Washing machine misbehaving

[JoeJoe]

I have had a Bosch Logixx 1600rpm washing machine for the last 7.5 years. It has been used, on average, around 4-6 times a week during that time, without any issues.

Over the last couple of months it started to make very loud noise when spinning - the faster the spin, the louder the noise. Was thinking about doing something about it, but haven't got around to it yet... We usually ran it as we leave the house, or when going to bed, so haven't had a chance to pay this too much attention.

This morning I notice that the sound has changed, and is now much louder. It also seems, although I may be mistaken, that there is something broken inside. I am no expert, but if I had to hazard a guess then I would say that it sounds as if there are some (large?) fragments of something spinning inside when on full speed??? Hope that makes sense.

Is it worth investigating or, considering the age of the machine, just accept defeat and order a new one?

[Scion]

JoeJoe spake thus:

There could be something - coins, buttons or whatever - in between the outer and inner drum.

[JoeJoe]

Doesn't sound like that - much more like something very large...

How easy is it to verify your suggestion?

[GB]

I think that I would either investigate thoroughly or stop using the machine NOW, bearing in mind

's just so much energy stored in a spinning washing machine .....

I suppose that it depends a bit where the machine is situated and what would be damaged if the machine disintegrates.

[Mitch]

Sounds like the drum bearings have gone, try and check if there is any play in the drum. They can be run in this condition for quite a while (if you can put up with noise!) but will eventially throw off the belt and/or damage water drain connections and leak. Drum bearings is a major job not worth doing on cheap makes but maybe for Bosch.

Otherwise it could be your dampers are knackered and so its running out of balance.

M

[Adam Funk]

In one of our previous machines (Bosch or Hotpoint, I can't remember which one or exactly how long ago), one of the springs that hold the drum in place broke: that made a bit of noise & you could tell from looking inside that it was wonky. The replacement spring was a cheap part but I could not manage to pull the drum up high enough to hook the new one in place (I tried various combinations of ropes, wedges, levers, & even a car jack), so I ended up paying the local shop to send someone round to install it too. I wasn't there when they did, but I'm told it took two reasonably tough-looking guys a bit of effort to hook it in place.

[Jules Richardson]

be able to make a comparison like that?

[Lee]

I probably wouldn't want to stand right next to one when it self destructs, but that report was bordering on the hysterical - thought it was a spoof publication at first!

Got to wonder what broke though, there are plenty of Youtube videos showing rocks etc thrown into a spinning machine and none of them appear to have been come apart to to that extent...

Lee

[GB]

Heard, or heard and survived, or heard and survived with hearing sufficiently intact to be able to tell whether the next bang is comparable?

Yes, these newspaper articles always exaggerate, but I have seen pictures of broken worktops, and the article above shows tiles smashed off the wall.

[GB]

Some Indesits (I think) had the concrete ballast come loose, and they caused reasonably extensive damage when they failed. There must be an awful lots of kinetic energy in a drum full of washing rotating at

1400-1600 RPM.

[Bob Eager]

We hear quite a few in Herne Bay - but not so many lately, thinking of it.

[Merryterry]

I had the same problem with a Hotpoint. Had to call a guy in. He had a long thin leather string that he put through the eyelet on the drum together with the bottom of the spring and then just lifted it up and hooked the spring in the top of the casing. Took him all of 5 mins.

Merry Terry

[Thomas Prufer]

Easy: take flashlight, stick head in drum, shine through holes and look for bits...

Thomas Prufer

[harry]

First thing to checki s that a nail or bit of wire is not stuck in one of the holes in the inner drum. Just open the door and run your fingers around the inside, not missing anywhere.

On two occasions now I have found a nail out of my pocket stuck through one of these holes.

Also make sure there is no tub bearing ply by trying to wiggle the inner drum up and down. Changing a bearing is no big deal, you can DIY easily.

[Adam Funk]

Hmm, it was probably the (older) Hotpoint. I'm pretty sure I tried something like that! Oh well.

[JoeJoe]

Thanks for that. Had a look inside - nothing visible/obvious. Tried to rotate the drum manually - makes a real unhappy noise... Sounds a bit like a combination of a bent (does it have one?) slipping + something grinding against me inside.

Does it make sense?

[Adam Funk]

There might be a foreign object between the inner & outer drums. ISTR once getting one out by disconnecting the drain-out from the outer drum & feeling in the hole while turning the inner drum slowly until I found the object.

[Roger Mills]

It can probably be fixed - and the bits are not that expensive if you do it yourself, but it may not be economical if you have to pay someone to do it.

You should STOP USING IT until you have determined the cause of the noise.

Open the door and rotate the drum by hand. What sort of noise does it make? If there's a metal object from an item of clothing between the inner and outer drum, you'll hear it sliding around - but it won't be that loud. If it's a creaking noise or a constant growl, you need to investigate further.

You should be able to remove a panel from the back of the machine, revealing a large pulley with the drive belt round it. Get someone to hold the pulley as tightly as possible (and/or fit the transit bolts to prevent the outer drum from moving) and see whether you can rock the inner drum relative to the outer drum. If you CAN, either the bearings are VERY worn or the spider is broken. [The spider is a 3-legged affair which connects the back of the inner drum to the rotation shaft]. In either case, the machine will have to be dismantled in order to replace the bearings and/or spider. There are lots of videos on you-tube showing you how to do this.

If one or more legs of the spider IS broken, it's very dangerous - because it's only a matter of time before the other legs break. If the final one breaks when the drum full of washing is spinning at 1600 rpm, you'll not want to be around!

My old Zanussi started getting very noisy when spinning. When I finally investigated, I found that TWO of the three spider legs were cracked right through. I dread to think what would have happened if the third one had gone - and my machine only spun at 1000 RPM.

[JoeJoe]

Had another listen when spinning. I don't think there is a foreign object there. It simply does not spin smoothly/quietly, and makes a sort of a grinding noise, even when spun very slowly by hand.

[Bob Eager]

Sounds very much like the bearings.