Is this a 1989 Maytag Washer and Dryer? Buy?

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, I'll give you some tips on checking out the washer before purchasing. We don't want you getting something that has been abused, neglected, a rust bucket (happens where these are located in a damp basement) or worn out to the point where it requires too much work and money to fix.

1. Check the condition of the inner the tub. Make sure there's no chunks of missing porcelain or rust spots in the tub. If the porcelain is worn thin at the bottom, the machine has seen a ton of use/abuse and isn't worth purchasing.

2. Shift the inner tub around in all directions checking for lack of movement and any sounds like squeaks or metal-to-metal contact. What you are checking is for worn damper pads. There are 3 glued pads located at the center of the base lubricated with silicone grease that the whole mechanism pivots on. These pads need to be lubricated every 20 years or so (sooner if it's used more, such as a large family like yours). If these get too dry, friction will cause the pads to be ripped off from the base during the spin cycle and then the aluminum damper dome above gets gouged up by the metal base dome below. The aluminum damper dome has been discontinued for over a decade and is difficult to find in good used condition now.

3. Bring a small stubby Phillip screw driver and remove the front cover. There are 2 Phillip head screws located under the lip near the bottom of the front panel about 1 inch away from the corner. Remove these 2 screws at both ends and lift the front panel straight out 90 degrees. Doing so unlocks the clips at the top of the panel and the panel can be removed. This can been seen at this clip from 0:57-1:33

Look around at the interior. If there's any signs of rust, particularly at the base, that isn't very minor, walk away. Look for leaks around the outer tub (triangular tub cover seal area), in the front left corner where the bleach cup is located, left side of the machine where the water injector assembly is located, and left back area where the water valve is located. Check for signs of leakage under the outer tub where the transmission is located. Any leaks here indicates the need for a stem and boot seal replacement. When it gets bad, it will throw black gunkyness on the sides of the cabinet inline with the bottom of the outer tub. Check for leaks around the water pump where the hoses go. Generally any leaks here are just a loose hose clamp.

Check the damper pads as described above at the center of the base. Check around that all 3 pads are in place and not missing or sneaking out from under the damper dome area. If you find the damper pads missing or black aluminum dust around the damper, walk away. You can see a stray damper pad and the black dust around the damper assembly in this thread at Reply #15 www.automaticwasher.org/c...

4. Tip the machine back and look for leaks under the center pulley. There's a lip seal at the bottom of the transmission on this model (the seal is in a different, much harder to replace area in the 1956-June 1986 machines) that can leak overtime. The seal it cheap and easy to replace though. You can use this leak as leverage for a cheaper price.

Plug it in and at least check the spin cycle. With an empty tub, the machine should be up to full speed in less than a minute. Any strange sounds during the spin cycle indicate a worn tub bearing, worn or missing damper pad(s), or loose tub to suspension brace bolts (generally a knocking sound).

5. Take a look at the water valve screens at the back of the machine. If the screens are plugged with any amount of deposits, factor on replacing the entire water valve. Talk the seller down on the price if the screens are plugged.

If that all checks out, you should be good to go.

If you're looking at purchasing the dryer, I can give you some tips on that as well.


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Post# 1156731 8/12/2022 at 12:55 (634 days old) by jheiliger (Katy, Tx)
Checkrate/Likes Long story short... I have a Maytag Commercial unit puchased 2019 (MVWP575GW0). Since it was warrantied parts and labor for 5yrs, I thought it would last a while. Yesterday it stop agitating, and on doing some research here, it's probably the transmission. Called Maytag, and I have to wait 3wks for a service guy + parts order time + repair. Probably looking at a month without a washer and a family of 7!! I'm not happy... Per the information I found on this site, I started looking for an old Maytag and found one!! I'm attaching some images and a serial tag. Model LA613 - Serial 203434 XR Am I reading this right?? The info I found would make this manufactured in December of 1989? Would you buy the washer and dryer for $150?? Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom... I don't know much. Photos... < > Photo 1 of 3 View Full Size

Post# 1156738 , Reply# 1 8/12/2022 at 14:33 (634 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 8 Sorry to hear about your issues. Your 575 is a Whirlpool product with a Maytag nametag. Whirlpool bought out Maytag in 2006 and started making junk appliances using their name. That Maytag A613 washer and DE412 dryer are a true Maytag product back when they were quality made appliances out of Newton, IA. Even at 32 years of age, those will outlast the crap made today. Grab 'em and use them until your 575 is fixed. I'd recommend selling the 575 once it's fixed and use that money to do some preventative maintenance on the Maytags and continue using them. The 575 washer is guaranteed to fail again in the same amount of time do to its crappy tub seal design, if not quicker. The transmissions is these are unfortunately junk as well. YAY for progress!

