I have a Maytag model SAV515DEWW purchased at the Home Depot in approximately April 2004.

The other day I noticed the washer starting to make a little noise on the spin cycle. A couple of loads of laundry later, the washer now makes A LOT of noise and sounds like a turbine when on spin cycle. After the last load of laundry, I noticed a bit of water to the side of the washer - I moved the washer and found a large puddle underneath the unit.

Any ideas??? Based upon automotive experiences, the noise sounds like a bearing failure to me.

To update, I removed the lower front cover on the machine and began a cycle to find where the leak is coming from. The leak appears to be coming from the large aluminum casting (transmission?) directly below the wash tub - note the water leak to the right of center in the attached image. The leak appears to be coming from the seam where the stamped upper section of the housing is flange-crimped to the cast lower section of the housing. This explains the leak but not the whopped out bearing sound. What am I looking at in terms of damage (cost of parts) here? I am mechanically inclined and plan on doing any R&R / repair myself.



Any idea on what may have caused the problem so I can correct the issue to get more life out of the appliance before experiencing another failure of similar nature?

Hi,

Don't know what caused it, but its kinda rare to happen so soon.

Here is the bearing/seal kit you will need that comes with instructions:
Tub seal and bearing kit

Jake

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Thanks Jake - you hit the nail on the head. I tore the machine down the other night that was exactly it. I found quite a bit of sand on top of the seal that probably came from washing some of my dirty shop clothes. The seal is shot, the aluminum piece that fits inside the seal is scored up and the bearing is totally whopped out. I'll be ordering replacement parts tonight.

Sounds good, keep us posted on the outcome.

Jake

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Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
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I have the same problem with my SAV515DEWW. I started a new thread before I saw your post. I haven't torn into it yet but the bearing noise and the leak sound just like the problem you were having with your machine.

How difficult was your repair?

I think the parts arrived 2 days after I ordered them online from repairclinic.com - fast service and 100% hassle free. The parts received were Maytag; not aftermarket knockoffs.

I ordered the seal nut assembly (part no. 436859) but it was not required - it comes as part of the 1109145 kit. Oh well, I've got an extra. The $5.20 cost of the part doesn't warrant return shipping.


I definitely wouldn't recommend doing the job to a do-it-yourselfer if they are less than mechanically inclined or confident with tools and how to use them. Disassembly was the most difficult part of the job. The spanner wrench would have been nice for removing the cast aluminum hub but a 3# hammer and pry bar got the job done just as well - the part was bound for the trash so I wasn't concerned about damaging it. I removed the seal nut with a pair of channel-lock pliers - another part bound for the curb. The most difficult part of the job was R&Ring the two 5/16" screws at the back of the plastic tub that holds the water.

I don't know if I did the job exactly like a pro would have but here's the skinny on my process...

1. UNPLUG THE WASHER FROM THE POWER SUPPLY.
2. Remove the lower front panel from the washer.
3. Remove the upper front panel from the washer.
4. Lift the top cover on the washer - the entire top of the washing machine should pivot backward.
5. Remove the softener cup from the top of the auger. It snaps off.
6. There is a 14mm or 9/16" bolt in the center of the auger. Remove the bolt.
7. Remove the auger. It should slide off if you pull straight up and wiggle as you pull.
8. Remove the 3 bolts around the base of the wash tub on top of the lint trap (gray plastic frisbee looking thing).
9. Remove the lint trap and throw it away. That's probably what caused your bearing failure in the first place - it allows sand to pass through and get to the seal. The repair kit comes with rubber plugs to fill the 2 holes (stainless tub) or 8 holes (plastic tub).
10. Remove the cast aluminum hub (hammer & prybar is what I used). It spins off lefty-loosey but you'll probably need to beat on it a bit to get it to go.
11. Remove the wash tub - it lifts out exposing the seal and bearing pack in the plastic tub.
12. Remove the six (6) 5/16" screws from the plastic tub. Disconnect the hoses (one at the back side of the tub, one on the bottom) and remove the tub from the machine frame.
13. Knock the bearing out of the plastic tub. I used a 3" PVC pipe coupler on a short piece of 3" PVC pipe to support the tub while I hit the old bearing/seal pack with a hammer (lightly) to knock it out.
14. WASH ALL THE PARTS (plastic tub, wash tub, auger, etc) with water to remove any garbage on them (sand, lint, etc). You want to put clean parts back together!
15. Put a little bit of sealant on the outside diameter of the seal pack (I used the silicone gasket material I use for rebuilding engines) and install the seal pack into the plastic tub.
16. GREASE the inside of the seal and the outside of the washing machine transmission shaft and reinstall the plastic tub. I used marine wheel bearing grease - the same stuff I use to repack and lube the wheel bearings on my boat trailer.
17. Repeat the disassembly process in reverse order - the instructions that come with the kit should get you home from here... in terms of instructions, they are pretty decent and have pictures to help.

In the end, the instructions that come with the Maytag kit tell you to throw away the lint trap and not reinstall a new one. I seriously think the lint trap allowed the sand to pass through the screen and accumulate on top of the seal.

I think all my steps are in the right order BUT I performed the work a couple days ago and wrote the above based upon memory - one of the pros on here, please correct me if I'm wrong or forgot something blatantly obvious or important.

The washing machine is as good as new. Cost of the repair, if I wouldn't have ordered the extra $5.20 part, would be about $89 USD.

Good luck!

Thanks for the help Quack Addict. My wifes washing machine is fixed and she is happy again. I really appreciate your time giving me detailed information so that I could make the repair.

First off, thanks Quack Addict - your breakdown was very helpful. My problem is, I ordered the same parts you did for my SAV515DEWW (Serial Number 10841714EG) and nothing seems to fit. The instuctions say to remove 3 screws from the tub support cover (different from your instructions) but my Tub Support Cover does not have three screws the bearing and seal are similiar to yours. The pack I received did not have new bearings and seal. just the "bearing, seal and housing" (about 5" wide) and the spin hub (also received the gaskets, seals and screws - no rubber plugs). I realize the spin hub was supposed to replace the plastic one, there is reference to it at the back of the instuction booklet. I'm at a loss. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thats odd Tony, they should be identical to Quack Addicts & scouts.

Did you order them from the link I posted above?

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

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