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The useful question on these models is whether the noise is a rumble, a squeal or a thump, because each belongs to a different part. A rumble that rises with drum speed is a roller; a squeal is usually a belt or an idler; a thump once per revolution is a flat spot. Most of the list is diagnosable by ear and by turning the drum by hand. A trailing letter in the table is a trim code, so do not read it as a different platform.
What you actually see
- A squeal or chirp that starts cold and eases as it warms — A belt or an idler pulley. The change with temperature is the distinguishing feature.
- A rattle or ticking from the lower part of the cabinet — Something in the blower housing — usually a coin or a button that escaped a pocket.
- A thump once per drum revolution — A flat spot on a roller, or a seam in the drum striking a worn glide.
- A scraping that follows the drum round — The drum is contacting the bulkhead because a felt glide has worn through. It will damage the drum if left.
- The noise is worse with a heavy load — Load-dependent noise points at supports rather than at anything in the airflow path.
- NEAR MISS — the drum does not turn at all — A machine that will not tumble belongs on the start page for this family, not here.
What it turns out to be, in order
- Drum support rollers worn — First on this roster. The rollers carry the whole weight of a loaded drum for years, they run on small shafts, and as the bearings wear they produce a rumble that grows steadily and is loudest when the machine is full.
- Belt or idler pulley worn — Second. The belt wraps the drum and runs over an idler that keeps it tensioned. A worn idler bearing squeals, and the squeal characteristically eases as the machine warms up.
- Foreign object in the blower housing — The cheapest entry and one of the commonest. Coins, buttons and hairgrips pass the lint filter opening and strike the blower wheel on every rotation.
- Motor bearing worn — Last. A motor bearing produces a noise that tracks motor speed rather than drum speed, and it is far less common than everything above it.
Where to listen, first to last
- Turn the drum by hand with the door open — Roughness, resistance or a catch once per revolution tells you more than a running machine does.
- Run the machine empty and compare — Noise that largely disappears with no load is a support problem rather than something in the airflow.
- Note whether a squeal changes as the machine warms — A belt or idler eases as it warms; a roller bearing does not care about temperature.
- Look into the lint filter opening with a torch — Coins and buttons that got past the filter are sometimes visible from here before anything is dismantled.
- Push the front of the drum up and down — Play at the front points at worn glides; play everywhere points at the rollers.
- Listen for whether the noise tracks drum speed or motor speed — The drum turns far slower than the motor, so the rhythm of the noise identifies which one it belongs to.
Safety before diagnosis
Safety
Take the power away first — at the plug, or at the breaker where there is no reachable plug — and treat any capacitor as charged until proven otherwise. Do not run the machine with a panel removed to locate a noise.
Models in the TL family — Scope: the listings below, and nothing past the last row.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| TL751 | asko:dryer:tl |
| TL751T | asko:dryer:tl |
When this stops being owner work
Stop at any scraping noise. A drum contacting the bulkhead is wearing metal on metal and every further cycle makes the eventual repair larger. That one is worth booking promptly rather than living with.
The rest of this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.