There. Fixed it.

May 4, 2015May 4, 201524 Comments

Over the course of a year’s time we have had to replace every working part in our washing machine. Sound expensive? It was. And yet, if we paid to have it fixed, well, with all the money we would have spent we could have afforded to buy a new washer and a dryer with all the bells and whistles! (Yes, I repaired that too) . So, I fixed whatever broke and got on with it. Of course, when it came time to replace the drive shaft I gladly let Bob take over, because it was hard work and required strength that I just don’t have…

As we set to work,

we began to wonder if the nut that holds the wash drum in place on the drive shaft would break loose…

Would we have to call the repairman after all?

I’m happy to say it did, and we proceeded to gut the works.

HINT: This is a very good opportunity to remove all the water deposits

and detergent residue that have built up on the drums!!! 😉

No job is complete until it has been inspected by the resident Kitty Inspector Number One!

He is always on the job when there is serious work to be done…

This was a very big job!

And so it was that last week, that the annoying loud hum which had become so familiar to my ear suddenly stopped. (I was washing new apron fabric) The spin cycle started and I could hear the water swooshing in the drum and not going out…

Uh-OH!

The water pump had failed. It finally just gave up and quit.

So, it was off to Parts Select again to buy the part I needed.

I ordered it that morning.

It was delivered next morning!

I fixed it in about an hour.

It was a very easy job.

Unplug the wiring, take out two bolts, and release two hose clamps.

Well, OK, those two blankety-blank hose clamps will be replaced with the screw tightening variety…

If I ever have to do this again.

**~~ ~~ ~*~**

If you are new here, then you may be wondering why I am so partial to Parts Select.

Well it isn’t royalties or paid endorsement, I can tell you that!

It is because of fair pricing, ease of finding the parts I need,

and the how to do it videos!

Like this one! 😀

Thank you once again, Steve!

**~~~*~**

So, are you a do-it-yourself kind’a person, or do you prefer to let the professionals do it for you?

Oh dear, she’s doing it again!

August 14, 2012November 30, 201237 Comments

So it’s 4:00 AM on Saturday morning and I am once again unable to sleep. I go to the kitchen to make coffee and want my favorite coffee mug. Realizing it is in the dishwasher I reach for the handle and…

snAP, cracKLE, CLICK-rattle, roll…

The handle has broken. The strange noises I can hear inside the door are the little plastic bits that once held the door latch in place.

Bummer.

You see, without the door handle working properly the door latch won’t let me in. A broken door latch won’t let the dishwasher run either. I find a screwdriver, and then carefully wriggle it in between the broken latch and the control panel cover. Finding the stuck latch I am able to pry it to the open position and retrieve my mug.

I take my hard-earned cup-a-joe to the computer and begin shopping for a new dishwasher. After all, I have grumbled at that dishwasher plenty of times because it doesn’t have all the features my old one had… The one I bought on a teacher’s salary, when I lived in California. When I could afford it…

HA! I bought my first car for less than what they want for a decent dishwasher on sale! Jeezelouize!

Quickly getting over the need to buy a new dishwasher I went to my new, and favorite, online fix it your own self parts dealer. There I typed in the magic model numbers and

Voila!

My part instantly came into view complete with instructions and a video to show me how to do it myself! 😀

BROKEN PART

NEW PART

The new part complete with handle/latch assembly installed. Trust me, I appreciated not having to do that myself!

Plugging in the new assembly I then placed it back into the door and screwed down the inside panel.

Now, I walked over to the breaker box (it’s in the wall in my kitchen… don’t know why) and holding my breath I switched on the breaker… NOTHING. In other words there were no Frankenstein’s monster, electrical pulsing sounds, with blue flashes and flames coming out of the front panel on the dishwasher!!!

Whew.

~*~

Cost to fix?

$23.65

Time to fix?

15 minutes!

Oh yes, and before I post this… Let me introduce you to Steve of PartSelect…

My Hero! I highly recommend him.

😉

**~*~**

As per usual, this is not a paid endorsement. I just appreciate this company and how much time and money they have saved me so far! They helped me fix my dryer too! Look HERE!

I’m so broke I squeek when I walk!

May 24, 2012May 24, 201236 Comments

This month was one of the most expensive for fixing what broke in the history of our marriage.

New glasses for Bob and I: $695.00
Claus got sick and had to go to the vet: $250.00
Doggie Dental for both dogs: $295.00
Bob broke a tooth and needs a crown: $350.00
The goslings got sick and that cost me $270.00
The dryer broke and the repairman will want a minimum $275.00 (you know I’m right!)

$2,135.00!

Something had to give.

So this week I fired the Maytag repair man. He wanted $89.95 just to come by and give me his opinion about what could be wrong with my dryer. Parts and his labor were of course going to be extra. Oh, but wait! After his visit if I didn’t choose to have him fix the broken dryer, then he would give me a certificate for $100.00 dollars towards the purchase of a new dryer. How sweet, but…

I don’t think so!

Taking a deep breath I went to the internet to see how to “do it yourself” and found these guys!

PartSelect.com http://www.partselect.com/

And once again I must clearly state that they did not pay me for this endorsement, they were just especially HELPFUL!

At their website I was able to figure out what parts I needed just by the description of the squeak my dryer was making. They also had diagrams, charts, videos, and even other customers instructions for how to take the dryer apart, replace the parts, and put it back together.

I ordered my parts, which by the way were exactly the same amount the Maytag guy wanted for his opinion. Funny how that worked out, huh?

The parts arrived in an unmarked box. I began to feel my stomach twist.

“OK, enough of that!” I told myself. “If Rosie the Riviter, could do this kinda stuff, then I can do it too!”

So, I cinched up my big girl trousers,

rolled up my sleeves,

gritted my teeth,

tried not to hyperventilate,

and…

BEGAN.

I mean what’s the worst that could go wrong?

Gulp!