Maytag Neptune How to video - Wax Motor inspection

Maytag Neptune Washer Video - How to disassemble your Neptune for Wax Motor Inspection

I get the question "How do I know if I have the faulty wax motor in my Neptune's door latch?" all of the time so I decided to create a video that shows the Neptune disassembly.

See www.Neptunehelp.com to order your replacement 12002535 wax motor. Maytag redesigned the wax motor and when they did they specified that the tip be black so you could easily identify if you have the faulty design or the new design.

I have a cute video at www.NeptuneHelpSong.com that explains what happens if you don't proactively change your faulty door latch wax motor.

If your machine has a timer knob (non digital) then yours shipped with the faulty wax motor.

Until next time...

"Everyone knows someone who owns a Maytag Neptune..."

Maytag Neptune repair - door latch wax motor

Maytag Neptune Repair


I just finished a new video that shows how to replace the door latch wax motor in the maytag neptune door latch. Here is the Neptune Wax Motor Video link.

If you have a Maytag Neptune front loader with a timer knob you will want to inspect your wax motor and make sure it has a black actuator pin. If it has the brownish color actuator pin then you will want to replace it as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that if you have a MAH3000 model with the serial number starting with a 10 thru 25 then you will have two more wax motors in the soap dispenser. These control the bleach and softener flows.

See Neptune help for more valuable Neptune front loader information.

Maytag Neptune Washer - Bearing Spacer Question

Maytag Neptune Washer - Bearing Spacer Question:

I've been asked a few times lately regarding the installation of the new bearing spacer so I wanted to post the answer here. If you will look at the picture you will notice one end of the spacer is flat and the other end has a slight bevel.

The beveled end goes towards the rear of washer because you don't want the spacer rubbing the seal on the rear bearing.

If you have a Maytag Neptune front load washer check out Maytag Neptune Bearing for replacement bearings and the seal kit. When you notice your Neptune getting loud in the high speed spin cycle is when it is time to change your bearings. You don't want to wait too long to change them because the bearings will eventually fall apart and that will make it more difficult to get them out of there.

One last thing... If your Neptune front loader has the timer dial, you need to see if you have the faulty door latch wax motor. See Maytag Neptune wax motor for a video that explains the issue.

Until next time...

Maytag Neptune Front Loader Washer Wax Motor Question

Here is another Maytag Neptune question I received today... 

Q: Hi, I have a MAH7500AWQ that the motor stopped working. I need the motor upgrade kit (motor & control board) and as a precaution I wanted to put a fuse in the Wax motor circuit (protect the board) and get a new wax motor for when the one I have dies. What do you suggest? 

 A: Hello, I would suggest that you don't have to worry about the door latch wax motor because your Neptune does not have one... In addition, I don't recommend making any changes to any appliance in the name of safety. If the Engineers felt that the door latch wax motor needed a fuse they would have put one in the circuit. I'm sure that when the Neptune was on the drawing board they did not foresee a design problem with the wax motor. 

The Neptune models affected by the faulty wax motor are the MAH3000, MAH4000, MAH5500A and the 2000 Stackers. If you know anyone with a Neptune front loader please rush them to this blog or the www.neptunehelp.com site so they can replace it before it fails. If your machine won’t spin because the door locked light doesn’t come on and you have one of the affected models listed above then you probably have become a victim of the Maytag Neptune Wax Motor Meltdown. Note: I highly recommend that you don’t keep trying to start your Neptune because you can damage the lower motor control board as well. 

Listen, you have 2 options… 1) Replace the machine control and the wax motor at http://neptunehelp.com/index_files/Page667.htm or, 2) purchase the STAGE 1 repair kit with wax motor and see if your Neptune will come to life. About 45 out of 50 boards work without a problem. 

Occasionally, I get folks whose boards refuse to fill with water which have to be replaced because they suffered more damage… maybe they did not heed my warning about trying to keep starting up machine? 

