Morris Minor Owners Club

Nothing to do with Minors - but our washing machine, only 18 months old, had been getting more and more noisy on the 1600 spin. This last week the noise had jumped to epic levels. Sounded as if the bearings had gone - yet when turned by hand the drum was nice and smooth running. Threats of buying yet another new machine prompted me to remove the top - and behold - there is a great lump of concrete on the outer drum - held by 3 large screws, which had come loose!!
Add more washers under the heads and tighten them up - and the machine is smooth as silk again. £250 saved!

Well done - but they all have the concrete. It dampens the vibrations, as you found out - surprised you didn't know that:D

I found the same thing with my Minor - it only went so slowly because of all the concrete inside!

We had an Indesit washer that was nothing but trouble thoughout the 5 year guarantee.
Shortly after it ran out the bracket holding the concrete to the drum broke away.
At the time we were skint so I dragged my MIG welder into the kitchen and welded the bracket back on.
There are still marks on the floor 20 years later from the splatter
BTW since then we have had 2 x Zanussi and currently a brilliant LG - none of which have concrete inside. Miniture shocks on Zanissi - not sure about LG, I think it has some sort of electronic balance system.

Paul Humphries

Our AEG is a pain in the neck!

Over the years we started with secondhand machines and then moved onto new - Indesit, 2 x Zanussi washer dryers and now a LG washer.
We always have manufacturers, not shops, extended guarantee for 5 years.
Indesit was worse and ended up with several motors, pump, timer, seals etc. Zanussi's weren't too bad and less problems but last one still needed a whole new drum (£300 if no extended gurantee). At over 5 years old the LG has never broken down / needed attention / call out once.
Not cheap (I think it was about £500) but I'd definatley buy another.
The first Zanussi was £700 ! It started leaking so I tilted it to check and lost grip so it fell to floor. Extended guarantee provided another machine FOC even though the old one was nearly 5 years old.

Paul Humphries

BTW did you know you use to be able to get petrol powered washing machines ?
They were made by Maytag.
http://www.stationaryengine.org/maytag_ ... s_2003.jpg
The owner used some of the profits to buy 60% of the first (failure) company the Dusebenburg brothers set up to make cars
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Duesenberg

Oihhh. Do I not spot some 'negative comments' up there that have slipped past a ??
I do know they (almost) all have lumps of concrete. I just didn't expect it to have come loose - or be so easy to fix!

Nope Just genuinely surprised at your "behold" astonishment

I've ended up with 2 of them somehow, but have learned to repair the older one pretty well for the last 12 years or so.
The pesky new one doesnt take in any hot water whereas the older one does. With an always on stove theres never a shortage of hot water so shame not to use it rather than pay to heat in a machine with electricity.

Most common problem has been the motor brushes wearing out several times, also the main switch had to be replaced. 2 surprisingly easy fixes, so to is clearing the clogged up drainage pipe (block solid with dog hairs every so often).
If you can fix your morris you can do your washing machien and save a fortune. There are a coupel of really good fix your washer websites, and you can get very reasonably priced spares for pretty much any machine.

I've lived in this house 11 years and one by one the white goods are going west. I haven't found the timers yet but I know they are there somewhere. Tick tick...... 10 years click ... activate self destruct circuit.

There was a burglar alarm firm who had a timer set for 13 months that brought the fault buzzer up. £50 to reset the timer drink tea and say "see you later" as they left.

All in all I hate my domestic staff the cook, the washer, the dishwasher the even the cleaner have all gone on strike. And that upstart in the kitchen with the tiny (micro) wave has had to go for slacking. I'm looking for a proper wave cooker now not that silly micro thing.

All I want for Christmas is for my domestic helpers to keep working. Otherwise I'm going to live in Orkney with nought but a stove cooker and lashings of hot water and a 40 year old tractor to go to work in.

Roger

My parent's and I've maintained their washing machine and dishwasher for almost as long as I've been alive. The 28 year old Hoover washer finally had to be replaced because we couldn't get bits for it anymore, and the Zanussi dishwasher is still going (and my old Zanussi freezer that I gave my mum), despite being flooded and swamped in 2 foot of water.

The dishwasher's 28 years old, both springs that hold the door up have snapped (can't replace 'em); the door catch mechanism's damaged, and the reason it may get replaced? Because the dish racks in it have rusted away, they're kind of held in place by luck, more than anything else, their plastic-coated metal has become little hollow plastic tubes!

Orkney wrote:
Most common problem has been the motor brushes wearing out several times, also the main switch had to be replaced.

Whilst brushes are an easy fix sometimes you find the armature is too worn / arc damaged to make them work.
All is not lost as you can buy just the armature surprisingly cheap as well.
My sister-on-law was quoted £70'ish for a recon motor.
From the same place I bought an armature (which included new bearings) and brushes for less than £25.
Easy to fit and basically no diffferent than the shop does to their "reconditioned" motors.

Paul Humphries

bmcecosse wrote:Oihhh. Do I not spot some 'negative comments' up there that have slipped past a ??

Sorry moderators - I forgot we aren't supposed to give negative comments
There again Indesit / Zanussi footed the bills for repairs to their product (other then the dropping damage that caused it to be a write off and replaced cheaper ) so they will know what I've said could be substanciated by their own records.

Paul Humphries

bmcecosse wrote:noisy on the 1600 spin. This last week the noise had jumped to epic levels. Sounded as if the bearings had gone - yet when turned by hand the drum was nice and smooth running.

Mine has just started to do exactly this. I could'nt see anything wrong, but when I get home tonight I'll check the concrete bolts!!

Course most have a transit bolt in them nowadays to steady the concreat weight during shipping - wonder how many people dont remove those?
Mind you the modern ones use a LOT less weight than they used too.

Very cheap washing machine alternative. Invite several friends round. Drink several bottles of cheap wine. Fill bath with water and suds, add washing. Everyone climbs into the bath, and you play really loud disco music.

MoggyTech wrote:Very cheap washing machine alternative. Invite several friends round. Drink several bottles of cheap wine. Fill bath with water and suds, add washing. Everyone climbs into the bath, and you play really loud disco music.

The spin cycle could get exciting!

Oh theres a so politically incorrect joke about such a thing ............

I shouldn't have joked.
When I got in tonight the washer was sulking and refusing to spin. First I beat in with a tree branch whilst shouting at it, then I cleaned the filter! Now it knows its place and has gone back to work.

First I beat in with a tree branch whilst shouting at it,

Will never again be able to see post by RogerRust without thinking of a certain Basil Fawlty beating the crap out of his motor with a branch