Daily Archives: December 14, 2011
Washer Repair Day . . .
Today was the day.
I couldn’t put it off any longer. Or, at least Jan said I couldn’t.
It was time to tackle pulling the dryer out of its cabinet and checking out the dryer fan motor.
The first step was to remove the retaining strip at the base of the cabinet. It looked like this was the only thing holding the washer in place, and it was.
Kind of.
adsfdf
After removing the strip I found the washer still wouldn’t come out because the screws on the door hinges protruded just enough to block it.
So, off with the doors.
adsfds
Then after placing my furniture dolly underneath, I started inching the washer out.
adsfdf
Once the washer was out of the way, Mister had to immediately investigate things.
It was obvious that the cabinet was built around the washer since both the dryer vent hose and the water drain hose were too short to allow the washer to come all the way out, and in fact pulled loose before the washer was halfway out.
I’ll have to add extensions to both before I reinstall the washer.
asdf
Jan’s now got that island counter in the middle of the kitchen she’s always wanted, at least until I’m ready to reinstall the washer.
adsfdsf
Luckily, only four screws and the top comes off. And even better, the fan motor is right at the top.
And here’s the alleged culprit.
afdadsf
Looking closely it was easy to see what had happened. The circle with the tabs on it is actually a cooling fan for the motor underneath it. The motor bearings had worn enough to let the shaft with the fan on it drop down and start rubbing against one of the motor’s electrical connectors. This caused the noise I first heard for a week or so before the motor finally died.
A blog reader, Tom Van de Bussche, had already clued me in on where to get a new motor, so I was on the phone to Westland Sales in Clackamas, OR to get one in the mail to me.
As it turns out, it will be shipped out from their Elkhart, IN location. Sure wish it had died a month or so ago, I could have picked one up while we were there.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Thought for the Day:
Bad decisions make good stories.
asdfa
