[avjudge]

I just replaced one of the baffles in my Kenmore HE3 washer and that went well - except that in my usual manner, I fumbled the screw (what is it with me and screws?), and after the 2nd fumble, it took a dive into the space between the inner and outer drums.

I've read of this happening (at least once, in a thread on gardenweb) and that person just left it in there, but I tried a test rinse & spin and got a lot of noise on the spin. There was just an occasional loose-screw sound during the rinse, and maybe the drain was a bit louder than usual, but the spin definitely was noisy and something was wrong. I don't dare run the washer with it making that noise for fear of the screw causing damage.

Is there a way of getting it out short of taking the whole machine apart? Or is that what I'd have to do to remove it (pull the drum)? I'm assuming it's sitting at the bottom back of the drum, at the lowest point, probably near the drain (based both on logic and sound).

Anne

[TechnicianBrian]

You can try removing the lower access panel and taking off the sump connection at the bottom of the tub. Have towels handy as there will be some water. If you have a small container that will fit under the tub, you can try a rinse cycle to try and flush the screw out. Keep trying and you should find it. You may need to open the front door and apply downward pressure to the front of the tub as the screw is likely to move toward the low point in the back. If this doesn't work, then pulling the front of the unit and the tub is the next step.

[avjudge]

Duh, I'd read the instructions for taking off the front panel (door and all), but hadn't realized there was an easy-access panel at the bottom! With that off, and the cleanout filter off, and several bits of toothbrushes (used to spot-scrub items, then tossed in with the load) and straight pins removed, still nothing. But I was much more comfortable seeing the size of the connection between drain hose and drum - it makes a large target for items to find. We closed the filter back up & ran several partial rinses (stopping soon after the spin began), one with the back propped up on blocks, then opened up the filter again, probed around with a "magnet on a stick", poked at the flexible drain hose to bounce anything forward, probed again, and there it was!

I feel much happier knowing that there's not a hard, sharp item inside my plastic outer drum.

[TechnicianBrian]

Glad it worked out for you.