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My washing machine has suddenly started being much noisier during the spin cycle. It doesn't seem to be vibrating or knocking/banging. It's just got a much louder whine when spinning fast than it used to. What preliminary checks can I perform to identify the root cause so I can decide whether it's worth paying a professional for a repair or if I should just replace the machine?

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  • Top loader or front loader?
    – Niall C.
    Oct 10, 2011 at 0:03
  • Sorry, front loader Oct 10, 2011 at 0:20
  • Do you have the model number?
    – Tester101
    Oct 26, 2011 at 18:31
  • How old is it? Most of these types of washers are belt driven, and squeaks and squeals are usually signs of belt wear, which is easy to replace/repair.
    – ShoeMaker
    May 2, 2012 at 0:41

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the motor has 'carbon brushes' which are spring loaded and transfer the mains power into the center of the motor. When they get worn the motor starts to whine.

These are inexpensive to replace.

The motor in most machines is at the bottom. Making sure the power is off - tip the machine back and keep it safely located in that position.

Crawl beneath to get to the motor which is held in with 3 bolts.

If the motor has a large canister (capacitor) wired into it then it does not have brushes - the belt is then the culprit.

If it is a 'carbon brush motor' / brush motor then unplug the cable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brush_%28electric%29

Motor out : at each side of the motor the brushes are held in with small springy clips, these can be tricky to remove. If the dark square carbon rod part of the brushes are less than 1.5cm then they are worn and need replacing.

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