 806?
Happened today to Toggle and myself.
Using the Kirland detergent.
Toggles said he never heard of a Maytag going into sudslock, Perhaps it was due to the bleach dispenser connected directly to the pump. The later Maytags did not have that 'timed' bleach dispenser, and simply dumped the bleach into the tub and not thru the pump.

 

[toggleswitch2]

I thought perhaps (before the belts and springs were changed) that the pump was sucking in air via the bleach dispenser and therefore taking longr to drain the machine. As such, it would take longer for the machine to empty itself and the tub to reach full speed duriign spin, in that a tub with water in it spinnigs puts a greater load on the motor than one spinning without water.

 

[gyrafoam]

Yeah, the big-tubs will. Haven't yet figured out how much difference the Power-Fin makes but the extra few gallons of water to pump-out during the first spin don't help much.
I have not had any trouble with VIVA sudz-locking my '64 Highlander, but it sure will 'lock an 806.

That Costco Industrial USED to be low-sudzing. About two years ago they changed the formulae. I wasted money buying a bucket of it thinking it was good for my front-loaders. Good 'ole FAB powder is still the best, IMO.

 

[panthera]

I managed to suds-lock

an 18lb dependable care last year with a Mexican detergent, dosed correctly.

Many, many ponds of salt later, things were ok.

It can be done.

 

[jeffg]

A capful or two of fabric softener will clear up any sudslock problem.

 

[panthera]

tried it

Jeff, tried it.
This stuff was evil.

I have never encountered anything like it. Pity, it really did clean grease well.

Tried it again a few days later - one tablespoon in the Thumper (and she's PANK!).

Sudscake of the proudest kind.

Beats me, but I surely won't ever use this stuff again unless we have an oil tanker run aground in front of the house...

 

[cleanteamofny]

Direct Drive Never had sudslock until yesterday

I was washing a towel with Tide with Dawn and I was listening to the slow apin cycle and it didn't sound right because I was using the Heavy duty cycle which is fast/fast.
I looked inside and thick sud cake in the basket. So this is the first time I've seen this in my Direct Drive washer....

 

[cleanteamofny]

Kirkland detergent

Becareful of using that detergent, my father and sister used that stuff and took the shine off the enamle in the wash tub.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

A classsic Maytag will sudslock is the drain hose hangs too high.

Kenzz

 

[panthera]

Ken,

That hose is high.
Huh.
Thanks!

 

[cleanteamofny]

Here's the pic of Sudslock in a direct drive:

 

[gadgetgary]

All Concentrated 2x Ultra

Today, did a load of darks in the 806 with All. Used up to line 2(for normal loads). Machine went into spin flawlessly(emptied tub with a minute and got up to speed). However, when the Spray rinse came on, the spin slowed down. Did I use too much soap and put the machine into sudslock???
The machine spun perfectly after the rinse cycle.
The drain hose in not kinked.

Can you only use certain brands of detergent in the 806???

 

[rayjay]

Can you only use certain brands of detergent in the 806???

Gary, I think your best bet would be to use a HE detergent. Back in the early 60's when my parents gout their first automatic washer, a Sears Model 70, it came packed with DASH. The Sears machines back then were notorius for suds lock. Back then, they recommend a low sudsing detergent. We had only Dash, ALL, and AD to choose from . All the other high sudsers were used in wringer washers, or twin tubs. I do not know what has change so much through the years with using hi sudsing detergents in top load and front load washers, but back then LOW SUDSING detergents were recommended in both TOP and FRONT LOAD machines.

 

[gadgetgary]

Any Maytag 'experts'?

Is the 806 a 'different animal'?

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I have a thought about that....

I second what rayjay said - my mother's 1961 Kenmore 70 was used most of it's life with All because of its low sudsing properties, which were especially needed in our house in Michigan since we had a household water softener. Occasionally we'd use something else, with an accompanying suds lock. Just occasionally though.

My thought though is about the size of the tub drains on machines. I suggest this because there are certain Kenmores that I have never experienced a suds lock in, and others that seem to be more prone. Those that don't seem to have this problem have large drain openings.

Standard capacity Kenmore belt drives, and the 1981 and newer large capacity belt drives use a narrow tub outlet hose, which is only about one and one quarter inches wide. Water has to swirl through it for some time for the tub to empty, the turbulence of which churns up more suds in addition to what's already there.

On the original 18lb. machines that were made into 1981, their outlet hoses are massive in comparison to the originals, and at least twice as wide in diameter. The machines use the same pumps, etc. but I'm betting that this outlet hose GREATLY reduces turbulence in the water as the machine drains, plus it allows suds already formed to fall into the drain and pump out.

We replaced our '61 Kenmore with a '74 large capacity, and like changing a light-bulb, I don't think we ever saw a suds-lock again, until my mom got her 1983 Kenmore, which has the original size tub drain/outlet hose, then occasional suds locks again.

I wonder if this is coincidental or a result of the outlet diameters?

