Zanussi washing machine, worth repairing?

[Dave Phillips]

FOlks

Zanussi washing machine, model FL1025, ca. 1990 vintage

Has recently developed an intermittent fault where it will not go into spin and drain at the end of a wash cycle. Program dial runs to its' end point, but spin does not kick in. Machine just stops instead. Can usually be rectified by selecting spin cycle manually, but sometimes takes 5 or 6 goes to actually acheive the spinnage, and this is getting boring.

Worth repairing? Something i cold do myself (I'm a techie) or a call-out job? If so, do Zanussi offer an at-home repair service these days, and is it any good?

wonderingly Dave P London E.

[Rick Dipper]

I had a similar issue - not with a Zanussi, the end of the outlet pipe was in the water in the drain pipe. I lifted it up a bit, so the is an air gap and it works *MUCH* better.

Rick

[Ian Stirling]

Does it not drain, when it does not spin?

If so, it may be similar to the problem with the FL884 I have. The pump seals have failed over the years. The grit from the washing has then gotten into the bearings of the pump, and they've finally worn to such an extent that it will no longer reliably run. The starting torque of the pump can be nearly zero, if it comes to rest in some positions, and it can't overcome the bearing friction.

Blocked hose could cause this too perhaps, so check that first.

have pumps for around 15 quid. While awaiting this pump, I dissasembled and cleaned the existing pump.

It's worked for a few months now, so I have not yet fitted the replacement.

IIRC, the best way to get at the pump is simply to place the washing machine face-down on a towel, and go in from the base. The pump is gettable out from the bottom, as it's just clipped onto the plastic base.

Your machine could of course differ.

[David Phillips]

hi - thanks for info very useful.

Machine does not drain, no. it just stops, with water inside. Then one opens the door thinking the machine has finished with hilarious slapstick-type consequences as water spews on to floor. By then running it on "spin" it's usually possible to get it to do just that, after 4 or 5 goes. The water does then drain away, which negates the blocked pipe idea (I'd pondered that one too).

Re pump replacement., I sure don't want to be paying thru the nose if I can do it myself. Looks like a Sunday afternoon job.

cheers, Dave P London

[Ian Stirling]

Does the machine "hum", when it should be pumping? That was one symptom the dead pump exhibited, if it diddn't start.

[N. Thornton]

It sounds very much like the controller. Pump motor and spin motor are

2 different things, its pretty unlikely they would both fault together all the time.

Controllers can be replaced if you dont mind making careful notes of where the 80 or so wires go. DIYable yes, not the smallest of DIY jobs, not the biggest either.

Learn about safety first if necessary, it is possible to get bitten by an unplugged machine.

Regards, NT