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Old 07-19-2017, 07:16 AM   #61
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My Sears Kenmore washing machine (bought at the Sears appliance outlet) is 27 years old. Only a few small problems over the years. Crossing my fingers that the machine keeps running well.
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Old 07-19-2017, 07:37 AM   #62
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My Sears Kenmore washing machine (bought at the Sears appliance outlet) is 27 years old. Only a few small problems over the years. Crossing my fingers that the machine keeps running well.
I inherited a Kenmore washer and dryer when I bought my house 18 months ago. The house is 12 years old so not sure if original to the house or not. Does a good job. Hope it keeps on jugging.



Nothing like a good washing machine video.....
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Old 07-19-2017, 11:33 AM   #63
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Our water heater blew out last month. When the plumber came out to spec a replacement, we removed the thermal cover and discovered the heater was 45 years old, OEM to the house.

They're keeping the heater to section it and maybe use it for some marketing angle. I'm trying to find the address of the VP of Quality at Ruud/Rheem in order to send him the nomenclature plate.

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Old 07-19-2017, 12:06 PM   #64
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I inherited a Kenmore washer and dryer when I bought my house 18 months ago. The house is 12 years old so not sure if original to the house or not. Does a good job. Hope it keeps on jugging.



Nothing like a good washing machine video.....
I have the same model. 2010, bought on sale cheap at Sears. Made by Whirlpool. I HATE the automatic water level. You can't open the top after you start the cycle to add things or check on the laundry or it will stop and fill all the way to the top. 2010 was the first year for this required feature. The 2009 models I put in several rentals did not have that. I pulled the 2009 set out of a house I sold for that reason.
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Old 07-21-2018, 06:51 PM   #65
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Still going strong, four years into the repair. However DD got her own place last year so not so much scrub washing.

-ERD50
Yes, another boring annual update. This machine just keeps on ticking, 5 years since the single cheap, easy, minor repair. So that's 27 + 5 = 32 years of use out of this machine.

I'm gonna have to put this thing in my will

-ERD50
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Old 07-15-2019, 08:34 PM   #66
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The update. 33 years now. Six years since the repair that some said I was crazy to do, just buy a new one.

But about 6 months ago, there was a problem. DW said some clothes were occasionally getting a dark streak on them, like grease. Wouldn't come out.

Didn't see anything obvious, had her look carefully between wash & dry, and saw that it was the washer. I inspected, pulled out the agitator (one screw, but the agitator was stuck pretty good), and there was some black goo in there. I thought it was grease from a failed seal, but as far as I can tell, it was a rubber boot that had just disintegrated over time. Maybe some clothes got wedged under the agitator and shred/melted that rubber boot?

I cleaned it all up, did a test run and no leaks. It was kinda hard to tell exactly what this boot was, it seems to be part of the assembly not a separate part that I could buy.

I figured maybe soap and water would run into the transmission, and it would eventually go? But there must be more seals under that boot? Maybe the boot is to help keep clothes from getting under the agitator (but that doesn't seem to be a problem)? OK, might as well keep running it until/if that happens.

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Old 07-15-2019, 08:53 PM   #67
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Hmm. Have you got/can you find a parts manual with a nice exploded diagram of the tub/agitator/transmission? I'd be surprised if there's not a diagram somewhere online. Maybe that would reveal the identity of the mystery boot-now-goo. I kinda doubt there was an extra part in there. If it was a boot to keep clothes from getting mauled under the agitator and you can't get a replacement, I'd probably just see if its absence caused a problem. If the gap isn't too big, maybe build up a big bead of RTV on the bottom of the agitator?
This machine been a trouper, and every load is now a "bonus." I'd keep doing what you're doing, the replacement won't be as sturdy.
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Old 07-16-2019, 08:49 AM   #68
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Hmm. Have you got/can you find a parts manual with a nice exploded diagram of the tub/agitator/transmission? I'd be surprised if there's not a diagram somewhere online. ...
Since what I assume was a rubber seal was obliterated into a smear, I didn't know what it looked like, and at the time, I could not decide what part it is.