Post# 1156739 , Reply# 2 8/12/2022 at 15:11 (634 days old) by jheiliger (Katy, Tx)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Reply to Dan* Awesome! Thank you, Dan! ... and that was my exact plan. Get this one and use it while waiting on my repair, and once repaired, sell the 575. It's a shame about the failures on these 575's because they actually do a good job washing the clothes. Is there any specific maintenance that you would do on the old A613 that would extend it's life or make it more efficient? Thanks, Joe

Post# 1156741 , Reply# 3 8/12/2022 at 15:28 (634 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes 2 The Whirlpool VMW are probably one of the worst designs for a automatic washer in terms of reliability and durability since they can�t last more than 5 or 6 years without needing any major repairs. Why Whirlpool even bothered with the VMW design I don�t know but all I know is it has terrible reliability and durability compared to the direct drives which were some of the easiest machines to work on along with being more durable compared to the crappy machines of today.

Post# 1156747 , Reply# 4 8/12/2022 at 16:17 (634 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)
Checkrate/Likes Yes, crappy...

Post# 1156749 , Reply# 5 8/12/2022 at 17:18 (634 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Reply #4* Well, it�s a fact that they don�t make anything like they used to. Before you say I am beating on a dead horse, just ask John Lefever about the reliability of the Whirlpool VMW washers since he�s dealt with them first hand since he runs a repair business and has been run through the wringer with them and so has user Eurekastar since the transmission went out on his before and has been ran through the wringer as well.

Post# 1156751 , Reply# 6 8/12/2022 at 17:31 (634 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 3 Before we get too ahead of ourselves, I'll give you some tips on checking out the washer before purchasing. We don't want you getting something that has been abused, neglected, a rust bucket (happens where these are located in a damp basement) or worn out to the point where it requires too much work and money to fix. 1. Check the condition of the inner the tub. Make sure there's no chunks of missing porcelain or rust spots in the tub. If the porcelain is worn thin at the bottom, the machine has seen a ton of use/abuse and isn't worth purchasing. 2. Shift the inner tub around in all directions checking for lack of movement and any sounds like squeaks or metal-to-metal contact. What you are checking is for worn damper pads. There are 3 glued pads located at the center of the base lubricated with silicone grease that the whole mechanism pivots on. These pads need to be lubricated every 20 years or so (sooner if it's used more, such as a large family like yours). If these get too dry, friction will cause the pads to be ripped off from the base during the spin cycle and then the aluminum damper dome above gets gouged up by the metal base dome below. The aluminum damper dome has been discontinued for over a decade and is difficult to find in good used condition now. 3. Bring a small stubby Phillip screw driver and remove the front cover. There are 2 Phillip head screws located under the lip near the bottom of the front panel about 1 inch away from the corner. Remove these 2 screws at both ends and lift the front panel straight out 90 degrees. Doing so unlocks the clips at the top of the panel and the panel can be removed. This can been seen at this clip from 0:57-1:33 Look around at the interior. If there's any signs of rust, particularly at the base, that isn't very minor, walk away. Look for leaks around the outer tub (triangular tub cover seal area), in the front left corner where the bleach cup is located, left side of the machine where the water injector assembly is located, and left back area where the water valve is located. Check for signs of leakage under the outer tub where the transmission is located. Any leaks here indicates the need for a stem and boot seal replacement. When it gets bad, it will throw black gunkyness on the sides of the cabinet inline with the bottom of the outer tub. Check for leaks around the water pump where the hoses go. Generally any leaks here are just a loose hose clamp. Check the damper pads as described above at the center of the base. Check around that all 3 pads are in place and not missing or sneaking out from under the damper dome area. If you find the damper pads missing or black aluminum dust around the damper, walk away. You can see a stray damper pad and the black dust around the damper assembly in this thread at Reply #15 www.automaticwasher.org/c... 4. Tip the machine back and look for leaks under the center pulley. There's a lip seal at the bottom of the transmission on this model (the seal is in a different, much harder to replace area in the 1956-June 1986 machines) that can leak overtime. The seal it cheap and easy to replace though. You can use this leak as leverage for a cheaper price. Plug it in and at least check the spin cycle. With an empty tub, the machine should be up to full speed in less than a minute. Any strange sounds during the spin cycle indicate a worn tub bearing, worn or missing damper pad(s), or loose tub to suspension brace bolts (generally a knocking sound). 5. Take a look at the water valve screens at the back of the machine. If the screens are plugged with any amount of deposits, factor on replacing the entire water valve. Talk the seller down on the price if the screens are plugged. If that all checks out, you should be good to go. If you're looking at purchasing the dryer, I can give you some tips on that as well.

