Washing Machine Repair

[icowden]

Hi Hive mind. Any washing machine experts on here?

I have a Bosch Washing Machine (Varioperfect Serie 8) which has been in place for some years. I have managed to resurrect it a couple of times and it's still limping on, but I find that I need to consult the hive mind for ideas.

Last June I replaced the drain pump and it's been working well since - until about two months ago. I got an E18 error again which I understand to mean that there is an issue with the draining of the water. The error was accompanied with a horrid smell as of melting or heated plastic. I drained the system, checked the filter (clear) and put it all back again. In the spirit of experimentation I then ran another cycle - and it all worked fine. As did the next. And the next.

Weird! I thought, but hey ho.

And then it happened again.
And again.
And again.

I seem to get around 5 to 10 washes before it recurs. It's not like it's just storing water as draining is usually only two washing bowls full of water.

So - anyone any idea what might be going on here? I know it's now at the point where I need to consider a new machine, but I paid a decent amount for this one, and I'm the sort that wants to get their money's worth. I've repaired a coin hole in the drum outer changed the pump and kept it going 3 years longer than when the washing machine repair man told me to dump it ("nah - you can't repair a drum and it's gonna cost more to replace than to buy a new one"). Turns out you *can* repair a washing machine drum through the medium of waterproof gorilla repair tape edged with epoxy and covered in silicone sealant.

Anyhoo - what do people think? New pump again? Give up?

 

[oxoman]

Possibly a bearing / bush on the pump has picked up and got tight in the plastic housing causing it to overheat. I've seen string / cotton get through the filter and wrap around the back of the pump impeller. The biggest elephant in the room on a replacement part for any white goods is was it OEM or t emu knock off. Check for foreign objects wedging in or around the pump. Yep probably time to put it down tbh. Used to work with a ex OEM repairer and his words of advice was always get a quality one but also the simplest one as they tend to be less problematic.

 

[classic33]

Is the drainage hose kink free, and able to take the water from the machine, without stopping.

 

[slowmotion]

If there is a smell of hot plastic, whatever is rubbing/overheating won't be underwater. Sorry, that's the only advice I can give.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

On the basis of absolutley no expertise whatsoever
I would think that if it runs for a few cycles then there is a problem
Then some sort of blockage is building up somewhere - somehow

At that point a motor that is expecting to be cooled by water flowing past it starts to overheat

so look so somewhere that "stuff) can accumulate over time

which is pretty woolly and non specific - good luck

 

[gbb]

I don't think this is relevant given the smell of burning but..
Years ago we had a washing machine that failed to drain...when we called someone out, he went to a vertical, small bore, clear hose at the rear of the drum. This is where (on that particular machine) the water in drum level is monitored (probably by pressure switch) it was blocked so the machine effectively thought it didn't have water in it.
This was all a long time ago and I may have some detail wrong, but in essence, true.
I don't know if machines have the same nowadays ?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I don't think this is relevant given the smell of burning but..
Years ago we had a washing machine that failed to drain...when we called someone out, he went to a vertical, small bore, clear hose at the rear of the drum. This is where (on that particular machine) the water in drum level is monitored (probably by pressure switch) it was blocked so the machine effectively thought it didn't have water in it.
This was all a long time ago and I may have some detail wrong, but in essence, true.
I don't know if machines have the same nowadays ?

Looking at that backwards then if it is blocked ina different way it might think there is water in it after it has all been drained
so try to pump it out when it is already empty and hence the pump overheats due to operating with no water

maybe

 

[icowden]

Is the drainage hose kink free, and able to take the water from the machine, without stopping.

Yes it is. CHecked that - but thanks.

 

[icowden]

The biggest elephant in the room on a replacement part for any white goods is was it OEM or t emu knock off.

Not OEM, it was an ASKOLL pump suitable to replace the Bosch one from fixpart. The Bosch one is £102 which is probably what the washing machine is worth now, or 1/8th of the price of a new Serie 8.

 

[icowden]

On the basis of absolutley no expertise whatsoever
I would think that if it runs for a few cycles then there is a problem
Then some sort of blockage is building up somewhere - somehow

Yeah - I may take it to bits at the weekend and check the hoses to and from the pump and see if I can see any oddness. It's just such a pain in the fandango to do.

 

[faster]

Drain pumps on washers tend to be induction motors, which often have very low starting torque. This means they can easily get 'stuck', and if the windings are still energised whilst they are stuck, it'll get hot and smell. Once started, it'll probably run just fine.

As for why it's occasionally getting stuck - who knows? Could be something blocking the impeller, the bush/shaft could be a bit tight or it could just need replacing.