But with a fresh look, I decided it must be this part # 11 (and clips #12, 13):

https://www.partselect.com/Models/A4...=Washer&Mark=9

As far as I could tell, that clip is still in place, and I was thinking the seal shown in #11 was under that clip, but now I'm thinking only the lip of the seal is under the clip, the rest surrounds it.

So I guess I should order one (DONE), it's an easy fix, and I was thinking of taking it apart to inspect it anyhow, that's half the effort.

-ERD50
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Old 07-16-2019, 09:11 AM   #69
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But with a fresh look, I decided it must be this part # 11 (and clips #12, 13):

https://www.partselect.com/Models/A4...=Washer&Mark=9

So I guess I should order one (DONE), it's an easy fix, and I was thinking of taking it apart to inspect it anyhow, that's half the effort.-ERD50
$19.16 for that little part!!! That is how they get you. After 27 years they have you right where they want you

I'd probably buy a new washer. And since the dryer wouldn't match you have to have a new dryer as well. At least that is how it works in my home.
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Old 07-16-2019, 10:00 AM   #70
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My washer and dryer haven’t matched in years. We only replace when they die. It’s not like anyone sees them.
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Old 07-16-2019, 10:02 AM   #71
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$19.16 for that little part!!! That is how they get you. After 27 years they have you right where they want you

Right, outrageous! Now, a new transmission for this washer is about $475--that would give me pause. It would be time to start cruising the neighborhoods for a washer/dryer pair sitting out by the curb. Look for a nice, sturdy 25 YO dryer with a broken door switch and a matching washer that had to go because it wouldn't match the new dryer.

It looks like the obliterated seal might be important to keeping water out of the transmission, so there could be trouble ahead. But it's certainly worth the $20 to see, especially if the fix is easy. If there's a way to squirt/squeeze some grease into the transmission while everything is apart, that would probably be worth doing.
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Old 07-16-2019, 10:15 AM   #72
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$19.16 for that little part!!! That is how they get you. After 27 years they have you right where they want you

I'd probably buy a new washer. And since the dryer wouldn't match you have to have a new dryer as well. At least that is how it works in my home.
Nope, won't need a matching dryer, they are in a closet, behind bi-fold doors that are shut most of the time. No one cares.

For me, the easy, cheap fixes I've done are far less effort, and less money, than buying new. I'd have to do comparison shopping, arrange for delivery, hook them up, learn the ins/outs of these things. Nope, I'd rather put that off for as long as possible.

And some of the horror stories I've heard of the new appliances - I would not be surprised that if I had bought a new one 6 years ago, as many suggested, that that new washer would have broken down and needed replacement already (I bet they are not as serviceable as the old ones - unless I spring the bucks for samclem's favorite, a Staber).

DW has been thinking we should move closer to g-kids (risky, I know), but it will be up to her to find a house I'd approve of, and I know she is more talk than action, so I'm not taking it too seriously. But regarding that, she said (mostly jokingly), "Are we taking the old washer dryer with us?".

I've told her about how I update this thread once a year for the past 6 years, so I said "Well, now we have to take them with us!".

-ERD50
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Old 07-17-2019, 08:40 AM   #73
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Way to go, preserving the Maytag! My GE Hotpoint washer from 1986 is still chugging along, but it somehow gets my white laundry a horrible grey color after a few washings, even with bleach added. My mom hates the grey color and always asks me to bring my white laundry over to her place when I visit. Win/win. I think the grey color is actually due to some rust on the outside of the tub. The water gets to the rust even though it's on the outside, since there are holes all over the tub (on purpose). Tub may not be the right word. Basket? Don't know why the color is grey as opposed to rusty brown.
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Old 07-17-2019, 12:04 PM   #74
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Still happy with the 4 year old oversized LG toploader He washer, and matching oversized dryer, that I bought in 2015 for my Dream Home. Cleanest clothes I have ever had; much better than my prior GE agitator washer that I left at the old house, and no repairs or other attention needed. I'm still waiting for all the objectionable things that are supposed to happen with He washers, but so far it has been blissful, care free perfection.
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But about 6 months ago, there was a problem. DW said some clothes were occasionally getting a dark streak on them, like grease. Wouldn't come out.
No grease on my clothes, either! But I did have to pay through the nose for the lack of any need to deal with grease; new appliances aren't cheap. The washer and dryer added up to $2,236, including tax and shipping. (gulp! ) So you are definitely ahead from a spending viewpoint I would think.

