Caple Washing machine, "rubbery" smell.

[MarkG]

Our Caple WMI 1012 washing machine produces a burnt rubber smell when washing. It's not all the time, on the last couple of washes, it was fine, now it's back again..

I am thinking most of these are direct drive these days, so it's unlikely to be belts and stuff.

The only thing I can think of, is the door seal. We have found some small balls of rubber similar in colour to the door seal, but can't see anywhere where it's worn thou.

Does this sound like the likely candidate? Is it worth taking a punt on one.

I found this, and it looks pretty simple to replace...

[Tim]

Well, given that quick google for spares shows spiders and belts for sale, I don't think your machine is direct drive.

More likely the belt's slipping when the machine's heavily loaded. Could be a fault in the tensioner.

Tim

[Brian Gaff]

Depends where he found the rubber. If its inside the washer it does restrict the source rather I'd say. I recall a friend finding these in the filter and in tthe end it turned out to be the pump on the way out, so there must be some kind of seal in some of those as well I suppose. What I'd like to know is why the always seem to fit the filters near the floor. It means you cannot stop a flood when you undo them. Brian

[MarkG]

OK, to follow this up, rubbery smell went away, then it came back with a vengeance, stips of the door seal arriving in the tub after a wash. Ordered a new door seal, and attempted a replacement today. However this is what I found:

the machine knackered?

[The Natural Philosopher]

I guess its bent from spin drying that concrete block.

[Brian Gaff]

This sounds more like perrished rubber. Have you washed any old blackout curtains recently? The debris from those can take ages to get rid of. I'd have though if it were the door seal, one shoul be able to see the damage. also of course, you must be washing bloomin hot to do that.

Is it perhaps overheating pointing to a thermostat issue?

Brian

[MarkG]

100% certain it's the door seal, the old one has bits missing from it. The washing machine is now in bits, and I am trying to determine if it's worth putting the new seal in, or if it's just going to rip this one apart, because the drum is spinning offcentre, or if that behavior in my YouTube video is normal.

[mike]

engineers, Colin and Justin.

Brian's original post, you can hear the implied "Oo-er, missus!" and "Oo, you are awful..." at the end of every sentence:

"Depends where he found the rubber. If its inside the washer it does restrict the source rather I'd say. I recall a friend finding these in the filter and in the end it turned out to be the pump on the way out, so there must be some kind of seal in some of those as well I suppose. What I'd like to know is why the always seem to fit the filters near the floor. It means you cannot stop a flood when you undo them."

[NT]

I didnt see a damn thing in the video. If the drum can waggle, it needs new bearings. Not expensive. If the drum assy is just bent, ie it rotates offcentre but no wiggle, it needs a new spider. Either way if you have time to do it its 1/10th the price of a new machine

NT

[MarkG]

It's definitely 100% the door seal, I have it off, and it's been ripped apart, with chunks of it missing. The question is, will it do the same to the new one if I fit it.

Not knowing if the offcentre rotation is normal.

believe Caple is the UK brand-name for SMEG, which isn't called SMEG here for obvious reasons.... :-)