Help me repair my washing machine, please.

Factual Questions
1

Symptom: goes into the spin cycle just fine, but won’t spin all the water out. Leaves about 2" at the bottom. Older GE.

What I’ve done: Put it through several cycles. Took the outflow hose out of the drain & blasted water up there with a hose & nozzle. Took the back off, unhooked the hose, ran it through a spin cycle, holding a plastic bucket under the fitting. Water comes out in an anemic trickle.

I have a bathtub full of laundry, a partially dismantled washing machine, & can’t find a parts/repair place open on a Sunday. My guess is, it’s clogged with dog hair or 187 odd socks. But the rest of it looks daunting to take apart right now.

Any ideas?

2

Does it sound or act any differently?

Is this a sudden problem, something that just happened today?

You could try bending the end of a coathanger in a sharp little hook, and probing up in the drain hose to see if you can snag something…just be damn careful when doing it. Unplug it from power, first!

3

Thankyou, Anthracite, it sounds normal & started screwing up yesterday. I tried the coathanger but didn’t get anywhere…It doesn’t go very far down.

Well…it was a free washing machine & I’ve had it for 4 years. So if it’s unfixable, or requires an exotic part, I may just buy a new-used one.

I’d like to get it fixed, though, so keep the ideas coming!

4

I don’t know what make,model or vintage your machine is but-----if it’s belt driven, the belt probably needs tightening.

If the belt is a litle stretched there isn’t enough spin speed to empty the tub.

Usually there’s a method of belt tightening by loosening some motor mount bolts and moving the motor to take up the slack.

5

Disclaimer: Not a professional; only a tinkerer.

Several times, I have found laundry items between the inner and outer tubs clogging the drain exit. I don’t think you’ll be able to reach that location via the drain hose itself. Perhaps your unit has a clipped-on ring covering the gap between the upper edges of the inner and outer tubs. If this is the case, it’s a pretty simple deal to pry these clips loose and remove the ring, thus allowing the extrication of 187-odd socks. It’s been my experience that “delicates” are the most likely members of the wardrobe family to go AWOL in this manner.
There may also be a coarse screen filter somewhere in the works.
Please disconnect the unit from it’s electrical source before poking around in there. (I just feel better with that admonition in place.)
Good Luck.

6

I could’ve cut and pasted this (ok, I did, more or less…) If the drum is spinning slower than usual during the spin cycle then the belt is probably loose.

I assume that all but the last few inches of water are getting pumped out without any problem …right?

7

Ahh…yes, cornflakes, all but the last two inches of water. And, come to think of it, it did seem to be spinning a little less violently.

I just got back from a BBQ & I’m too full to lift a screwdriver right now. You guys are great…I’ll tinker some more tomorrow. Once I get rid of the mountain of laundry in the bathtub…