Post# 1156754 , Reply# 7 8/12/2022 at 17:50 (634 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes 3 � Reply #5 above ... Sean, have a read at the 2nd paragraph of Reply #5 on the thread linked below, which is in reference to the VMW belt-drive design.� ;-) CLICK HERE TO GO TO DADoES's LINK

Post# 1156758 , Reply# 8 8/12/2022 at 18:20 (634 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes Yeah, they are �more durable� and �much easier to repair�, but have to lay the machine down to get access to the transmission which is what you had to with the older belt drive washers which can be cumbersome if there isn�t much space in the area the machine is in.

Post# 1156770 , Reply# 9 8/12/2022 at 19:56 (634 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes 3 Joe, that Maytag is a doozie of a model. 2 speed motor, varible water level, and 5 wash/rinse temperature combinations!!!

Post# 1156813 , Reply# 13 8/13/2022 at 11:25 (633 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)
Checkrate/Likes This washer could have the Orbital transmission...I zoomed in on the lid open pic and noticed the top of the lint filter, softener dispenser and it does have that telltale sign where the edges of the filter are flatter and wider. Not all 613's of this era had the Orbital. The one I had back in Maine was the long stroke transmission so it was manufactured before the timeframe posted above. And I am very well aware of the timeframe as well when they switched over.

Post# 1156815 , Reply# 14 8/13/2022 at 11:37 (633 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)
Checkrate/Likes 1 I've seen many similar Maytags, with the long stroke trans, with bad, or seized upper bearings. Be aware.

Post# 1156817 , Reply# 16 8/13/2022 at 12:03 (633 days old) by Good-Shepherd (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes 1 On closer examination they appear to have seen some rough use, especially the washer. Looks like they are in a commercial business setting as well.

Post# 1156772 , Reply# 10 8/12/2022 at 20:50 (634 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)
Checkrate/Likes I had that same Maytag washer model and it is an excellent performer. Very versatile as well and holds quite a bit of laundry. One bit of advice is to make sure you close all zippers on shorts and pants of they have them to keep the agitator from getting nicked up on the PowerFins. This washer should still have the 6 gear long stroke transmission. When you get it replace the belts on the washer and its very easy to do. Also load your laundry loosely and load up to the top row of holes and no more. Dont even get an idea that you will pack even more into the washer because your load will not turn over well and it wont rinse well. Also make sure you clean the lint filter after every load. You will be surprised at how much lint will come off and it will collect. This washer is also much faster time wise than the craptastic Whirlpool built washer that you have. This true Maytag gets on with the task and depending on your water pressure should finish a load in a little more than 30 mins. The Maytag dryer on offer is very well built and depending on your venting , the shorter the better. This dryer will keep up with the washer. You may find that this vintage Maytag is much better than what you are currently using. Just my opinion and experience, your milage may vary...

Post# 1156775 , Reply# 11 8/12/2022 at 21:08 (634 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *This washer should still have the 6 gear long stroke transmi* 613 has an orbital transmission. Orbital transmission became the mainstay around July/August of 1989.

Post# 1156781 , Reply# 12 8/12/2022 at 22:25 (634 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 4 *have a read at the 2nd paragraph of Reply #5* Yeah, that was John predication when they first came out and he was blatantly wrong. Whirlpools VMW washers are pure junk and that's a well known fact today. Here's his response in Reply #1 www.automaticwasher.org/c... "for the record I am not a fan of these washers, however there are members here that really like these washers and have them as their daily drivers" Here's a reply about a dead transmission in a VMW Whirlpool washer in Reply #13: www.automaticwasher.org/c... "just is not worth the effort for such a poor durability-poor performing machine." By the way, here's a reply from 2/16/2022 about VMW washers in Reply #10 www.automaticwasher.org/c... "I never said that the overall reliability or longevity of these machines was better than direct drive machines." That's total contradiction to Reply #5: www.automaticwasher.org/c... "From what I have seen and the tear-downs we did in training I expect that the new BD machine will not only be MORE durable than the DD machines and it is MUCH easier to dissemble and repair." There's actually a whole slew of contradictions from him that I could post for days about but I'll save those for another time.