P.S.-- the LG He washer and dryer have one HUGE "plus" in comparison with my old GE agitator washer and dryer. Probably would make zero difference to most people, but for me this is amazing. It plays a pretty little song at the end of each cycle instead of a long and deafeningly loud "BUZZ!!!" that I swear could be heard a block away (with no volume control or easy way to shut it off permanently either according to workmen who know). With the appliances at the old house being located in a closet just off the den where I sat, that was simply awful, and having it heard at great distances was embarrassing and kept me from doing laundry at night. The pretty little song played by my new LG appliances makes my laundry day much more peaceful and fun and to me, it is a big improvement. I think that's worth at least half of the price I paid for the set.
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Old 07-17-2019, 12:15 PM   #75
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I never fix appliances.

Just drive over to the guy I've known for 30 years. Pete at center appliance. He shows me the good ones and helps my decision then he delivers and most important removes the old for free. No comparison shopping, no visiting multiple stores and no hassle.

Easy. Just hit the easy button!
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Old 07-17-2019, 12:35 PM   #76
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Geez, Robbie even has an agent to help him BTD!
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Old 07-23-2019, 06:22 PM   #77
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The "high efficiency" washers use less water but they run forever. If I could persuade my better half, I'd get a wringer washer with the "suds saver" sinks, which allowed you to get two (or more) loads washed with the same water and soap and possibly the same rinse water - depending on what was being washed. That's actually "high efficiency" and wringer washers only run until the clothes look "clean enough" - not more than an hour. For things that can go through the wringer, they'll likely be equally as dry as the HE washer gets them.

I do keep the Kenmore dryer running. Purchased in Nov 2000 at the Sears Outlet store and with $75 off because of the dent in the control console (in the middle - no working parts there), it's has several "maintenance kits", consisting of the rubber-tired rollers the back of the drum rests on, the doorseal the front of the drum rests on, a new belt and a new belt tensioner. I have the next "kit" in the cabinet above the dryer as it's coming up on 5 years since the last one was installed.

An hour or two and $70-$80 every 5 years or so for a "like new" dryer? Seems like a good investment to me.
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Old 07-23-2019, 07:06 PM   #78
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The "high efficiency" washers use less water but they run forever. If I could persuade my better half, I'd get a wringer washer with the "suds saver" sinks, which allowed you to get two (or more) loads washed with the same water and soap and possibly the same rinse water - depending on what was being washed. That's actually "high efficiency" and wringer washers only run until the clothes look "clean enough" - not more than an hour. For things that can go through the wringer, they'll likely be equally as dry as the HE washer gets them. ...
My wife's Aunt had a set up like that into the 80's at least, and she swore by it. Said the wringer got the clothes so dry the dryer (or hanging ) was very fast.

I actually ran an experiment to see if multiple spins in our standard washer would get the clothes much dryer. I weighed them, and ran them through 2 more spin cycles, measuring each. I'd say the designers got it right, it really was diminishing returns for each additional spin cycle, even considering that taking the clothes out and in should help redistribute the wet spots.

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...

I do keep the Kenmore dryer running. Purchased in Nov 2000 at the Sears Outlet store and with $75 off because of the dent in the control console (in the middle - no working parts there), it's has several "maintenance kits", consisting of the rubber-tired rollers the back of the drum rests on, the doorseal the front of the drum rests on, a new belt and a new belt tensioner. I have the next "kit" in the cabinet above the dryer as it's coming up on 5 years since the last one was installed.

An hour or two and $70-$80 every 5 years or so for a "like new" dryer? Seems like a good investment to me.
Agreed. The fix is so cheap/easy, easier than buying new, IMO.



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I never fix appliances.

