Zanussi/Westinghouse....noisy spin

[ronhic]

Ok, I think I know what this could be but thought that I would put it out there for comment.

The Westinghouse has started to get noisy on 70% of its spin cycles....now I would happily post a video, but can't so you'll have to bare with me and my 'Margot' (think the Good Life and generator) impersonation

When spinning, regardless of fast or slow, it is making a noise that sounds a little like...

tunk, tunk, tunk, tunk...

The drum isn't moving noticably from side to side...and it is level etc...

I'm thinking suspension on the drawer side has started to go...

Thoughts?

 

[gizmo]

possibilities:

Something stuck between inner and outer drums - bra wires are common, maybe coin, nail, anything small. Maybe something stuck in one of the drum perforations, tapping on the heating element as the drum goes round.

Broken drum spider - if only a crack, this can be a bugger to diagnose. Try the following: turn the drum by hand till one of the vanes is at the top. grasp the front lower edge of the stainless steel inner drum. Try to rock the drum up and down, feeling for any slack. Then turn the drum till the next vane is at the top and repeat checking. Then turn till the third vane is at the top and repeat checking. If there is any difference between the three (more movement, or creaking/cracking noises) then you probably have a cracked arm of the drum spider.
Another trick is to do a deliberately unbalanced load. Some repairers try to spin a phone book. This gives the drum a good shaking during the spin, so that a broken spider will make a racket - a really harsh rat-tat-tat sound.

If the drum bearings are just starting to wear out, then you can get a clicking sound as it rotates.

If the drum belt is worn with a little rough edge flicking out, it will make a tapping sound as it rotates.

Check if the drum pulley is loose on the back of the drum.

actually having typed all that, another thing occurs to me. Does the speed of the "tunk-tunk-tunk" vary with the drum speed? (does it tunk faster as the spin speeds up?) Or does the "tunk-tunk-tunk_" remain a fairly constant sound?

If it does NOT vary with the drum speed, it could be a pump problem - either something caught in the pump like a coin or a ball of lint, or it could just be wear in the pump. The little permanent magnet motor pumps used in most European front loaders these days is pretty energy efficient, but it is lightly and cheaply built, as its plastic bearings wear, it gets noisier and makes an odd sound when it is not pumping out a solid stream of water, but is pumping out the last dregs of water and is sucking a bit of air with the water. Not very "tunk-ish" to my ear but you never know--- easy and cheap, too.

good luck

Chris.

 

[marthalover4eve]

looks bit like a bendix like my school has

 

[laundromat]

looks like a Frigidaire front loader inside--

I would remove one of the arms and check the sump to see if any debres is there causing the drum to make that noise.I would also check the sump or "button catcher"to see if maybe a button or some sourt of sharp object is scraping against the pump impeller.Otherwise,the drum spider may be the problem.Good luck!

 

[ronhic]

Thanks...

Chuck...It is an Electrolux product, though out of a Zanussi factory in Italy.

Chris...I just tried the drum test that you suggested and the noise, rather than coming from towards the back of the drum appears to be coming from around the dispenser drawer.,..

As the machine spins it does get 'faster' with the spin speed...

Now, something that I did forget to mention. From time to time it 'creaks' when washing a heavier load. This noise again, appears to be coming from the around the dispenser drawer...

 

[ronhic]

and the verdict is in......

Mr Service Man has said that there were two reasons why it is noisy...

- it had dropped a retaining pin out of the right hand suspension strut...
- the left side strut is worn out....

Now if the dozy cow on their booking line had listened to me in the first place, Mr Service Man would have been prepared and had the strut with him...but no, it now has to be ordered and a new time booked......

...thankfully only one call-out fee is payable.

Now for the 'handy to know' bit....

...apparently on most Zanussi/AEG/Electrolux machines, if the struts wear and become noisy, you can turn them through 180o which will quieten the machine down until you can get the new part. Seems they only wear on one side....