Look, you would have had to replace the control board anyway… When ordering your control board, it depends on your model and serial number as to which board you need. The simplest replacement is the MAH4000 and the MAH5500A Neptunes as these both use the 22002989 control board. 

The MAH3000 has two different control boards based on the model suffix and 1st two digits of serial number. Here is a breakdown: MAH3000AWW - (10-16) 12001725 or (17 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AWA - (10-16) 12001725 or (17 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AWQ - (10 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AKW - (10 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AAW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000AEW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000AGW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000BGW - (10 - present) 22002917 (50 hertz) Note: I just checked and I don't see any 22002917 control boards in stock... 

 I hope this helps!

Until next time...

Maytag Neptune Front Loader Washer Mold Question

Here is another blogosphere question that an unhappy Neptune owner had made recently... Q: I have a maytag neptune front loading washer and there is mold on the front seal. I tried to get it off with bleach etc to no avail. Does Maytag have a replacement part I can get (that works better than the old one). The appliance is only 3 years old.... needless to say between the digital display I had to replace on the dryer and this issue. And the new rattling in the 3 year old dryer.. I am done with Whirlpool/maytag/ and product they build. I have a problem with my whirlpool fridge also...Their products are garbage and I would tell ANYONE to STAY AWAY !!!! A: Yes, you can replace the door boot. The part number is 12002533 and a link to purchase these is on my www.NeptuneWasher.com page.  You may also need the hose which can be found with this link https://ebay.us/xrwXtD via Ebay.

In addition, if you have a MAH3000 you can add a drain hose to the new boot. That way the water in the boot pocket can drain after every wash cycle which should help reduce the mold colony potential. Note: Some earlier MAH4000's also were shipped without the drain hose kit. Below is a picture of the door boot with drain. Below is a picture of a door boot drain hose retrofit. You actually drill out the center of the nipple which allows the water to drain back into the outer tub. As for the quality of some manufactures you listed above... I occasionally do searches on the Internet for other front loaders and I see folks who have problems with other manufacturers, too. Let's face it... Our appliances work very hard and there are a lot of environmental factors that play into how long your machine will last that is really beyond the control of any product manufacturer. 

 I know... The grass is always greener on the other side... but the fact is you own a Maytag Neptune and the good news is that the issues are posted on my blog over time and they are what they are. The three main issues of the earlier Neptunes are the door latch wax motor, moldy door boot and the motor/ motor control board combo reliability. 

 I will now add a forth issue to the list and it is a wear issue and that is the bearings. Unfortunately, Maytag does not have part numbers assigned to the bearings so service technicians are going to leave you a $900 quote to fix your Neptune bearings. They will want to transplant the whole outer tub which runs about $450 by itself! Fight back and replace your bearings yourself with the help of http://www.neptunebearing.com/page4.html. If Shirley in the video can do it... so can you! You can even rent the Neptune Bearing Tool Kit which really reduces the time you are replacing the bearings and there is an awesome step by step video that shows you how to take the Neptune apart, replace bearings and install the seal kit. 

The bearing failure victim in the video is the standalone Neptune but the stacker bearing job is not that much different. Once these four issues are taken care of you will be the proud owner of a happier Neptune front loader! Lastly, don't forget to sign up for the Neptuner list so you will be kept up to date with more Neptune information and other valuable tips as they happen.

New Maytag Neptune Song for you Neptuners

Hi Neptuners!

I wanted to get something off of my chest...

I am creating a new novelty song about the Maytag Neptune no spin due to the defective door latch wax motor issue.

Check back often to see if I posted the link to the song.

Actually, I'm planning on creating two songs and you get to vote on which one you like the best.

Two things I know for sure...

1) They will be funny :>)
2) I won't be singing! (I'll stick to performing my other talents)

It has been a long road but it looks like I will finally get my song. I will tell you the story of the hurdles I had to jump through to get this song created after the winning version is determined by your voting.


