School me on... LG Front Load washers

[phatfoto]

I bought a LG TROMM WM2277HS front load washer 6 years ago, actually, one month shy of 6 years ago. Yesterday,after running two loads, it presented a code OE, which is either the pump filter is dirty or the drain hose is kinked/clogged. Well, the filter wasn't dirty (it did this once before 3 years ago and it was filthy), so my son removed the drain hose from the unit and we cleaned it out. Gross gross gross... Well, now it isn't shutting down and beeping with a code anymore, but it makes a noise during the rinse cycle where I think it SHOULD be pumping the water out. Before that, the drum does turn like it I think it should, so I doubt its a drive issue with the direct drive motor system. Anyone have any experience with these and replacing pumps? The owner's manual is near useless and I'd rather not call a tech if I can avoid it. Youtube is helpful to a point, at least I know how the thing comes apart...

In the 6 years we've had it, it has been a real workhorse. It wasn't a top of the line unit 6 years ago, but not far from it.

 

[Caleb]

If you haven't already, pull the pump and take a look at it. My Samsung front load was doing something similar, I tore it down to the pump and my stupid nanny had left some bobby pins in her clothes and a bobby pin and gotten all the way down in to the impeller in the pump. Worth taking a look. My pump was easy to get to, the hardest part was simply pulling the washer away from the wall

 

[phatfoto]

If I see things right in the various videos online, I need to remove the top, then the control panel and the front of the unit to get to the pump. I'm digging into it this evening. One of the parts websites I saw shows different parts, so I need to see what is in there before decidin gto order parts or not. Might as well tear the thing apart as I hope its just something in the pump itself. In a weird way, the washing machines aren't horribly different from motion picture procesors I've worked on in the past, just getting an idea of the process helps understand the function...

Thanks!