Hi, our washer leaks out the bottom while the tank is filling. It makes a couple of small streams that go down to the basement drain. Any ideas on how to fix this?
To diagnose a leak you need to operate it with the front panel off. I believe on this model there are two screws at the bottom and after you remove them the front panel will swing out and off.
If the leak is coming from the hoses that is an easy fix. If it is coming down the center it means your seals have failed and you should plan on replacing it very soon.
Thanks for your reply. Sounds logical. I will try it out.
Good, good luck and let us know how it turns out.
— Begin quote from sidfink43;859862
Good, good luck and let us know how it turns out.
— End quote
I got the front panel off per your instructions. The leak is coming out of the center under the barrel when it spins. It doesn’t seem to leak when it’s just filling up.
Well it could be a crack in the outer tub, so look for that but most likely it is the center seal in which case I think a new machine is in order.
I did some more research and it does look fairly daunting to get down to the where the seal is and replace it. At least 1.5 to 2.5 hours of work and that’s if you know what you’re doing. Plus possibly needing a specialized tool. Plus Amana only sells what should be a $3 item as part of a larger kit that costs $113.
So I guess we’ll let her leak until it’s a gusher, then get a new one. I didn’t see any way of "McGyvering" it by putting caulk under the tub, for example.
When we go shopping for a new one, what do you suggest? Any particular brands or models? It seems a shame to trash a washer for a $3 part when everything else is working fine - I see this as a serious design flaw. Would a front loader be any better than a top loader in this respect?
I think you conclusions are right on.
I would strongly recommend a basic Whirlpool top loader, sold under the Whirlpool, Estate, Roper, Inglis and Kenmore brand names. It is a direct drive machine, will last forever, is easy to fix and should not have any electronic controls. The basic machine is what you want, the rest is marketing hype.
Shop around for a sale price, they are usually on sale somewhere
Good luck.