Agitator I love my Maytag Performa Washer, however, recently I noticed that the agitator continues to spin around and around, washing and during the spin cycle. I have to watch and ensure that clothes have not wrapped themselves around the centre so that it can spin out. It seems as if a belt or something may be loose. It doesn't seem to go back and forth like it used to...any suggestions???

SOURCE: Shoestrings wrapped under agitator

You will have to remove the agitator. Remove the softener dispenser from the top of the agitator and when you look down the agitator, you will see a 10mm stainless steel bolt. You will need to remove this bolt to remove the agitator. If there is no bolt, try pulling the agitator up and out.

SOURCE: Loose Agitator

Usually, there is a bolt that holds the agitator on. If you remove the cap off the center of the agitator, you should find a bolt underneath that you can tighten back down. Adding a little thread lock to the bolt wont hurt.

SOURCE: how to remove agitator

hi The washing machine tub, or basket, generally doesn't cause problems. However, at times it may cause damage to the laundry, make a lot of noise, vibrate, or stop completely.

If laundry is torn during the wash cycle, feel around the tub. If you find a rough spot, you may be able to smooth it with an emery board. Sand the spot lightly. If this doesn't work -- or if you have to cut to bare metal to remove the roughness -- the tub should be replaced. In this case, it's probably much wiser to replace the entire washer.

The agitator -- the finned part that fits on the tub shaft -- can also tear laundry if the fins are cracked or broken. You may be able to solve the problem temporarily by pinching off the splinters with pliers and lightly filing the plastic smooth, but this is just a stopgap measure; the agitator should be replaced. Replace a damaged agitator with a new one of the same type. To do this, unscrew the cap on top of the agitator. With the cap off, pull straight up on the agitator; it should lift off. If it doesn't move, rap its side with a hammer. If it still won't lift off, drive wedges under the bottom rim of the agitator to dislodge it. Then set the new agitator into place and replace the agitator cap.

Damage to the snubber, a padlike device sometimes located under the agitator cap, can cause the machine to vibrate excessively. The snubber may have a suspension spring in it. Lift off the agitator cap and examine the snubber. If the spring is broken, or if the pad is visibly worn, replace the entire snubber. Snubbers might also be found at the splash guard at the top of the tub, under the transmission, or as part of the water pump housing. Look around until you see it.

If the machine doesn't have a snubber, listen for noise at the suspension unit between the tub and the machine cabinet. The suspension unit has fins or pads that may need replacement. In some cases, the entire unit may have to be replaced. Another noise point is the basket support nut. Tighten the nut or, if you can't tighten it, replace it.

SOURCE: agitator making clicking noise when washing clothes; clothes wrapping around agitator

Hi,
If this a whirlpool brand washer, there are sone parts bad in the agitator it's self. These parts are called dogs and they make the agitator rachet so that the top half only goes one direction. Does this sound like what you are experiencing? If so, let me know and I can assist you further.

Thanks
Vic

SOURCE: Grinding sound during agitation cycle on my Maytag Performa

Its probably you stator plate and rotor. But you need special tools for this repair. There a spring that is under 200 pounds of pressure and if you take the screws off that hold the plate its going to fly into you face if your dont use the special tools to depress the spring. Is it more of a clanking kinda of noise? DOes it olnly happen with heavy loads? Try this out. Fill the washer with water only. and get it into a wash cycle with water only. If there is no noise then put in like a load of towels. A heavy load. Now if you hear the noise now then its for sure you stator plate and rotor..hope this helps, but like i said you need those special tools to do this repair or injury can result from the spring part.