The Maytag Neptune needs some reair

[def]

Some of you may recall that I had saved an old MAH3000 Neptune from the land fill some years ago. Some repair to the control board and more recently, new bearings and seal and this beast of a washer gets clothes really clean. It lives out in my garage and gets fed with a garden hose.

Well, recently, there has been a puddle of water under the machine after a complete wash cycle. So, I removed the cover over the spinner and took out the pumps and hoses. I found the pumps are fine and no cracks or obvious leaks in any of the pump out hardware. However, the plastic hose that empties to drain was brittle and broke when I handled it. Fortunately, this hose is still available but in what appears to be aftermarket design slightly different from the white, plastic OE hose. So, hopefully, this replacement hose will solve my leak and restore the old Neptune to leak free performance. I'll also remove some rust from the bottom pan and paint it to slow further corrosion.

Any of you still working on these Maytag Neptunes? If so, what repairs are you performing?

[Thorning]

Any idea as to the age of this unit ? I have been asked to fix  an older unit that needs repair  but it is not leaky but the bearings are shot. I have never seen the hoses get brittle on one of these machines at least not yet !

[HerbG]

I owned a Maytag Home Appliance Center for thirty years and still come out of retirement to fix appliances. The products that were built in Newton IA (Maytag's original plant) were exceptionally well designed and built. The Neptune was their last great machine and built to be easily serviced. The first Neptune (MAH3000) that came out late in 1996 had one drain pump with a heavy rubber 3/4" drain hose.  This hose was changed to a corrugated plastic 1" in later production. The first improved design (MAH4000 and MAH5500A) came out in 1998 and '99. It added a drain to the door seal (boot), air vent to the door, wash water recirculation (second pump). This is the model I think "Def" has since he said he removed "pumps" looking for his leak. The last models (MAH5500B MAH6500 MAH7500) known as the Wave Neptunes eliminated the recirculation feature, used electronic controls (LED or LCD displays) rather than electro-mechanical in a swept design control panel.  I still have some parts and lots of experience with these machines

[def]

Any idea as to the age of this unit ? I have been asked to fix  an older unit that needs repair  but it is not leaky but the bearings are shot. I have never seen the hoses get brittle on one of these machines at least not yet !

Don't know the date of manufacture but I suspect the unit is 20-25 years old. it has two pumps, door boot drain and no digital display, but uses switches to select various modes. Years ago, I changed the wax motor, R11 and the triac on the control board, known failures. More recently, I installed new tub bearings and seal. I removed the tub and drove the damaged bearings out with a punch and some careful hammering.

I hope the pumps are not leaking. I took them apart today and cleaned out the housings (some accumulation of soap scum), relubed the orings with silicone spray and reassembled them. I hope they are not the source of my leak. Also, cleaned the bottom pan and applied anti rust primer.

Anybody know if the pump orings are available?

Also, I failed to note the wire colors that connect to the pumps  . Does anyone have a wiring diagram? The pump's labels show 120VAC so wire connections may not be critical. The connectors are not polarized.

My new hose has not yet arrived.

More to follow once I install the new hose and take it for a spin.

[def]

I owned a Maytag Home Appliance Center for thirty years and still come out of retirement to fix appliances. The products that were built in Newton IA (Maytag's original plant) were exceptionally well designed and built. The Neptune was their last great machine and built to be easily serviced. The first Neptune (MAH3000) that came out late in 1996 had one drain pump with a heavy rubber 3/4" drain hose.  This hose was changed to a corrugated plastic 1" in later production. The first improved design (MAH4000 and MAH5500A) came out in 1998 and '99. It added a drain to the door seal (boot), air vent to the door, wash water recirculation (second pump). This is the model I think "Def" has since he said he removed "pumps" looking for his leak. The last models (MAH5500B MAH6500 MAH7500) known as the Wave Neptunes eliminated the recirculation feature, used electronic controls (LED or LCD displays) rather than electro-mechanical in a swept design control panel.  I still have some parts and lots of experience with these machines

Mine has two pumps and the door boot drain as you say. I'm located in the Birmingham, Al area, Are you nearby?

[def]

Any idea as to the age of this unit ? I have been asked to fix  an older unit that needs repair  but it is not leaky but the bearings are shot. I have never seen the hoses get brittle on one of these machines at least not yet !

Thorning, my Neptune lives in the garage near the open door where sunshine impinges on the upper part of the plastic drain hose. I assume that UV embrittled the hose causing it to break when I handled it. The rest of the washer is fine with exception of some rust in the bottom pan which I have cleaned and painted with rust preventing primer. If your Neptune is otherwise intact, new drum bearings and seal will restore it to like new. I installed new bearings in mine (the new bearings are Chicomm manufacturer. And while the Chinese are usually usually suspect, the Chicomm bearings will last a long time provided they don't get wet. Hopefully, the new seal will preclude water entering the bearings. Mind the orientation of the plastic retainer when you are disassembling the old bearings from the drum.