Jeff

Customer feedback regarding the Maytag Neptune door latch wax motor failure - repair

Jeff, I recently purchased your Maytag Neptune Repair Kit. I just installed the new wax motor and the control board with the new R11 and Q6. The machine now spins out the water but the door will not unlock at the end of the cycle. In fact it seems like it just kind of slowly spins one way and then the other at random once the final spin cycle is complete. 

The only way I can get the door to open is to unplug the machine! After two loads I took a look at the control board and R11 and Q6 look to be in great shape. Any thoughts? (I have the MAH4000) Thanks, Andy Here is my response: 

Hi Andy, I would verify that R11 is in fact connected to the Q6 triac pins #1 and #2. Use an ohmmeter if you can. If the R11 is not completely connected to Q6 then the wax motor will stay on all of the time and keep tumbling at the end of cycle. Jeff

Until next time...

Did you know that NASCAR was founded back in 1947

Wow, today is the anniversary of the NASCAR founding. 

After 61 years NASCAR seems to be doing well as I see lots of collectibles available. Auto racing has a deep rooted history in the USA. NASCAR is an acronym for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and their website is www.nascar.com. 

On this site, you can check out news, the schedules, driver and team information, statistics, etc. Imagine the cost of rebuilding the engines, all of the tire replacements and the traveling. That must be why the teams are sponsored. 

To keep your Maytag Neptune Washer running in peak performance race on over to www.neptunewaxmotor.com . In addition, discover if your Neptune front loader has the defective door latch wax motor, part # 12002535. When this fails, your high speed spin operation will stop and your clothes will be soaking wet.

Until next time...

Joe the plumber

Hey Joe, If you need some more work opportunities I could show you how to fix Maytag Neptune front loaders. 

The Maytag repair man does not seem lonely these days... The main issue is the door latch wax motor. This device will short out and damage the upper machine control board. I'm trying to locate Maytag Neptune owners to educate them on this issue. 

Every MAH3000, MAH4000, MAH5500A and the 2000 stacker Neptune shipped will fail unless this device is replaced. Once you have this failure your door will not lock and this prevents the high speed spin from happening. When you open the door you will have sopping wet clothes! Again, this can be prevented by replacing the 12002535 wax motor. See www.neptunewaxmotor.com for details. 

Now, as the Neptunes age, the seals are wearing which allows water to get to the bearings. You can get the bearing and seal kit along with the tony tool rental so you can save $750 and keep your machine running another 5 - 10 years. I know money is tight for Neptune owners so I developed this kit to save them money by not purchasing a new washer and dryer. See www.neptunebearing.com for details.

Until next time...

A Maytag Neptune repair Question I received

Hi Neptuners, here is an actual question I received after Noe replaced the R11 resistor and Q6 triac. Most control boards will work after this process but occasionally one will be stubborn because it suffered mode damage than usual. If you find that your water will not fill then you will need to replace the machine control board. 

"Hi, I replaced the wax motor, R11, and Q6 for the no light no spin symptom. My Neptune MAH3000 still will not spin. Any troubleshooting hits where else to look? Thanks, Noe" 

Hi Noe, I was working on developing this information so folks can check their control boards out after the R11/Q6 repair with a simple ohmmeter. If you have an ohmmeter, check for continuity on the following points: 

If wax motor does not energize - i.e. door locked light does not come on in spin cycle. (note: Wax motor takes 45 seconds to work) 1. Connector P7.4 to pin 3 of Q6 - should be close to 0 ohms 2. Q6 pin 1 to Q22 pin 1 - should be close to 0 ohms 3. Q6 pin 1 to Q3 pin 1 - should be close to 0 ohms 4. Q6 pin 2 to C16 (lead closest to P7 connector) If you don't read close to 0 ohms on any of these checks turn board over and follow the copper tracks and find out why you don't have 0 ohms. 

You might have the use the repair wire to fix a break in a track. Tip: Some breaks can be right next to the component pads and can be very difficult to see. A meter is important to locate these breaks. 