Post# 1156816 , Reply# 15 8/13/2022 at 11:54 (633 days old) by Good-Shepherd (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes *Would you buy the washer and dryer for $150??* I'd make a lower offer like $100-125. Something is wrong with the front panel on the washer, looks like the left side retaining clip is missing. And they shoved the power cord and supply hoses in the tub, thats often indicative of how they were cared for. (Lid should always be taped down for transport). Overall they look like they've got some miles on them, hence the need to get them cheap as possible. If you want them don't waste time, get over there and check them out, depending on the area vintage Maytag's can be few and far between these days.

Post# 1156911 , Reply# 17 8/14/2022 at 12:11 (632 days old) by jheiliger (Katy, Tx)
Checkrate/Likes 3 *Thank you guys so much!* Hey everyone! I had to have a washer, so yesterday morning, I went and picked this one up. We plugged it in, and it's washing like a champ! I didn't buy the dryer because it was electric and I already have a 2002 Maytag gas dryer. @Dan - No squeaking from the tub, all the porcelain is in tact, no rust on the lid or interior of the cabinet, belts recently replaced. It was sitting in a commercial building because the guy had moved it to his shop to get it out of his garage. He owns a small tire business, and he was storing it there. This washer is a BEAST! It will run a load of laundry (no presoak) in like 15-20 mins. It's crazy! I really appreciate all the help you guys have offered. I plan on having my VWM drive washer repaired, and it will be sold. It's a piece of junk comparatively...

Post# 1156914 , Reply# 18 8/14/2022 at 13:09 (632 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 5 "This washer is a BEAST! It will run a load of laundry (no presoak) in like 15-20 mins. It's crazy!" Welcome to the world of how washers use to be built and functioned. You'll never want to go back to cheaply made junk with limited options and manipulated dumbed down temperatures! Give us an interior tub picture so we can determine if this is a pitman or orbital transmission. According to Maytag doctrine, there should be an orbital transmission in this machine. We can give you some tips in elongating the service life of this washer and getting it operational at peak performance once you get the 575 back (you'll want to temporarily use that washer while sprucing this gem up before selling it).

Post# 1156915 , Reply# 19 8/14/2022 at 13:31 (632 days old) by jheiliger (Katy, Tx)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Price* I gave the guy $75 for the washer... I think it was a good deal!

Post# 1156916 , Reply# 20 8/14/2022 at 13:34 (632 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes 2 That�s why I am more partial to these older type automatic washers, can get a load of laundry done in 30 minutes time. I will never look back on having HE machines in my laundry room.

Post# 1156930 , Reply# 21 8/14/2022 at 15:57 (632 days old) by thatwasherguy (Kentucky)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *I believe you have an orbital machine...* Hi there! Welcome to the wonderful world of Maytagging! You�re going to love it. I believe your washer is an orbital transmission model, as it says series 10 on the model tag. I�ve heard that on these machines made during the transitional time period, a series number less than 10 or blank is a pitman transmission. 10 or higher is the orbital transmission. It�s a great machine either way. BTW, $75 is a bargain price for one of the best washers ever built in good condition. Thatwasherguy.

Post# 1156932 , Reply# 22 8/14/2022 at 16:17 (632 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 3 BTW, you should have a filter inside the agitator, it just pulls stright up. Most forget it's there (or don't know at all) and it gets plugged up. Clean and soak in vinegar while occasionally scrubbing it with a stiff toothbrush. If you have animals, you're going to LOVE this filter!

Post# 1157024 , Reply# 23 8/15/2022 at 14:40 (631 days old) by jheiliger (Katy, Tx)
Checkrate/Likes *Inside of the washer* Here's a picture of the inside of the tub before I cleaned up the top. Joe View Full Size

Post# 1157025 , Reply# 24 8/15/2022 at 15:02 (631 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 3 Orbital transmission. You'll want to remove the filter and clean it as I described above. They go unnoticed, get gunked up, and can be a source of bad odors.

Post# 1157026 , Reply# 25 8/15/2022 at 15:09 (631 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 � No one can be happy with a short-stroker, tons of discussion has been done about that.� :-)

Post# 1157031 , Reply# 26 8/15/2022 at 16:22 (631 days old) by tennblondie78 (Bowling Green, KY)
Checkrate/Likes 5 I converted my 806 to a short stroker when my transmission locked up because it was all I could find. I have no issues with its performance, everything comes out sparkling clean and our clothes stay in great shape.