Washing Machine Wanted, Preferably Maytag

[mjg0619]

Hello all,

My beloved 1993 Maytag may possibly be developing a leak and I have absolutely ZERO knowledge of the inner workings of these machines and I don't trust myself to do my first teardown on a machine I care about so much.

With that said, if my washer does indeed have a leak and needs to come out of service, I would like to have a Plan B.

Ideally, I would prefer another Maytag, but would be open to anything else that is belt drive and vintage. My current machine has 3 fill levels and 4 temperature combinations, 2 speed motor, and has the 'Large Capacity' tub. I would prefer to not have fewer features than those and would certainly be open to having more, but beggars can't be choosers!

Any leads are most appreciated!

P.S. I've been scanning my local Craigslists like mad and it seems that everybody who has listed a Maytag washer sold it within hours of posting. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one seeking 'The Dependability People'!

 

[brucelucenta]

Buy a new Speed Queen from John (combo52). But first diagnose the problem. One "leak" problem that is very common to Maytag washers is the siphon break "injector tube". It is easy to fix or have someone with a little mechanical ability to fix. It is a leak that happens when the machine fills with water. I personally just eliminate the air gap and injector by adding a plastic tube connecting the two ends of the fill hoses together and use plastic tie clamps to hold them on. It is quite easy to do. That could quite possibly be the source of your leak, at least it is the most common one and judging the age of your machine a likely possibility.[this post was last edited: 8/4/2016-04:51]

 

[yogitunes]

I like that your thinking ahead with a plan "B", never hurts to have a plan "C" or more just in case.....all bases covered, you be surprised at how many can't figure out past plan "A"....

in any case.....lets figure out what is wrong with yours, and where that leak is coming from....it could be something simple like Bruce mentioned, or a broken clamp/hose.....a simple fix for most, and your back in service....

another thought is finding a base unit, in your case, large capacity, and switching your control panel over to it......been done before, and easier than you think.....

keep us posted as to how you make out

 

[mjg0619]

Bruce, for budgetary reasons and personal preference, a new Speed Queen is out of the question at the present time. Where would I find the potential problem that you referenced and how would I access it to fix it?

Martin, I always like to be prepared and to think ahead! Aside from taking off the front panel, I really know nothing about getting into the inner workings of a Maytag so any guidance is appreciated!

In the meantime, the search is still on for Plan B!

*Postscript* I'm running a load right now and watching the machine like a hawk. No leaks that I could see during the fill. Will keep everyone posted. [this post was last edited: 8/4/2016-20:01]

 

[mjg0619]

*UPDATE*

There seems to be some water coming out of the back righthand corner of the machine. Not a lot, but enough to be noticeable on the floor. I noticed this midway through the wash cycle.

It is not coming from the drain hose, as nothing changed during the spin out or spin cycle.

 

[phmorrow]

When does it leak

Does it leak the whole time you are using it? Or does it only leak when it is filling with water?

 

[yogitunes]

depending on your model of Maytag...

in the right corner is two things......

the drain hose, which should be connected through an air-gap contraption

the airtube, for the pressure switch hose......

if anything, take the front off, and just keep an eye for when the water shows up, and where......

I seen one that puzzled me as there would be water on the floor, not a lot, but enough to warrant an investigation........oddly enough, it was from condensation on the outter tub from a cold wash and rinse, just enough to form a puddle enough for concern.....

so anything is possible......

but lets see if we can get yours fixed before considering another machine......

as long as its not the tub seal, as in leaking down the tranny, most everything else should be an easy fix......we just have to locate it first....

keep us posted, we'll get you there!

 

[mrb627]

So...

Pop the front cover, snap a couple pics, and post them here so we can offer better assistance in cause and repair.

Malcolm

 

[mjg0619]

Weekends are hectic here. I won't get a chance to pop the front cover and check out the insides until Monday or Tuesday.

Thank you all for your help so far! I really appreciate it!

 

[mjg0619]

*UPDATE*

I had some spare time tonight and was able to pull the dryer out in order to slide the washer over to remove the front panel and take a gander at the guts.

I took a bunch of pictures of what I saw. There's some rust where the drain hose connects to the outer tub and it looks like it may have had a leak there in the past.

The good news is, it isn't leaking from the tub seal around the transmission, the pump, the drain hoses, or the water inlet valve.

The bad news, I did find the leak and don't know what to do with it. A good amount of water is coming out of where the hose going into where the fill flume attaches to the funny looking plastic thing. There's also water squirting out the open top of that same plastic thing.

What is this part called, where can I find it, and is it a difficult repair?

I have a bad feeling that the rust around the tub outlet will prove to be a problem in the future, so the hunt is still on for another machine to have on hand.

 

[yogitunes]

well, its great you found your leak.....yeah, its a common thing for those to spout water, and looking at yours, most problems come from hard/scale water conditions....

but back to you.....since you don't have plans to really keep it in search for another.....lets get this going inexpensively for now, no point in dumping money into it......

that little unit is called an airgap......but heres a simple quick fix.....take a 2 or 3 inch piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe, remove that unit, and slide the pipe in place.....two new clamps, and a cable tie or two to secure it in place.....close the machine up, and your good to go from there....

you might want to consider replacing a few rusted clamps on other areas as well.....

the rust on the outter tub could be mended with epoxy or POR15.....it would make it last longer, in some cases permanently.....

heres a before and after.....any questions?

 

[mjg0619]

Thanks for the help and pics, Martin. I'll go to Home Depot tomorrow and get some pipe and clamps.

I'll keep everyone posted on how this turns out.

 

[mjg0619]

So after several tries and fails at the quick and easy repair suggested above, I broke down and ordered the water injector parts direct from Whirltag. They arrived this morning and we're back in business for the time being. Fingers crossed nothing else goes kersplash!

Thank you all SO much for your help!