my hotpoint aquarius wf440 1400 washing machine has been making a loud noise when entering the spinning cycle during the last few times i've used it. i have tried to use the washing machine today but it has now stopped working completly. all power is there and water is entering,the motor sound is there but the drum is not turning? can you help?

mandy, April 2009

I have the same model, you can hear motor but no drum turn. My belt had fallen off.

Unplug the unit. Unscrew the top to look down the back, and remove the rear plate at the bottom of the unit. You will probably see the rubber belt lying there.

The belts stretch over time and keep falling off. Your best bet is to buy another one first from ebay for about £6. Fitting is tricky so worth getting a new belt first and not repeating the process :/

To re-fit, you need to put the belt around the motor spindle at the bottom and wind it over the large plastic wheel at the rear of the drum. Look down from the top and ensure it is in a straight line down to the spindle, adjust in or out if necessary. I found I had to adjust the belt inwards towards the motor to compensate for the viewing angle from above. So it should look like it is leading in inwards (but is in fact straight).

This is the bit I found hard to Google - USE CABLE TIES to tighten the belt onto the wheel, from the top of the machine. These are the fit-once plastic ties.

You will need at least two, wind it on, fit the tie etc.

Then with belt seated properly, turn the drum via the front door. You will hear loud click as the ties are snapped off and the belt goes fully around.

Keep turning and check the seating of the belt.

Run machine again on low spin. Can leave top off but keep your hands OUT.

Lee, July 2014