Washing Machine Prob.

[Madaya]

Hey mates,
Have just been reading back through the good old thread...
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...achine+problem

Lottsa laughs, and good indication of what it is that drives the FF's, we like mechanical things and fixing them.

My prob is this...

My daughters top loader, an old Westinghouse 425. The pumps, motors and etc work fine, but the 'knob head' that you use to select a program does not advance (i.e. rotate automatically) through the cycle. iow, it stay put on the sector you set it to.

I've squirted a bit of Contact Cleaner and Inox here and there, both sides of the top panel.

Don't worry, I'm pretty good with appliances, always unplugged when taken apart. Done this kind of stuff plenty of times.

Any thoughts on the fault much appreciated.

Cheers.

[poppa smurf]

sounds like the auto advance "ratchet" doohickey, whatsit, mechanism is either shot or seized or burnt out.

can you get a replacement switch off ebay, plenty of parts on there.

[XW WA]

If the level switch does not make it wont power the timer. The level switch is a diaphram that is pulled in or out via air pressure from a tube that runs down to the wash tub. Grab the tube , blow into it and see if it switches.If there is power on the timer motor and its not working get a new timer

[zilo]

I used to go to the recycling at my local tip for parts for our toploader.

[Madaya]

Thanks team,
darn those doohickeys.
Story is this, if you wish to engage....
So, daughter, basically unemployed i.e. unfinancial (but much loved by Dad = me) says machine is broke.
Ex wife (thank God), who has always flogged me to give my kids everything their heart desires, called me out of the blue, to demand that I go halves in a new washing machine for my daughter. I said I'll think about it.
Thinking about it, I grabbed the tools and popped over to daughter's and offered to have a look at the machine.
Her response was, (obviously, she had spoken to Mum), nah Dad, it's an old machine, I'll probably get a new one on credit (what credit?). Well, that was all the thought I needed, not that my daughter is selfish, but her Mum has taught her wrong.
Ex bought a new machine. Long story short, I grabbed hold of the old.
My intention is to fix it, sell it, without spending too much. The fact that it was able to wash a full a load of towels yesterday with a bit of nudging on the 'knob' says it is all there.
I'll take the selector off and give it a going over. If no go, I'll source a cheap replacement.
If I get the machine to work, I'll sell it for $50 with a kinda warranty. If it fails in six months, money back.
I just want to wave the $50 in the ex's face.
Thanks for replies, any other advice most welcome.

[nuthin' fancy]

"Knob head"

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Kevxr8Leexr6]

Gotta love gen y . can offer a little advice , if the position that the timer stops on is the same every wash, check the operation of what its suppose to be doing, eg , pump rinse,drain. and check what component is used. if ok im guessing the timer as its an older machine and the micro switches inside are flatspotted stopping it from moving on to the next operation. timers are roughly $90-$110.

[ebxr8240]

Can you get parts for toploaders ??? LOL..

[Madaya]

F*I*X*E*D

Well, got a chance to have another play with the machine. Got stuck in to the selector (aka Knob Head) mechanism with more Inox, checked the water level switch, good clean with contact cleaner and gently blew into the little hose to loosen up the mechanism.

Back together. Small load of towels and away it goes. No problem at all.

The Knob Head felt quite - nah hang on, better change that - err, the selector felt quite stiff initially but loosened up good with the Inox. The little drive motor probably ran out of puff.

Thanks again for advice and suggestions.

And nah, I don't want to go waving money in any ones face, it's not cool and I've got to learn to let it be.

[poppa smurf]

well done, good result.