I have replaced the $30 drain pump twice already, and the same issue has popped up again. Is their some type of maintenance or cleaning I should be doing that might prevent the pump failing yet again?

The filter trap at the bottom looks the normal amount of yucky, mostly dog hair.

My wife is going to want to buy a new machine when I tell her that it broke again, and I don't think I can argue my case a third time! Worse, she'll want a new dryer too so that they match.

It's an WM2101HW, if that helps. The serial number starts with a zero, which supposedly indicates that it was built in a year ending in a 0, so it is either 16 or 26 years old, which I suppose is a good run.

https://www.lg.com/us/products/documents/lg_spec_sheet_wm2101h.pdf

SpeedQueen.

I'm hoping to repair this one for $30 instead of dropping $800-1200 on a new one, or worse, a set!

Consumer Reports has great ratings for reliability and satisfaction for Speed Queen front loaders, but LG is first or second! I never know how trustworthy that kind of thing is. I've only ever heard of the brand on Reddit and Lemmy BIFL communities.

Are Speed Queens repairable? I have a strong preference for self repair.

I haven't had issues with my lg washer but I have had issues with any dehumidifier with a drain pump and all 3 pumps were victims of the same issue, gunk builds up inside the pump making it work harder leading to early failure. I decided that after the second dehumidifier and 3rd pump that I'd just use gravity to drain the water to a bigger, more powerful condensate pump and although the same gunk builds up, it's not enough to kill the pump...at least not so far.

I see that this model can't do what I did but my guess is if you are to buy another machine, ensure that the pump is at least stronger. In my opinion, if the pump is only $30 bucks, I'd buy a few to keep around and clean the machine more often, a new set is not cheap and they are built to break just the same.

Clogged or constricted filter, drain components above the filter, or drain hose seem like the most likely cause of failure.

Have you checked the drain hose for gunk, kinks or compression?

Maybe gunk between the filter and the washer drum? Or a bad seal at the filter letting junk into the pump?

There is a drain hose at the bottom for maintenance, but I don't know that I could get spousal approval for a bucket and external pump.

Are you exceeding the head height for the pump? Or coming close? A more powerful pump might help. Also, is there a check valve either built in or in-line?

The drain hose was okay last time; I removed it and ran hot water until it was clear. I could try one of those brushes for reusable straws.

I can take the front off and see what else is upstream of the filter.

What is a head height?

I don't know how I would go about using a different pump. Here is an instructional video on replacing the pump which will show you where and to what it is installed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNEhAanaQho&t=295

A condensate pump will already have a place for the water to go into, no bucket needed.

I got so sick of replacing the pump in ours i replaced the washer. Mine was 13 years old i believe, and I replaced the pump 6 times i think. Half of them in a year or so.

Are you mixing multiple cleaners/detergents?

No, just standard high-efficiency pods.

I don't mind doing it, but I presume that repeated failures are an indicator of a larger problem.

They might be too corrosive for the pump if you're getting the same results by using the same thing. I just had to replace the hosing on my washer. Heh, but I was using a wide array of "cleaning" chemicals. I would say the one with all the chemical warnings with the other one that dissolves things probably did that. I was trying to get all the mold out of my clothes from my previous job.

That is a reasonable supposition. If the boss allows me to keep it, I'll try different detergent.

I think if we had put ours on a riser it would have been different. But the utility closet had such little room it was a real pain. It also ended up ripping the linoleum when I was pushing it back one time.