Noisy Washing Machine

[Curious]

My washing machine has recently started making a *VERY* loud noise, and vibrating violently on fast spin. I took a look over the weekend and the top and bottom concrete blocks were secure, as were the dampers. On the next wash, all was good, i.e. normal noise and vibration.

My wife used it again today and the problem re-appeared. The noise is uncomfortably loud in the kitchen, and sounds like a heavy metallic knocking (hard to describe noises, I know!).The clothes came out covered in black marks, and on opening up the machine this evening, the top is covered in a grey dust, I think this is carbon dust from the brushes as there is a concentrated area on the underside of the lid above the motor.

Could the noise be the motor striking the side of the machine? I can quite easily move the drum/motor across by hand to reach the side of the machine, is this normal?

I just got one of the carbon brushes out, there's a bit missing, and it's charred.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

This is difficult to work out as there are so many different symptoms. Here are my thoughts -

Dust from carbon rushes is black. Grey dust usually comes from a loose concrete weight. Loose tub weights are rare on this model but they cause a loud knocking noise which is often worse when the washing machine is reving up to spin and dying down from a spin (suspension problems are also often worse at this stafe too). It's not normally a metalic sound though.

If the noise is coming from the motor banging against the sides of the machine then it will make the machine move when it happens. The whole machine may jump or move to one side. The motor often thumps the side of the washing machine on Hotpoint washers where the motor is fitted at the top of the tub and over to the right hand side. This is a daft place to fit a motor and only Hotpoint / Creda did it. I think they've eventually stopped now though.

It is normal to be able to push the drum to the side so that the motor hits the casing. If the suspension has gone, the tub should be twisted and leaning to one side more than the other, or it just could be very loose. It's difficult to check suspension if you don't know how it should feel.

If the noise is coming from the inner drum hitting the heating element or throwing an object like a £1 coin (trapped between the inner drum and the outer tub) around, then the washing machine will be stable but the noise would still be a horrible metalic knocking. This is one cause I suspect.

If the carbon brush is charred (as in these Hotpoint & Creda carbon brush pictures) then it's definitely faulty and needs replacing. This could cause the machine to bang about violently on spin but it normally wouldn't.

As for the clothes being covered in black marks. ( Washing (laundry) is still dirty or has marks on it ). This sounds potentially ominous as it could be that the inner drum is catching on the inside of the outer tub which is often covered in gunge. As clothes are pushed through the holes in the drum on spin, this could cause them to scrape on the inner tub and pick up greasy marks. Check for play in the drum by lifting it up and down from the front. It should only lift up a mm or so. Then turn the drum so that one of the drum paddles is at the bottom. Pull the drum toward you at the point of the drum paddle. It shouldn't have any play in it. Turn the drum round and test the other two as well. If the drum spider and shaft has a crack in it then one or more of the arms will allow excess play when you pull the drum at the paddle points.

Carbon dust from a motor could never get onto clothes.

See my Washerhelp's full washing machine is noisy troubleshooting guide