Answer first
The usual answer on this unit is coins or debris in the drain pump, with an unbalanced load, or the machine not level next. Note which part of the cycle the noise belongs to before anything else. Note the phase, then work down: that single observation removes most of the list.
What you are looking at
- A clicking or tapping that follows the drum round — Something caught between the drum and the tub.
- A deep roar that rises with spin speed — A bearing, and this is the expensive one.
- NEAR MISS: the noise comes with water on the floor — Read the water-leak page for this unit: a leaking pump also rattles.
The ranking: most likely cause first
- Coins or debris in the drain pump — Everything that comes out of a pocket ends up at the pump. A coin, a clip or an underwire gives a hard rattle every time the machine drains and nothing at any other point in the cycle. It leads the list on a Wascomat washing machine because the noise is confined to the drain phase, which makes it the easiest fault on this page to identify without opening anything.
- An unbalanced load, or the machine not level — A single heavy item, a duvet wrapped to one side, or a machine standing on three feet turns the spin phase into a hammering that walks the whole appliance across the floor. Second: it is free to rule out, it changes load by load, and it accounts for more noise complaints than everything else on this page put together.
- Transit bolts still fitted, or feet not lowered — A new or recently moved machine that was never unbolted cannot move its drum on its suspension. Third, once the two above are clean: it explains a machine that has been noisy since the day it arrived, and it costs nothing but a spanner to settle.
- Worn drum bearings — A roar that rises with spin speed and is quiet at wash speed is the bearing. Last, and that is the point of this order: it is the costliest by a distance, and because everything above it is free to rule out first.
Check in this order, and why
- Note whether the noise happens only while water is going out — A drain-only rattle is the pump filter, every time.
- Open the door mid-cycle and see whether the load is all on one side — A single wet towel wrapped in a duvet is the classic.
- Look at the back of the machine for transit bolts still in place — Noisy from day one plus bolts in the back is the whole answer.
Owner-side checks, step by step
- With the machine off, open the filter flap at the bottom front, drain it into a tray and clear the trap — Expect water. Have towels down before you open it.
Tools: a shallow tray, towelsAbout 25 min
- Redistribute the load by hand, then check the machine does not rock by pressing each corner in turn — Level it on its feet and lock the locknuts.
Tools: a spirit level, a spannerAbout 20 min
- STOP HERE if the next step needs a meter on live terminals — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
Safety first, and it is not boilerplate
Safety
Cut the power at the breaker and close both taps before starting. Expect water at the filter and expect it to be hot on a machine that has just run, so open it in stages over a tray. Never force a locked door with water still in the drum, and never tape or wedge a lid switch to get a cycle to run.
Where an owner check ends
Call once the load balance, the levelling, the pump filter and the drum check are all clean and the noise remains, because what is left is the belt, the motor or the bearings. Call sooner if you smell burning, if the drum will not turn by hand, or if the noise arrives with water on the floor.
Where to go next in this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Wascomat washing machine as a class, not one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists it is linked here. Deliberately not here: bearing part numbers, belt sizes, drum removal sequences and any torque figure, all of which differ by family and belong on the page for that family.
Links: - [Wascomat washer leaking onto the floor: what to check first](/blog/wascomat-washer-water-leak) - [A Wascomat washing machine that holds water at the end of the cycle](/blog/wascomat-washer-drainage-failure) - [Westbend washer noise: which sounds matter and which do not](/blog/westbend-washer-abnormal-noise)
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
