Washing Machine Help Forum

I have neglected my Whirlpool AWO 6927 for some months, with a very noisy spin cycle. The drum has just started making a terrible knocking noise on spin, and I have a fear that the bearings have now collapsed or something else in there is now damaged beyond repair.

So the first question: is it likely a repair is now too late? Would I be better scrapping the machine?

If it is still repairable, what do I need to get hold of to put in new bearings (bearing kit, any seals, replacement spindles/bushes?), and how easy is it for this model? And by easy, I just mean using standard tools and without any specialist tools needed or any hidden gotchas to spoil the show.

The machine is only a couple of years old - out of warranty, naturally. It would be nice to take it apart to see what I need first, but we still kind of need to use it every day. I'll put it on reduced spin speed in the meantime.

Hopefully it can be recovered.

Thanks,

-- Jason

Not sure about that exact model but there is a good chance it will have a totally sealed outer drum, a quick peek under the lid would confirm. If it has then its new drum or more likely new machine time.


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What specifically would I be looking for? I have had the back open, and can see what looks like a bearing behind the main drive wheel. Is there any way to tell from the front?

Edit: ah, *outer* drum. Does the outer drum need to split into two parts to get at the spinning drum inside? Would I be looking for the join?

I can't find bearings for that model on any site, which is not reassuring. However, I also cannot find any reference to whole sealed drums for that model either. A certain "master of parts" website does have a "wash unit" for the AWOD 6927 S, for a smidgen under the cost of a new machine, so perhaps that's the sealed drum? No photos or description of that spare though.

It is amazing how I could put my own washing machine together just from spares, and it would only cost about two grand :-/

judgej wrote:
It is amazing how I could put my own washing machine together just from spares, and it would only cost about two grand :-/

The same would be true of any mechanical device, how much would your basic family car cost you piece by piece.

If you take off the top of the machine you can soon tell. A split ( repairable ) drum will have screws or clips holding the two halves or in some cases a drum front plate together.

Cool - thanks. I'll take a look tonight.

Okay, I've managed to take a look now. It looks like the outer drum is in two halves, clipped together. I can't see any screws or bolts holding the two halves, but just a few clips.

The drum managed to shake the belt off the drive wheel today, so it is really having a hard time.

I'll post a picture shortly.



Larger picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonjudge/7116764473/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Clips, what clips, thats a totally sealed drum, bin it.

Yeah, I looked again. The clips I can see are just for the initial alignment of two halves. I guess it is glue that actually holds it together.

There is water dripping from the outer/rear bearings now.

A shame really. I liked the programmes on that thing, and the countdown timer was brilliantly handy - never had a machine with one of those before, and never realised just how handy it was for fitting the loading and unloading into a busy life.

Anyone want any spares?

Lesson learned: before I buy a replacement, check online to see if replacement bearings are available.

judgej wrote:
Lesson learned: before I buy a replacement, check online to see if replacement bearings are available.

Better still, search out a local independent retailer, you may pay a pound or two more but you will get far better service and he/she will know exactly what is under the lid.

I couldn't work it out at first, but the belt had starting riding off the centre of the main wheel, towards the drum. So far, in fact, that it had started cutting groves into the rear of the outer drum.

I could not see how that would be, as the motor was still in the same place. Then I realised the internal drum had dropped half an inch. It can be lifted up that far. The rear wheel was sloping towards the front of the machine and that was causing the belt to drift off. On spin, the drum was knocking around all over the place.

It's a gonna alright.

Any recommendations what to go for now? Any makes to avoid like the plague? I do like to do my research before buying a new machine, but the pressure will be on me now to "just get it done", as it is used every day :-/

iadom wrote:Better still, search out a local independent retailer, you may pay a pound or two more but you will get far better service and he/she will know exactly what is under the lid.

True. I do go out of my way to support the local traders when I can for any products.

Lower end Gorenje, Amica.
Mid price range Bosch,Siemens.
Top quality ISE or Miele.

iadom wrote:Lower end Gorenje, Amica.
Mid price range Bosch,Siemens.
Top quality ISE or Miele.

We had a Bosh last time, and the motor burnt out (the coils shorted to ground somewhere internally). We had a Miele Pet vacuum, and the motor burnt out. The motor is also on its way out on the CDA oven. Someone on this forum [kindly] had a spare Bosh motor going, just a day after we gave the old machine away on Freecyle and ordered the Whirlpool. We may have still been using that now if I wasn't in such a rush. We did go for the same model of vacuum again, but with an extended warranty. That way we have the old machine for all its spare parts.

We have a thing about motors not liking us

Thanks for the list. The Bosh was certainly quiet, so we may look into one of those again.

This old machine is going to the tip (or to where-ever John Lewis recycle their white goods) on Tuesday. It is only a few years old, and is otherwise in a nice and tidy condition, so if anyone would like it for spares, or would like me to take anything off for spares, please shout now.

-- Jason