Good luck with your bearing replacement. At first, removing the old bearings from the plastic tub looks challenging. Just take your time. When installing the new bearings, I heated the bearing housing with a heat lamp and chilled the new bearings in the freezer. They went in without a fuss.

[HerbG]

I live near Jamestown NY (Western NY) so not too close.  Look on the top left of your control panel. the rear cover should still have your Model# and Serial#
Yours is either the MAH4000A** or MAH5500**. The alpha numeric serial # is the key to any production changes and production date. The first two numbers encode the production changes with 10 as the original, 11 first change etc. The last two letter are the date code first letter=month and second letter = year (Y:2000 W:1999 U:1998 just Google "Maytag Date Code" for more info). Your original drain hose has a hexagonal portion that is secured with a bracket mounted to the cabinet. this design kept the cabinet from cutting the hose and prevented the hose from being pushed inside the cabinet.  Your schematic may still be in an envelope in the control housing or attached to the front panel or lower cabinet (who knows after 20+ years). I know a lot of these envelopes ended up in techs trucks after the first service call. Happy to help you out Good Luck

[def]

I live near Jamestown NY (Western NY) so not too close.  Look on the top left of your control panel. the rear cover should still have your Model# and Serial#
Yours is either the MAH4000A** or MAH5500**. The alpha numeric serial # is the key to any production changes and production date. The first two numbers encode the production changes with 10 as the original, 11 first change etc. The last two letter are the date code first letter=month and second letter = year (Y:2000 W:1999 U:1998 just Google "Maytag Date Code" for more info). Your original drain hose has a hexagonal portion that is secured with a bracket mounted to the cabinet. this design kept the cabinet from cutting the hose and prevented the hose from being pushed inside the cabinet.  Your schematic may still be in an envelope in the control housing or attached to the front panel or lower cabinet (who knows after 20+ years). I know a lot of these envelopes ended up in techs trucks after the first service call. Happy to help you out Good Luck

The schematic is long since gone (I'm the 3rd owner of the machine)

Jamestown, NY...pretty far away. I lived in Seacliff, LI. NY during WWII. Dad (US Navy) took me out to Montauk where we could see ships burning on the horizon. 

[def]

Well, I just installed the new drain out hose and took the Neptune for a spin. No runs, no drips no errors. The Neptune pumps out just fine. However, I still have a leak and its coming from the top of the machine and appears to be the inlet water valve. That's speculation inasmuch as I have not opened  up the top yet. But, when the tub is filling, there is a drip from the valve area. We'll see. I hope it is not the valve because that is an expensive part. Hopefully it is a hose or similar. There is no leak when the valve is not energized. Does that tell me something?

You experts should have an idea so, I'll defer to you.

Have a happy Thanksgiving holiday everyone. Thanks for hangin' in there with the old MAH3000 Neptune and me.

[def]

Well Herb, you are correct...I have been calling my Nepture a MAH3000. It is a MAH4000 as you say.

I'm close to having the lid off so I can have a peek at the water inlet hardware where I now suspect the leak is. More once I have had a look and confirmed the source of the leak.

I haven't been in this part of the machine for a couple years so I found lots of mud nests attached to the wiring behind the control panel...no damage just mud which came off without problems. There was even some mud on the control board near the 120VAC power section of the board. I'll bet those wasps were lighting up like a neon sign.

This is getting exciting. Stay tuned.

[chiefaeronca]

HerbG:  I have a Maytag Neptune, Model MAH5500BWW.  I have drained the outer tub, and taken the front off to make sure it is empty.  However, when I spin the inner drum by hand I still hear water sloshing inside it.  short of taking the paddles out how do I find the water, and how to remove it?  Is the water inside the paddles?

[HerbG]

  Your Neptune's wash tub incorporates a balance ring. This ring is partially filled with a solution that help compensate for unbalanced loads. This will sound like water left in the tub if you manually turn the tub. Were you experiencing a problem with the machine?

[chiefaeronca]

No problems.  Temps are supposed to drop into the 20 degree range around this weekend.  I was just trying to get all the water out, so I can store it for the winter.

[Thorning]

According to the folks at the factory  at least for Speed Queen and the other brands likely use the same solution, the balance ring is partially filled with a mix of non freezing liquid and water. It will not freeze in cold temperatures . Unless you have a leak dont attempt to do anything to alter the liquid in this balance ring.

[chiefaeronca]

    That's good to know.  I worked on all makes and models of household appliances back in the 1970s, but not up to speed on the newer stuff.

[chiefaeronca]

    That's good to know.  I worked on all makes and models of household appliances back in the 1970s, but not up to speed on the newer stuff.