On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:01:52 -0800 (PST), wrote:


"It's a (partial) blockage in the pipe between the soap drawer and
drum."

that's what I thought but I can't feel one, and can feel right to
where it joins the drum. The pipe is very flexible, I can make it
meet in the middle.

Have you tried pushing something long and flexible down through the
pipe Sam? (if the hose between the soap tray and the drum is large
enough, maybe a bit of garden hose?)

I've never had a washing machine to bits and can
imagine all sorts of bizarre syphonic madness that would confuse
common sense.

Nope, it's all pretty logical, well all apart from any logic that is.
;-)

I can't see how to get at the pipe further - would I have to take the
door off and seals, or take the soap wotsit right out?

Yes, and in fact exactly what I did this very afternoon on a new_to_us
machine. In this case the soap draw swung out as a quadrant and then
unclipped to gain access to underneath it. It was 'packed' to up under
the bottom of the 'draw' with a solid wodge of fairly hard soap
powder. I lifted most of it up as a chunk and carefully (wooden
spatula) scraped up any of the remaining bits, followed with a wet rag
to mop up the rest. I then turned the machine on and ensured the water
flowed through the area, washing away any remaining debris.

All the best ..

T i m