Note: pin 1 on the Q's is looking at the flat side the very left pin. Pin 2 is center pin and pin three is the far right pin when looking at the flat side. If all of these checks show a short and the Neptune fills with water when started then the low cost Stage 2 kit should fix your control board. 

See http://www.neptunewaxmotor.com/ order form to order the STAGE 2 kit. Jeff

Until next time...

Loretta's MAH4000 is at it again...

Well, it looks like Loretta's Neptune is at it again because she says I need to change her bearings soon since it is sounding like a jet taking off in spin cycle! 

I plan to change her Neptune bearings next weekend and I would like to make a video of the whole process since Tony hacked his video down to 5 minutes and cut out the disassembly and seal kit installation. You can see the 5 minute Tony Tool video at http://www.neptunebearing.com/... 

While I'm in there I will replace her stinkin' moldy door boot as well... I'll be sure to video that process as well for all of you Neptuners! 

In case you don't know who Loretta is she originally had the famous Neptune no spin problem three years ago due to the door latch wax motor failing. Her R11 and Q6 on the machine control board were toast! I replaced them and the 12002535 wax motor and her Neptune came back to life. I then developed the R11 & Q6 repair kit and opened up http://www.neptunewaxmotor.com/ site and have sold over 2,500 repair kits since! 

How many Neptunes are still out there waiting to fail? Just think how much money I have saved Neptuners? Remember, this repair runs $450 if you have someone from an appliance repair center repair your machine... The kits run $35 (First class mail) $450 - $35= $415 * 2,500 = $1,037,500! That's over 1 million dollars I have saved you Neptuners! Wow! Thank You!!! Loretta for bringing your Neptune no spin problem to me! 

Who would have thought a decent side business could be started from a front loader failure? Bring me your Neptune problems, too!

Until next time...

Maytag MAH3000AWW MAH4000AWW Neptune Washer Does Not Spin

Here is another blog question regarding the Maytag Neptune no spin failure taken from the appliance junk site... 

"This Maytag MAH3000AWW Neptune washer would not spin. During the spin cycle the door lock light would come on and the main motor would run, but the washer just would not take off and spin. This is often a simple and easy repair, but not cheap. You can help save yourself some money by doing the repair yourself. The first thing you will want to do is disconnect the power to the washer. Simply unplug the power cord. Next remove the three screws on top of the control counsel. With the three screws removed you will be able to tip the control panel forward and look at the electronic control board behind the timer. Most often then not the resistor marked R-11 is burnt up. If this is the case you will need to replace the machine control board. The reason the R-11 resistor burnt up is because the wax motor in the door lock is also bad, so you will need to replace it too. This same “No Spin” problem also happens with the MAH4000 series Maytag Neptune washers." 

Here is my response: If you replace only the R11 and not the Q6 triac then R11 will smoke again and you can cause further damage to the control board. The Q6 triac must be replaced when R11 burns! The http://www.appliancejunk.com/ forum does not know this because they are not experts on the Maytag Neptunes. 

I also don't like how parts suppliers hide the real Maytag part numbers so you can't compare prices... This is typically deceptive marketing and usually indicates their prices are inflated. You can get the R11 and Q6 repair kit along with the wax motor at http://www.neptunewaxmotor.com/. If after you replace the R11 and Q6 and the machine will not fill with water then the control board will have to be replaced.

Here are some control board numbers: MAH3000 serial number starting with (10 to 16) - 12001725 MAH3000 serial number starting with (17 and up) - 22002988 MAH4000 - 22002989 MAH5500AWW - 22002989 

If you have a 2000 stacker series please contact me and I can look up your control board part number.

Don't forget that the older MAH3000's have two more wax motors in the dispenser area that will eventually fail, too. If your serial number starts with (26) then you should be OK since Maytag incorporated the bleach and softener functions into the water valve assembly.

Until next time...