Help!

I've a problem with my Zanussi washer dryer (Model WDA 1255 W) leaking
but only when drying.

Trickle of clean water from under right hand side front of machine,
roughly where filter access is. Definitely not filter leaking though
as washing cycles are fine. I've not had chance to investigate machine
further, not found anything on internet about this problem.

Anyone out there have any pointers. Not familiar with this machine as
my previous one (Whirlpool) was dead easy to take apart and fettle,
this one has been going for a few years without any attention
required. Seems a very different construction. Any ideas on
dismantling a Zanussi?

Thanks

Jez

PS I'm aware washer dryers are the spawn of the devil but have a small
kitchen.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Help!

I've a problem with my Zanussi washer dryer (Model WDA 1255 W) leaking
but only when drying.

Trickle of clean water from under right hand side front of machine,
roughly where filter access is. Definitely not filter leaking though
as washing cycles are fine. I've not had chance to investigate machine
further, not found anything on internet about this problem.

Anyone out there have any pointers. Not familiar with this machine as
my previous one (Whirlpool) was dead easy to take apart and fettle,
this one has been going for a few years without any attention
required. Seems a very different construction. Any ideas on
dismantling a Zanussi?

Thanks

Jez

PS I'm aware washer dryers are the spawn of the devil but have a small
kitchen.

If it's like my old Zanussi washer dryer (WDJ1294 ISTR) it'll have a "split"
tub made of two giant plastic mouldings rather than the traditional big tub
with a removable panel on one side only.

On mine, the giant "O ring" seal between the two tub halves was leaking
slightly. The symptom of this was leaking only on the spin cycle, presumably
water whacking into the join at high speed was enough to seep out, whereas
normal sloshing around was still contained. Replacing the seal was not
trivial, basically I had to dismantle the whole machine. It wouldn't have
been worth paying a pro to do it (several hours labour) so I did it myself.

To add insult to injury the casing is made in two halves with a join between
the front and back - you can recognse this construction by looking at the
side of the machine - there are two little plastic covers on the side that
hide the screws. The problem with this is that unlike the "standard"
construction there is not a strong 5-sided box with just a panel to remove
on the back, instead there are two rather flimsy 4-sided halves - the bottom
is a giant plastic moulding that they screw to. You have to take off either
the front or back half, but NOT at the same time. It's good fun because you
have to (based on what I worked out for myself):

-Take the top off
- Lay the thing down before it gets too flimsy and disconnect any hoses
underneath, e.g. things that connect to the pumps
-Take the back off
-undo all hoses and cables and stuff that you can see, and all the rear
counterweights if you are going for a full tub removal
-undo the front half fixings
- replace the back half but not screw it on - ths keeps the flimsy internal
"frame" supported while you take the front off
- undo the seal and stuff round the door so you can get at some of the front
bits, door lock etc
- keeping the innards supported on the rear case half, remove the front
- remove the front counterweight
- remove any hoses and stuff accessible from the front
- probably put the front back on and remove the back so you can undo the
"shock absorbers" and springs that the tub is suspended from
- lower the tub gently and if you are lucky, get it out through the back (if
you have got enough hoses out of the way)

As Haynes says - reassembly is the reverse of the above!

Annoyingly, when I got the whole tub out, it turned out that the reason for
the leak was that a few of the (many) screws joining the two halves of the
tub had not been tightened fully it seemed. Tightening would probably have
done the job but by then I was committed so I changed the seal anyway.

Worked well for a few months before the bearings went. I got the bearings,
and some bearing pullers, but before I got up the enthusiasm to do the job,
the motor went. Ho hum. That was it - replaced it with a more modern
Zanussi, which is going stong.

I took loads of photos at the time but never got around to posting them
anywhere. Maybe I'll have another go some time.

Good luck!

Simon.

On Mar 9, 1:37 pm, "Simon Stroud"
wrote:
wrote in message

ups.com...



Help!
(snip)
Thanks

Jez

PS I'm aware washer dryers are the spawn of the devil but have a small
kitchen.

If it's like my old Zanussi washer dryer (WDJ1294 ISTR) it'll have a "split"
tub made of two giant plastic mouldings rather than the traditional big tub
with a removable panel on one side only.
(Snip)

Good luck!

Simon.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Thanks for this - sounds a bit scary, may take the repairman option on
this if I can't see anything obvious once top and back removed.

Jez

In message .com,
" writes
Thanks for this - sounds a bit scary, may take the repairman option on
this if I can't see anything obvious once top and back removed.

F the drum was leaking it would drip out water during washing as well.
It's worth looking inside and making sure you observe all safety
precautions put the machine through a cycle and only feel around for
drips when the power is OFF to the machine. It could even be water
condensing on the outside of the condenser plate.

Some of the condenser type machines have a sump in the base that is
pumped to the drain or collection tray. Sometimes they gunk up with wet
fluff. This is particularly aggravated by the use of "fabric softeners"
which make the gunk greasy.

--
Clive Mitchell
http://www.bigclive.com