I've seen locks in DD machines as well. I got annoyed with my 1993 direct drive Kenmore, which I've only used occasionally, but it would suds lock without any visible suds in the wash water. I learned later that these have narrow diameter tub drains as well. My DD would lock on the same amount of detergent that wouldn't phase my 1986 belt drive at all.

Gordon

 

[gadgetgary]

Gordon

Thanks for your thoughts.

I have used this All in my Maytag 108, the 'Mutt' (pictured below), and in my A 712, none of them experiencing a bit of sudslock. That's what has me so baffled.

 

[mistereric]

Never managed to sudslock Ole' Rusty yet, my A806. Water is very hard in my town, tho. 90% of the time I wash with the Sears orange box stuff and get no suds to speak of. Powder Tide original scent does create some suds, but never a sudslock.

My friends on Staten Island with the other A806 use the tide/downy combo liquid, (smells gross IMHO but to each his own) and they haven't sudslocked theirs on soft-as-butta New York City water.

Maybe your pump is crappy? I know you have new belts so that shouldn't be the issue. How odd.

 

[gadgetgary]

Some advice from another member...

'Maytags have that 1 min spray rinse at the 1st spin, so that's the optimum time for sudslock to happen"

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I can tell when a Kenmore is going to do it. There's suds in the bottom of the tub, covering the perfs. When it goes into spin, it will sound and accelerate normally very temporarily until you hear the suds sloshing around. The tub spinning whips up more suds.

The only thing I can think of in of in your case is that Kirkland detergent made more suds when the basket was rotating while still full or partly so in initial spin. I think RevvinKevin uses that detergent also. You may want to ask him if he's had suds issues. Seems he mentioned a lock to me one day in his Kenmore actually....

 

[toploader55]

Suds Lock

The 1961 Whirlpool always seems to go into Suds Lock when ever I use Tide or All. I get so damned upset, as I always use minimal amounts of soap. My Maytag 886 Never seems to lock. It must be due to the strike of the agitator

 

[gadgetgary]

Pump?

Could there possibly be a button or coin blocking the pump?
But why would it only occur during the spin after the wash and not the spin after the rinse?
The tub empties out pretty quickly.

Eddy:
Do you get sudslock when you use liquid(or powder) Tide or All?

 

[rickr]

Suds lock sucks!!

Hi Eddy, That 61 WP used to suds lock for me too. Same with the 56 WP I traded the 61 for. I think the Surgilator just kicks so much froth, it is best not to use Tide, or other high sudsers in the early WP models. Try FOCA powder in the WP and see what you think. I have been using FOCA in my 56 without suds lock, but I am still careful not to use too much, and I alway use the high water level setting.

Here is your 61 WP washing a load of towels with Fab (low sudser) detergent in 2003. (I used a 1950's agitator cap on it)

 

[bpetersxx]

yes to all of the above

With the new Kinetico water softener I can sudslock all of my Maytags esp with Tide

I use as little as I can get away with

All is 50/50 I have sudslocked with it as well

 

[gadgetgary]

All in the A 712

The machine did not sudslock, but was there a sudscake in the sink from the same amount of All that I used in my 806.

 

[gadgetgary]

After one rinse

Still a sinkful of Suds......

 

[gadgetgary]

All

Guess the formula is quite concentrated and to be used sparingly.

Here is the machine I used it in today.

 

[johnb300m]

Maytag's sudslock buster

I have something weird to say.
We have a Maytag LA511 at home. And on a few occasions where there's been alot of suds, the spin drain won't get up to full speed.
It'll do its spin spray rinse during the first spin, but the suds will still be dragging the tub.
Then it does something that seems strange in an all mechanical machine.
It'll do a SECOND spray rinse to beat down the suds some more.
That usually does the trick and it continues on with its business.

How does it "sense" a suds lock and do an additional spin spray?

 

[qsd-dan]

Remove the pump belt and give the pump pulley a gentle twist in both directions. It should turn with an even smoothness. Try this on the 712 and 806 and compare results. If you have some turbine oil on hand, remove the flat head screw in the front middle and shoot some oil in the hole. This will lubricate the bearing.

I have yet to sudslock the A-490 in the last 20+ years, but we have relatively hard water here.

 

[strongenough78]

I've been using a detergent lately I never thought I would use. I usually prefer Gain or Tide, but SUN has actually impressed me. I try to only use powder detergent. And the SUN powder has very low suds which is great for preventing suds lock, cleans great, and has a nice scent that's not over powering. It's also pretty inexpensive. You should give it a try.

 

[gadgetgary]

Sudslock?Maybe not!

It seems that there is a coin inhabiting the outer tub that does not fit through the outlet spigot to make its way to the pump. An experiment was done removing the hose from the outer tub. When we flushed a couple of quarts/litres of water through, the coin moved and was then found resting right above the outlet spigot. Can't get it through, flip it on its side to get it out, or otherwise remove it.

H-E-L-P!