Just drive over to the guy I've known for 30 years. Pete at center appliance. He shows me the good ones and helps my decision then he delivers and most important removes the old for free. No comparison shopping, no visiting multiple stores and no hassle.

Easy. Just hit the easy button!
Well, I actually bought this set from "a guy" - small business in town, took care of delivery, it was very easy.

But these worked so well, that was over 30 years ago since I've seen him. The store isn't there any more, would not be surprised if he has passed on.

We are fortunate though, there is a family owned appliance business in the area, though it is LARGE, no longer a mom-pop outfit, goes back to 1936:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abt_Electronics

I mentioned this a while back, talking about the excellent service and no-hassle purchase. I said I could not vouch for their on-line sales, as I only used the local outlet, but a number of people were very positive on their long-distance service as well.

-ERD50
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Old 07-23-2019, 07:19 PM   #79
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....

P.S.-- the LG He washer and dryer have one HUGE "plus" in comparison with my old GE agitator washer and dryer. Probably would make zero difference to most people, but for me this is amazing. It plays a pretty little song at the end of each cycle instead of a long and deafeningly loud "BUZZ!!!" that I swear could be heard a block away (with no volume control or easy way to shut it off permanently either according to workmen who know). With the appliances at the old house being located in a closet just off the den where I sat, that was simply awful, and having it heard at great distances was embarrassing and kept me from doing laundry at night. The pretty little song played by my new LG appliances makes my laundry day much more peaceful and fun and to me, it is a big improvement. I think that's worth at least half of the price I paid for the set.
I meant to reply when you wrote this, but now you have me thinking of wiring in a little music player in place of the buzzer. Would be easy. DW could choose any tune in our library of digital music! How about:



As far as " (with no volume control or easy way to shut it off permanently either according to workmen who know)." Those workmen don't know. Disabling it is super easy, just unplug the buzzer inside. Making it switchable would just be adding an on/off switch, also very easy. Controlling the volume is a little tougher, those buzzers are pretty much on/off devices, but I'm sure something could be done (mechanical damping the mechanism, or replacing it with something adjustable, like the old Bell Telephone desk-set ringers, which mechanically adjusted the travel of the striker.

But you already have your solution, I'm just thinking out load!


-ERD50
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Old 08-18-2019, 04:42 PM   #80
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....

It looks like the obliterated seal might be important to keeping water out of the transmission, so there could be trouble ahead. But it's certainly worth the $20 to see, especially if the fix is easy. If there's a way to squirt/squeeze some grease into the transmission while everything is apart, that would probably be worth doing.
Decided today would be a good day to replace that seal. Got it done, and running a test load of rags now.

Not too bad, but most of the videos I found were about the tub seal, which is the next level deeper in, but I figured it out. A little tricky, everything was kinda crusty. Had to bang on the washer a bit to free it up, and needed my dental picks to get it out of its 'well'. Then I didn't know what I was looking at, had to probe and pull, but it was the old deteriorated seal, and I finally got that out, carefully noting exactly how it was positioned. Mostly the bottom of the seal was deteriorated, but I guess that gunk worked its way out to leave the black streaks on clothes.

Had to clean everything up pretty good, pulling rubber bits and soap crust out of there. Took phone videos along the way, and my new Harbor Freight LED 'head light' was great for lighting up everything.

The seal also has a coil spring inside it, I guess to push the lip of the seal against the top & bottom. But when I went to drop the seal in place, it seemed to hang up, and not compress enough to get the washer and clip on top of it. So I pull it out, and the washer that sits inside between the spring and the seal was stuck on the shaft. Hmm. So I got that out, sanded down the shaft a bit to get any gunk off it, gave it a swipe of silicone plumber grease, fitted the washer back into the seal/spring, and it went right in.

Then the dreaded instructions "replace the spring clip". Easy, if you are Houdini. Well some finagling, and I got the clip in place.

Opened up the bottom, and all looked well, no leaks from running with that damaged seal, as far as I can tell. So we will see.

Time for a beer. Then salmon on the grill with some awesome fresh sweet corn from the local farm stand.

-ERD50
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